* Where would your heel touch the ground? With your leg stretched out in front of you and the knee supported, make an imaginary line from the heel to the ground.

    * If your foot is at a right angle to your outstretched leg and does not dangle, you have a low ankle-joint axis and will be more comfortable in flat shoes than in high heels. Kate Moss is the standard-bearer for flats  -  they are obviously what suit her feet best.

    * If your foot points down,you need to measure the distance between the top of your big toe and an imaginary line from the bottom of your heel. This is the right heel height for you. Measure it against your favourite shoes  -  the ones you swear you are most comfortable in, no matter how high or low. I can almost guarantee the heel will match it.

Men and heels

Even men can benefit from wearing a heel. They too are subject to the heel-height rule.

A lot of fashionable men's shoes, such as Converse trainers, are completely flat, which is why I see young men with arch pain, heel pain and a range of other foot problems despite wearing 'good shoes'.

The key thing with any shoe, high or flat, is that it should fit properly, not pinch your toes and have a degree of flexibility. The pretty but cheap shoes that you get in some High Street shops are too rigid, so they cannot mould around your feet.

Obviously, most men will not want to wear a 4in-high heel no matter how much they might need one. What they can do is wear a shoe with some kind of heel, such as an Oxford or brogue, and see a podiatrist who can help choose an orthotic insole that raises the heel further and gives some arch support.