It's easy for Christian Louboutin to say wearing stilettos is like having an orgasm - he doesn't have to wear them.

But spare a thought for the models tottering down the catwalk during Toronto's LG Fashion Week, squeezing into crippling creations, probably a few sizes too small.

Although the French shoe designer said this week that slipping your foot into a stiletto creates an arch similar to its shape during orgasm, for the rest of us, heels mean blisters, calluses and pain.

Dani Seitz, a model with Sutherland Models, in Toronto, admits blisters blight an exciting day on the runway.

"I'm very tall with small feet so shoes are often too big for me and your feet can get very, very sore," she said.

To cope, she carries insoles and sleeps in socks with her feet slathered in moisturizer.

"When you're standing waiting for the show to start, you think 'oh no, here we go. You just have to focus and keep your eyes on the prize'."

Off the catwalk, keeping feet pedicure-pretty is still a daily commitment.

Corns and calluses can be very painful if left untreated, while hot, swollen feet need daily TLC in between visits to the spa.

Toronto podiatrist Hartley Miltchin says long-lasting damage won't happen overnight, but anything higher than one-and-a-half inches can cause a problem.

"We're just not meant to walk that way," explains Miltchin, whose clients include Miss Universe contestants. "Probably the biggest risk a model has is ankle sprains or fractures because of going over on a heel, but there's a whole host of problems that are associated with heels. Stilettos are the worst culprits."

Fragile toes are the first to suffer, because high heels are designed with narrow toe boxes.

"If we think of our toes as cars, you're putting five cars into a three-car parking space. Those toes are going to get squashed."

Miltchin recommends investing in a good quality moisturizer.

"The skin on the bottom of your feet is about 20 times thicker than anywhere else, so using a moisturizer for the rest of body just isn't going to cut it," he said. "Keep your feet supple and hydrated so they're able to take more abuse."

Pedicures should be an essential part of party maintenance, believes Jennifer Eisen, owner of Fabulous Manicure Bar in Mount Pleasant Road in Toronto.

She recommends monthly pedicures and daily foot-care at home.

"People want their feet to be in pristine condition when they're going on display, but they're not so concerned about them afterwards," she said. "And if you leave it for months without a pedicure, they will be in a really bad condition."

For a spa-worthy treat at home, soak feet in warm milk - the lactic acid softens the skin - then polish with brown sugar and grapeseed oil. "Think of it like a facial for the feet," Eisen said. "Do it regularly, don't forget about feet; even when they're buried in socks and boots for winter."

TLC TIPS: