Posture and footwear
What footwear does to the body — and what it should do.
Decorative heel, structural heel
A decorative heel changes the silhouette. A structural heel changes the posture. The first elongates the leg. The second repositions the pelvis, the spine, the gaze.
The distinction is invisible to the eye but immediate in the body. The person wearing a structural heel does not walk the same way.
Heel position and centre of gravity
Three placements exist. Forward heel: weight tips forward, the forefoot overloads. Centred heel: weight distributes, the ankle stabilises. Rear-set heel: the line elongates, compensation begins.
The vertical axis
When head, ribcage, and pelvis stack vertically, the body holds without excessive muscular effort. A well-placed heel facilitates this stacking. A poorly placed heel makes it impossible.
The Kendrick approach
Every model is built around a centred 110mm heel. The height stays constant. What changes is the construction around it: arch, upper volume, sole placement. The result: a shoe that repositions posture without requiring adaptation.
Questions
- Do heels damage posture?
- An unstable heel forces lumbar compensation. A centred heel facilitates vertical alignment. The outcome depends on construction, not height.
- What height for posture?
- Height is secondary. What matters: the heel's position under the centre of gravity and the stability of the base.
- Can you wear heels all day?
- With a centred heel, an upper that holds the foot, and a leather sole, yes. Fatigue comes from compensation, not from wearing.