High heels are high fashion, but the pain they can cause isn't pretty.
"It's on the balls of your feet and it stings," one woman said when asked whether her high heels were comfortable.
Makers of shoe insoles claim their products can help "prevent foot aches and pains, guaranteed" or provide "all-day comfort" and "cushion the entire foot area." So Consumer Reports' ShopSmart put shoe insoles to the test, checking out four that cost between $8 and $13.
To test, 14 women tried each of the insoles in a pair of shoes that had at least two-and-a-half inch heels, with some as high as four inches.
"The women did a lot of walking for this test. Each did a total of almost five-and-a-half miles," the magazine's Jody Rohlena said.
So what were the results? Not great for Dr. Scholl's For Her high heel insoles and Insolia high heel inserts.
"My shoes didn't feel any more comfortable than they did without them," panellist Valerie England said.
Foot Pedals' Killer Kushionz did make shoes feel a little more comfortable. But the package says they're "not recommended to remove and reuse."
It turns out the adhesive damaged some of the shoes.
"The whole lining is torn out and it looks really yucky now. It's not a nice shoe," panellist Desiree Ferenczi said.
The Fab Feet ¾' Insoles also made shoes a little more comfortable and were easier to remove.
But most of the women thought none of the insoles were worth the money and that's the real bottom line: Insoles aren't the answer.
When it comes to comfortable shoes, Consumer Reports ShopSmart says a big problem is people often buy shoes that are just too small, selecting the size they've always worn. But your feet change, so it's important to get measured each time you shop for shoes. A good-fitting pair should have a pinkie's width between the end of your toes and the tip of your shoe.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen
