Is Black Swan craze for flat ballet shoes damaging women's feet?

At first glance they seem more sensible than sky-high stilettos or strappy sandals.

But ballet-style shoes can seriously damage the feet, knees, hips and back and may lead to arthritis, experts have warned.

Stylish ‘ballet flats’ have risen in popularity on the High Street thanks to the film Black Swan, which stars Natalie Portman as a ballet dancer.

Fashion forward: Stylish 'ballet flats' have risen in popularity on the High Street thanks to the film Black Swan, which stars Natalie Portman as a ballet dancer

However, they offer little support and should only be worn for short periods, according to the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists.

Lorraine Jones from the society said: ‘Professional dancers are no strangers to the perils of ballet shoes, which offer the feet little cushioning, leaving the lower leg and foot to absorb the full impact of movement.

‘This puts increased pressure on the knees, hips and back, which over time can increase a person’s chance of developing arthritis.

On trend: They may look stylish but ballet-style pumps offer little support and should only be worn for short periods, according to the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists

‘If you embrace ballet fashion then try to opt for a shoe with a slight heel and higher sides which offers the feet a little more support.

‘Try not to wear them for long periods, particularly if you are doing a lot of walking, and make sure you alternate regularly with a more supportive shoe.’

She added that anyone who wore the shoes for dancing should also ‘take precautions’, such as daily calf stretches to keep muscles supple.

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Mila Kunis: 'I was bullied over looks'

Mila Kunis has revealed that she was bullied at school over her appearance.

The actress, who is 5ft 4in, explained that she was "funny-looking" and was always the shortest in her class.

She told OK: "I had a very funny-looking face when I was little. I had like big eyes, big lips, big ears. But when I was little I was constantly being made fun of for having big eyes and that was awful.

"I used to come home crying, 'Why do I have big eyes?' And my parents were like, 'You're crazy!'"

The 27-year-old went on to say that she has learnt from being taunted.

She added: "I've learned it wasn't a bad thing to be picked on because when you're little is seems awful, like it's the end of the world. I grew into my face."

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Former ballerina: I was a real Black Swan...and it nearly killed me

HOLLYWOOD star Natalie Portman is tipped to win an Oscar for playing a tortured ballerina in hit movie Black Swan.

But the film has caused outrage in the ballet world, as Portman's character, Nina, pushes herself to the limits - suffering eating disorders, self-harm and depression in a quest for dance perfection.

For former ballerina Ali Townsend, watching the movie was like seeing a younger version of herself.
The mum-of-one had a glittering 18-year career as one of the country's top ballerinas and danced for the London City Ballet and the English National Ballet.

'It brought back haunting memories' ... Ali Townsend

She even tackled the dual role of the white swan and black swan (Odette and Odile) in Swan Lake - the dance which forces Nina over the edge.

Today, Ali reveals herself as the real-life Black Swan.