High-Tech High Heels

Toenail problems? Hammer toe? Bunions? Pump bump*? According to the Mayo Clinic these are just a few of the ailments plaguing frequent wearers of high heels.

Women who'd rather suffer the slings of podiatry than give up their Blahniks can join this group devoted to mastering the art of walking in heels, or use this woman's gradual training and workout plan.

For the rest of us who think high heels and Chinese foot binding are one and the same, high tech comes to the rescue. Camileon Heels are the "transformers" of women's shoes. The shoes convert from high heel to low with a retractable heel that stores itself in a grooved cavity under the arch of the shoe. In high heel mode the heel locks into place.

Designs are still pretty basic and costs are still high ($288 at Zappos for your basic black pump). But if you've ever run for the subway in your heels or been lame for days after an ankle-wrenching experience, these may be the ticket.

*(Pump bump, by the way, is known as Haglund's deformity, a bony enlargement on the back of your heel aggravated by the rigid backs or straps on heels.)