Abigail Wuest, junior in English, wasn’t worried about her health when she strapped on her high-heeled shoes a few years back. Unfortunately, this oversight in the name of fashion quickly became a real pain.

“I was on my way to a high school dance and fell down the stairs,” Wuest says. “I hit my head and blacked out.”

Striving to stay up-to-date with the trends may leave students stuck at home caring for their injuries. When looking at the price tag, trendsetters must consider the health hazards fads are presenting as an added cost, experts say.

Short-term injuries, such as infections and sprained ankles, are just a few of the dangerous health risks the fashion-crazed may experience when putting together the perfect outfit with the latest trends.

Shoes

Sky-high stilettos are stomping their way into the fall fashion season — and it could be perilous.

Even though they have caused her problems in the past, Wuest says she still wears high heels.

“I think stilettos are an accessory that adds style and height to an outfit,” Wuest says.

Stilettos are causing a huge weight shift to the balls of the feet with approximately every half-inch of heel, says Jane Farrell-Beck, professor of textiles and clothing.

Men and women who wear cowboy boots can also see the same problems.

“Toes that are squeezed too tight in a shoe can cause severe problems,” says Marc Shulman, a doctor at Thielen Student Health Center.

He suggests wearing proper shoes for different activities. He advises trend-setters to wear comfortable shoes for the stress of everyday life and save nice shoes for going out and when they want to look their best.

“It’s OK to be stylish — just be smart,” he says.

Farrell-Beck says she sees the appeal of stilettos and fancy shoes, but doesn’t totally understand the appeal of painful footwear.

“A higher, more delicate shoe adds grace to any women’s figure,” she says. “[But] when you take the fashionable shoes off, you have ugly feet. What have you gained?”

Underwear

Rap and hip-hop music have made thong underwear a household item and some women wear them when looking for an appealing, no-panty-line bottom half.

But does the itsy-bitsy undergarment create health risks?

Shulman says thong underwear has not been proven to cause infections, but underwear made of synthetic fabrics can. Yeast infections are the most common problem caused by the fabric of underwear.

He says cotton underwear is the healthiest and best to wear, because moisture can evaporate easily.

Farrell-Beck agrees.

“You can wash cotton underwear in hot water, so it is cleaner,” she says. “They are also more absorbent and breathable.”

Men’s underwear can also present problems to their health.

Shulman says tight briefs can cause irritation and lead to what is commonly called “jock itch.” However, a direct link between men’s briefs and low fertility rates has not been found.

“Some men may feel restricted, but for certain activities, men need the added support briefs provide,” he adds.

Another undergarment health risk facing women is the bra.

Seventy percent of women wear the wrong size of bra, says Farrell-Beck, who co-authored the book “Uplift: The Bra in America.”

Farrell-Beck says wearing too tight of a bra can irritate the skin, and wearing lace-up corsets or back braces will lead to a weakening of natural muscles.

“Wearing the right size of bra will be more comfortable and will create pleasing lines under a woman’s clothes,” she says.

Jeans

Working your way into low-rise jeans could present problems beyond accidentally revealing your buttocks while studying in the grass of Central Campus.

Shulman says too-tight jeans or regularly carrying keys or a wallet in your front pockets can produce short-term discomfort. The condition is called lateral femoral cutaneous nerve entrapment and causes a tingly sensation in the thighs.

He says women and men should not have to experience this pain.

“You should always be comfortable in your clothes,” he says.

Men who wear tight pants, such as Wrangler brand jeans, can also produce the condition depending on the fit, Shulman says. Digestion problems can also arise from jeans and pants that are too tight, he says. A restriction to the waist will cause difficulty to digest food.

Farrell-Beck says there is a correlation between health and aesthetics.

“Clothes tend to look better when they feel better,” she says.

Shulman says to wear clothes that fit your environment.

“They best way to prevent problems is to use common sense when choosing what to wear,” Shulman says.