Researchers are learning more about the impact of certain shoes on women's feet and they're finding the wrong pair - whether flats or stilettos - could be damaging in the long-run.

Next to diamond, shoes might be a close second to a girl's best friend.

"I only wear heals," says Una Hildebrandt, Bethesda resident. "They feel good, they look good; I like the various styles."

But no matter how good you look, your feet may not feel the same appreciation.  

"They squeeze your toes, they're just not very comfortable," says Silver Spring resident Katie Spillenkothen.

"They kill my feet! I think that's like a hidden secret that a lot of women try to hide...but you know you got to look cute - that's the price for beauty," says Danielle Mills, Silver Spring resident.

And Falls Church Podiatrist Paul Cannon says you could be paying that price for years to come. "...She has been putting her feet into a tighter shoe for decades and we see the the formation of a bunion in this area and that's where she's been having pain," he said.

At Temple University's School of Podiatric Medicine, researchers are testing the effects of different shoe styles on feet. Equipped with a runway, pressure plates and computer analysis, doctors are working to understand how different types of shoes put pressure on various points of the foot. And they're finding the higher the heel, the more stress on toes and ankles.

"We have the chronic effect of actually wearing heels for a long time, that actually effect the muscles, the balance, deformities, and the number one thing is degenerative joint disease," said Dr. Kathya Zinzser, Temple School of Podiatric Medicine.

And as women get older, doctors say, deterioration of bones and muscles may cause the arches in their feet to become lax and lose support, which could lead to pain for more body parts than just the feet. "You're going to notice a lot of ankle pain, a lot of knee pain; you can have hip pain and back pain."

But doctors also say not all flats and flip flops are much better, as they sometimes don't provide enough heel support. They suggest a little heel to give your arch support without causing fallen arches or flat feet and heel problems.

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