At first, it was quite nice to be 6ft tall. Stepping out of the house in my red plush peep-toe shoes with giant golden platform and colossal 13cm (5.1in) golden heel, I instantly turn into a Mistress of the Universe. Or a trendy alien from Dr Who. Or, as my husband puts it, an accident waiting to happen. “Be careful” cautions Mr Millard, as I stamp off down the road. “Think about how useless you'll be if you break your ankle.”

Coming out to witness the phenomenon, my next-door neighbour Michelle hears this grim prophesy. “Yeah. But they are gorgeous, aren't they?” she drools. Girls, the thing is that we can't get enough of heels. After Gwyneth Paltrow unveiled a penchant for towering heels (pictured wearing 7in Giuseppe Zanotti on the Body&Soul cover), Selfridges noted a 35 per cent increase in sales of similar shoes. Meanwhile this week, sales of teetering footwear at John Lewis have soared by 77 per cent. Maybe shots of Victoria Beckham tottering in 7in needle stilettos by Dsquared 2 had something to do with it. We mortals can look forward to hobbling around the Christmas tree in the forthcoming 8in heels from Christian Louboutin.

And in case you were wondering, hobble is the verb of choice; there ain't much flexibility with these babies. Basically, the technique when in vertiginous heels is rather like that of wearing stilts; stride out tentatively yet meaningfully, look down every so often, and hope for the best. Sudden spurts of speed are not in your repertoire. Nor are sudden stops.

Beauty, Botox and bunions

Heels can be dangerous; apparently 40 per cent of women who are prone to wearing high heels have incurred some form of injury by falling off them. Yet the glory of walking about in crazy heels should not be underestimated. What's not to like about a fashion accoutrement that lengthens your legs, pushes out your bottom, flattens your stomach and increases your breasts? All right, there's the issue of falling over. And podiatrists and other boring types bang on about “stilettotarsal” , that agonising pain in the ball of the foot when the soft tissue is worn out by over-enthusiastic stiletto-wear, but now you can get that solved via a shot of Botox to plump it up, can't you? Or at least, you can alleviate the burning sensation by bunging in one of those little gel-filled pads in the sole of your shoe. And yes, high heels will give you corns and bunions, and hammer toes. All of which I have. Apparently £29 million is spent annually on foot and toe operations thanks to the damage caused by our obsession with spiky stilettos, and what with the lead from Gwynnie and Posh, its going to get worse.

But what should we do? Give up our fix of instant sex appeal and look forward to an adult existence slopping around in, though I shudder to even write the word, a pair of Crocs? On reaching the bus stop, heads wheel round. “You look dolled up!” says a passer-by, somewhat unnecessarily. I board the No 91 with a single stride and conquer the top deck. My golden heels flick past an assortment of sweet wrappers and McDonald's cups. Yet I have no worries about a humiliating slip in the rubbish; the heel, though Eiffel-esque in proportion, is quite sturdy and the platform reassuringly thick.

This, apparently, is the new science behind the new high heel; designers have come up with a way of making them wearable. Getting off the No 91 isn't so easy; a leap from bus to kerb is in order, and at the traffic crossing, I do one stride too many and find myself grabbing on to someone's backpack to stop myself falling. The backpack owner wheels round, clearly thinking that I'm about to steal his stuff.

“Sorry!” I say, shrugging hopelessly. “I'm in high heels!” By St Pancras, a party of Italian tourists fresh off the Eurostar stares, in thrall to my shoes. “Look!” says the mother. “Una modela.” Yes, well. As I stalk the ticket hall of King's Cross, I recall the words of the posture queen Jean Broke-Smith, who once gave me a lesson in how to walk in stacks. “Heel before toe. And let your seat guide you,” was her mantra. And keep your steps small and lady-like. Up here in the thin oxygen of the serious heel-wearer, its not so easy to be guided by my seat. I feel as if I'm walking in crampons.

The boom in high heels is apparently directly related to the credit crunch; one high street retailer has explained the recent rush for them by calling them “Prozac for the feet”. I think one of the reasons they make us gals feel so great is because they are so clearly created for pleasure only. You can't run or walk for long distances in them, or use them in the snow. You can't go over grates in them, or grass, or uneven cobbles. Their only reason for existence is to make you look sexy.

Even Mr Millard admitted as much. “I suppose it doesn't matter that you can't walk in them,” he said as I triumphantly descend the stairs at home. “And they do make your legs look great.”

“High heels lift you physically and mentally”

According to Dr Cecilia d'Felice, an NHS clinical psychologist, high heels hit the button in a number of ways. “The foot is a key fetish point and always has been. And when you put on high heels, you instantly become taller, slimmer and it makes you stand in a very different way.” Men love us in them because it highlights all their favourite areas, she says.

“Our pelvic floor tightens, the bottom lifts, your spine curves, you hold your shoulders back and your head tilts higher. High heels lift how we are physically and because our minds are inseparable from our bodies, they lift how we feel mentally. You just know that by putting them on, you will be transformed. And that is exquisite and delicious.”

Crossing Soho, I may be transformed, but I also have to take things seriously. Jay-walking across Shaftesbury Avenue is right out. I must cross the road only when the little green man says so. Dramatic sprints through traffic spell certain death, or at the very least, a fractured leg. Yet its not hard to make friends when you are wearing a pair of crazy heels. The cobbles in Covent Garden look certain to floor me until I hit on the strategy of roping in passers-by to help me. I grab the arm of Baba, who tells me he is from Mali. “Bamoko?” I gasp, as we tour the slippery cobbles. I'm holding his elbow with a vice-like grip. “You are the first person in London who knows the name of our capital!” Baba chortles. Well, I specialise in African capital cities as well as vertiginous footwear, you know.

Baba and I part by the Aldwych, leaving me with a three-minute dash to the Vaudeville Theatre, where I am due to see the West End premiere of Piaf, starring Elena Roger. No, its not easy, but I've gained confidence by the minute, and apart from a nasty wobble on those bumpy paving stones designed to stop wheelchairs from sliding into the road, I even feel able to break into an elegant run. As long as I keep my arms well out for balance, it's OK.

Oh, goody. The red carpet is out on the Strand, for the benefit of proper stars in 5in heels. The heels like it. I like it. I glide into the theatre. I am definitely being guided by my seat. Once in my seat, however, I realise how great it feels not to be walking. By the time Elena is warbling Je Ne Regrette Rien, I have severe cramp and have to take off my golden and red beauties. Now the only thing I am regretting is not bringing a pair of sensible flatties to go home in. Pair of Crocs, anyone?

(Rosie was wearing the Real High Platform Sandal from Office, £70)

What they do to your feet, and tips for high heel-wearers

by Kate Wighton

Neck. High heels force the back out of its natural alignment, which can cause neck pain.

Back. Bad posture puts extra stress on the middle and lower back, triggering pain and a risk of long-term back problems.

Knee. Women walk with slightly bent knees, pushing the kneecap forward into a painful position. This can lead to long-term cartilage damage.

Calves. Posture adjustments shorten the calf muscle. This can cause calf strain when you switch to flat shoes.

Ankle. High heels are a well-known cause of sprained or broken ankles. Once broken, a joint is more prone to arthritis.

Heels. Policeman's heel - inflammation of the Plantar fasciitis, a ligament in the foot - results in painful heels. Tight-fitting shoes can also cause a bony bump on the the heel, known as winter heel. This bump rubs against shoes, becoming very painful.

Balls of the feet. Excess pressure on the front of the foot causes metatarsalgia, pain and burning in the balls of the feet.

Toes. High heels squash the toes into a small area, causing bunions on the big toe and bunionettes on the little toe.Hammertoes are also a problem. Narrow pointy shoes make the middle toes buckle at the joint, forcing the joint upwards, resulting in dislocation and a floppy toe.

Source: Physiotherapist Sammy Margo; foot and ankle surgeon Chris Walker

Tips for heel-wearers

Don't go the distance. Sammy Margo, a chartered physiotherapist, says killer heels are designed to be worn for short periods only, i.e. from the car to the restaurant.

Carry a pair of flats. Redfoot makes funky flat shoes that fold up small enough to fit into a clutch bag; www.thinkofus.co.uk

Ditch the stilettos. Choose a wide heel, and the wider the toe the better.

Practice makes perfect. Before venturing out in your heels, walk in them at home.

Strengthen your core. To prevent back damage, strengthen the core muscles around your tummy and pelvis. Margo recommends pulling in your tummy as far as possible and releasing 50 per cent.

Platform peril. Heels with a platform sole may feel more comfortable, but the extra height could result in a broken ankle, says Chris Walker, foot and ankle surgeon.

The 3in rule. If your heels are higher than this, take them off when you start drinking alcohol, says Walker.