A 1998 United States study by a team of Harvard researchers found a link between high heels and knee osteoarthritis, a painful, degenerative joint disease characterised by the breakdown of cartilage surrounding the knee.
The study found that walking on 5cm heels increases strain on the parts of the knee that are most vulnerable to osteoarthritis by 23 per cent compared with walking barefoot.
Podiatrists Mind Your Body spoke to also warned of other health hazards like back problems, sprained ankles, tendinitis, hammer toes, corns and calluses.
'In the worst case scenario, women may get fractures on the balls of their feet,' says Tan Tock Seng Hospital senior podiatrist Kin Ismail.
Women who wear their stilettoes religiously can attest to the fact that sometimes their feet can hurt so unbearably that it is difficult to even stand.
This is because they are constantly in an unnatural position while wearing these heels. Not only do the feet start to hurt, but extra pressure is also placed on the neck and the back which can cause problems with posture.
High heels are not made for comfort or ease of walking. Those who have been wearing high heels for years will notice that their Achilles tendon - a band of connective tissue that anchors muscle to bone - gets shorter, even becoming too short for flat shoes, says Ms Kin.
The Achilles tendon attaches the calf muscle to the heel bone and is very important because it lets one lift the heel when walking, running or standing on tiptoe. When calf muscles shorten and tighten, the body compensates for this by lowering the arch of the foot, which affects the knee, hip or back.