| My first Alexander Technique* teacher taught | | | | and then remove almost all contact with the |
| group classes in his studio. Once in awhile, he | | | | surface on which we're standing or walking, we |
| would venture out into the anteroom where | | | | allow these sensing and adapting functions to |
| students left their coats and shoes and would | | | | atrophy. It's no wonder that many women look |
| return holding aloft a pair of high-heeled shoes, | | | | like they're about to tumble down when they |
| demanding in a booming voice: "Who belongs to | | | | walk about in these shoes. They are! |
| THESE!" There would follow a moment of | | | | It's interesting - and telling - that at times when |
| embraced silence until some poor woman would | | | | stiletto heels have been in vogue, the main |
| meekly confess. | | | | concern was the harm these heals did to floor |
| In retrospect, I don't think this was a particularly | | | | surfaces - not to the women wearing them! |
| good strategy. Public humiliation is unlikely to | | | | I remember reading about an elementary school |
| enhance any learning process, certainly not one so | | | | teacher on Long Island who was ordered by the |
| subtle as learning the Alexander Technique. And in | | | | school board to refrain from wearing these shoes |
| my years of experience since then, Alexander | | | | in her classroom because of the pock marks they |
| teachers usually go out of their way to provide a | | | | were leaving in the wooden floors - not because |
| friendly, supportive atmosphere for their students. | | | | she was increasing her risk of injury. And not |
| But like many Alexander Technique teachers, I do | | | | because of the terrible visual example her stiff |
| try my best to coax wearers of high-heeled | | | | posture was setting for her students. |
| shoes to lessen their dependence on them and, if | | | | Does all this mean that one should never, ever |
| at all possible, to gradually give them up entirely. | | | | wear high-heeled shoes? No, it certainly won't |
| Fortunately our notions of acceptable work wear | | | | harm you to wear them once in a while, |
| have changed and it's a lot easier to do this today | | | | particularly if you take advantage of these |
| than twenty-five years ago when I was having | | | | occasions to sense their effect on your posture |
| my first lessons. | | | | and movement patterns. |
| Why are Alexander teachers so concerned about | | | | In fact, it can be quite illuminating during an |
| this issue? | | | | Alexander Technique lesson for a student to |
| There are two main reasons: First, high-heeled | | | | switch back and forth between high heels and flat |
| shoes throw the entire weight of the wearer | | | | shoes (or going barefoot) for this very purpose, |
| forward, making it far more difficult to sustain | | | | and to learn how to make the best of high heels |
| upright balance. They force the women wearing | | | | when it is absolutely necessary to wear them. |
| them to use a lot of extra muscular effort to | | | | If you are a frequent wearer of these shoes, and |
| keep themselves from falling forward. Much of | | | | want to lessen your use of them, it's probably |
| this extra effort is concentrated in the lower | | | | best not to do so at once. I would recommend |
| back, producing an exaggerated arch which can | | | | gradually reducing the heel height and the amount |
| easily lead to back pain. | | | | of time you wear them in order to give your |
| But the distorting effects go far beyond the | | | | body time to adjust. |
| lower back. Human bodies function as a whole and | | | | Shoe styles come and go. Platform shoes, high |
| so it's not possible to create undue tension in one | | | | heeled boots for men, "negative heel" shoes - |
| region without also producing a series of related | | | | there's really no end to the silly designs that have |
| restrictions extending from the head down to the | | | | appeared over the years. The best general shoe |
| feet. | | | | advice I've seen comes from Elizabeth Langford, |
| Shallow breathing, tight necks and shoulders, knee | | | | an experienced British teacher of the Alexander |
| and ankle pain - these are just a few of the | | | | Technique who sums up the whole question very |
| possible consequences of giving up the easy and | | | | well in her wonderful book, Mind and Muscle - An |
| natural upright balance designed into our structure | | | | Owner's Handbook: |
| and replacing it with a system of muscular tugs | | | | "I think you should start from a recognition that |
| and pulls that attempt to keep us from falling | | | | 'nature knows best'. Granted that we like to have |
| over. | | | | some protection, in a good shoe we can still |
| A second important reason for our concern about | | | | approximate to the bare-feet state. That is, we |
| wearing high heels is that they make it very | | | | can feel, we can move, we can balance, we are |
| difficult for the feet to carry out their important | | | | not compelled to make unnecessary movement. |
| sensing and balancing roles. The underlying | | | | The good shoe is flexible, stays on the foot and is |
| structure of the human foot is very similar to | | | | not thicker or heavier than circumstances |
| that of the hand - lots of bones and joints | | | | demand." |
| designed to allow us to quickly and easily sense | | | | *The Alexander Technique is a century-old |
| and adapt to whatever it contacts. | | | | method of learning how to release harmful tension |
| When we squeeze our feet into tight fitting shoes | | | | from your body. |