High heel shoes put the foot in an improper position with walking. They also put additional stress on joints of the toes, ankles, knees, and hips that can cause problems if worn too often. Like everything else that could be bad for you, moderation is what the doctors recommend. If you know you can wear a heel and not be on your foot for a long period of time or you will be at a function where you will be sitting for most of the time, you often can wear these shoes and not have a problem. However, people who wear them all day long and stand and walk on their feet will develop in many cases foot and leg problems. So therefore, if you must wear heel, a lower heel of 1 to 1.5 inches will certainly be less stress on your foot and still allow you to be somewhat fashionable.