Stretches for High-Heel Wearers

High heels killing you? You can alleviate some (if not all) of the problems caused by heels with a few simple stretches. "The exercise I recommend for anyone who wears heels is the Achilles tendon stretch, three times a day," says Megan Leahy, MD, podiatrist at the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute and a spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association.

To do it, lean into a wall with one foot about a foot and a half in front of the other, gently stretching the calf and tendon in the back foot; hold for 90 seconds, then switch sides.

Dr. Leahy also recommends the "alphabet exercise" to strengthen your ankles and improve range of motion: Use your big toe to trace each letter of the alphabet in cursive in the air, moving only the foot and ankle.