The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society offers these tips for protecting your feet while wearing high heels.

 

Get the best fitting heel possible.  While that sounds obvious, many women still wear heels that allow their feet to slide forward, putting additional pressure on the toes.

Cushion the foot from impact.  While a full shoe insert can help, consider investing in silicone metatarsal pads for great shock absorption.

A thicker heel offers greater stability by better distributing the weight on your foot more evenly.  A thicker heel may also reduce stress on your Achilles tendon.

Pay attention to the slope or pitch caused by the heel height.  The steeper the slope, the more discomfort on the ball of the foot.

Finally, open toe heels will put less pressure on corns and calluses.