ST. JAMES — High heels have been a part of our society for centuries. Many stores even sell little dress-up versions for girls as soon as they can walk.

Fitness instructor Carrie Jeffrey recalled when she received her first pair of heels.

“I think I inherited a pair of hand-me-down pumps from my aunt when I was 13 or 14,” said Jeffrey, 32, of Mankato. “They were simple black leather pumps, very scuffed up, but I was just excited to have them. I felt so grown up.”

Jeffrey now owns six pairs of heels, one pair 41⁄2 inches tall.

“I love the way high heels look,” Jeffrey said. “I am only 5 feet, 4 inches tall, so I like the added height that heels give me. I also like that they give the illusion of longer, slender legs.”

Despite the popularity and the perceived image of high heels, many podiatrists, such as Andrew Lundquist of Mankato, attribute many of the foot problems they see in women to the prolonged use of high heels.

Lundquist, who is also a foot and ankle surgeon and chief of podiatry at Immanuel St. Joseph’s Hospital, said he sees a lot of feet that have been affected by the use of high heels.

He said prolonged used of high heels increases “the amount of pressure and the amount of the duration of the pressure on the forefoot.”

There is also pressure put on the big toe, he said. Wearing heels can increase a woman’s heart rate. And it can affect the way the knee and ankle functions, as well as the contraction of the Achilles tendon.

“If you wear high heels from time to time, you probably aren’t going to cause problems, but you can make your underlying problem more symptomatic,” Lundquist said.

Bunions are also a concern with people who wear high heels.

A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology examined the symptoms women felt in the backs of their ankles after wearing high heels for long periods of time. Researchers discovered through ultrasound tests that the length of the muscle fiber in those who wore high heels was 13 percent shorter when compared to the women who wore flats. Achilles tendons in the high-heel wearers were also thicker and stiffer.

Shannon Parker, 36, wears heels and says she sometimes feels pain. But it doesn’t keep her from wearing them.

“But I will say I tried to do the flats a couple of years when they were really popular. I’ve never had more pain and blisters,” Parker said. “I will never go back to wearing flats. Popular or not, I will always wear heels.”

Moderation is the key when it comes to wearing high-heel shoes.

“It’s kind of like eating dessert,” said Lundquist. “You can eat it now and then, but if you eat chocolate cake three meals a day for the rest of your life, you are going to see some problems because of it.”

When it comes to comfort, Jeffrey said her heels are fine.

“I don’t wear shoes if they hurt my feet,” she said. “The pairs of high heels I own are very comfortable, otherwise I get rid of them.”

Jeffrey said her heels have never given her any other problems.

“The heels I own don’t affect other parts of my body, but I am more careful walking when wearing them,” she said. “My stride is probably very different than when I am wearing flats, but so far they have not caused any discomfort.”