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You remember the doll, right? Introduced in 1959, she came with never-ending plastic legs, an impossibly tiny waist and perpetually perched high heels. The newly released Barbie movie has viewers questioning if those high heeled shoes should stay in the past.

According to University Health podiatrist, Dr. Stephen Palmer, the answer is clear. “The cons far outweigh the pros,” he said about wearing high heeled shoes.

The pros are all about aesthetics. High heels tend to strengthen the calf muscle, making it look more toned and slender. The extra height makes wearers look taller. But the cons can start the instant you step into a pair.

“There’s a stability issue,” explained Dr. Palmer. “You’re basically balancing on the front part - or ball - of your foot. That can create ankle instability that may make you more vulnerable to an ankle sprain.”

Dr. Palmer said continual ankle sprains can lead to a condition called lateral ankle instability, which causes nerve damage and pain and sometimes requires surgery.

But even without a twisted ankle, high heels can cause inflammatory joint pain in the ball of the foot and even stress fractures. Since they change your gait - or how you walk – wearing heels can also lead to hip, knee and back pain.

What’s a heel lover to do?

“Change the shoe style, which will help resolve the problem,” said Dr. Palmer. But if you’re not ready to commit to flats, there are a few options that could help alleviate foot pain, such as:

• Choose a shoe with a slightly lower heel
• Lower the heel just a bit
• Slip on a wider, more stable heel
• Add arch supports to alleviate pressure on the ball of the foot
• When you’re feet ache, try an ice bath or an anti-inflammatory medication such as Ibuprofen
• If the pain won’t stop, a podiatrist might be able to offer relief in the form of a steroid injection

Non-Spoiler alert: The Barbie filmmakers seem to define Birkenstock sandals as the high heel’s opposite. But Dr. Palmer said that doesn’t necessarily mean that podiatrists recommend you pick up the sandal that’s long been a staple of those who make comfort a priority. “They have a nice arch to them,” said Dr. Palmer, “but they also tend to have a ‘flat or negative heel,’ making the foot totally flat adding strain to joints, ligaments and tendons. It’s better to have a shoe with a higher, slightly thicker heel that tapers to the front, like a running shoe.”