High heels cause arthritis and damaged knees

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

High-heel shoes are popular with many women. A study shows that wearing them for a long time can damage the body. A team of researchers did tests on the knees of women who wore flat shoes, shoes with 3.8-cm heels and shoes with 8.9-cm heels. Women who wore high heels risked permanent damage to their knees. High heels put knees in a bent shape that makes them like aged or damaged joints. This increases the risk of surgery.

A survey of 1,200 women shows how popular high heels are. It said 93 per cent of women feel sexier in heels, 88 per cent thought they were stylish and 77 per cent said heels made them feel slimmer. Many women ignore health warnings, pain and discomfort to wear heels and look and feel good. A British doctor said heels put the feet at a strange angle. This increases pressure on the knees by 25 per cent, which puts stress on the kneecaps.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3036076/More-women-left-crippled-killer-heels-New-research-proves-high-heels-lead-arthritis-worn-knees.html
http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/570159/Shoe-lovers-health-warning-high-heels-crippling-women-arthritis

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	High-heel shoes are popular	a.	to their knees
2.	wearing them for	b.	on the knees
3.	damage the	c.	surgery
4.	A team of researchers did tests	d.	shape
5.	women who wore	e.	with many women
6.	permanent damage	f.	a long time
7.	High heels put knees in a bent	g.	body
8.	This increases the risk of	h.	flat shoes

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ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	A survey	a.	on the knees
2.	93 per cent of women feel sexier	b.	stylish
3.	88 per cent thought they were	c.	the kneecaps
4.	heels made them	d.	and discomfort
5.	ignore health warnings, pain	e.	of 1,200 women
6.	put the feet at	f.	in heels
7.	This increases pressure	g.	feel slimmer
8.	puts stress on	h.	a strange angle

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

High-heel shoes (1) ___________________ many women. A study shows that wearing them (2) ___________________ can damage the body. A team of researchers (3) ___________________ knees of women who wore flat shoes, shoes with 3.8-cm heels and shoes with 8.9-cm heels. Women who wore high heels risked permanent (4) ___________________ knees. High heels put knees in a bent shape (5) ___________________ like aged or damaged joints. (6) ___________________ risk of surgery.

A survey of 1,200 women (7) ___________________ high heels are. It said 93 per cent of women feel sexier in heels, 88 per cent (8) ___________________ stylish and 77 per cent said heels made them feel slimmer. Many women (9) ___________________ warnings, pain and discomfort to wear heels (10) ___________________ feel good. A British doctor said heels (11) ___________________ a strange angle. This increases pressure on the knees by 25 per cent, which (12) ___________________ kneecaps.

HIGH HEELS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about high heels in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about high heels for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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