Can Barbie Actually Wear Birkenstocks? Podiatrist Brad Schaefer Talks ‘Barbie Feet Challenge,’ High Heel Pains and More

The upcoming “Barbie” film has become an international sensation, even prior to its release on July 21. One of the movie’s most viral components is Barbie (Margot Robbie)’s high-arched feet, seen in the trailer as she steps out of a pair of bejeweled mules — the scene even inspired the “Barbie feet” challenge on TikTok. Though Dr. Brad Schaeffer, a New York City-based podiatrist and owner of clinic Central Park Sole, was thrilled to see the movie’s whimsical first images, he balked at Barbie’s feet onscreen.

“As a podiatrist, I was screaming because it looks so painful,” Schaeffer recalled in an exclusive FN interview, explaining the issues with Barbie’s naturally high-arched feet — which is called “pes cavus” in real life.

“As far as Barbie is concerned, she has a higher-arched foot because of wearing her heels and looking as fashionable as she does. The complications with that are going to be ball of foot pain. Fat pad atrophy in the ball of the foot, which is caused by walking on the bones in that area — they’re called your metatarsals. That’s going to be extremely painful every step you take when you don’t have that fat pad. The more that a person wears high heels, they’re going to experience that.”

As Schaeffer sees patients that often wear high heels, he says it’s not likely that people who love stilettos will develop high arches over time. However, he does emphasize that pains in your heels, arches, Achilles and balls of the feet can occur — and presents some solutions.

“Depending on how long you have it, you can fill up the front of the foot with fillers, just like you fill the face — and you plump up that area,” Schaeffer said.

“If you are able to use high heels in moderation, you should put those shoes on the shelf sometimes, and stretch that foot out so the plantar fascia — which means the ‘rubber band’ structure on the bottom of the feet — starts to breathe a little bit. We can stretch, blood flow returns the area, and we won’t become so tight. If our high arch is a problem, that rubber band on the bottom of our foot can become tight, it could almost snap and that could be a big problem.”

Another viral moment from the “Barbie” trailer finds Barbie panicking on the beach as her high-arched feet flex and grow flat. Schaeffer confirmed that someone would need surgery in real-life to reduce their natural arches if they so chose. The doctor also shared that it’s possible for Barbie to wear flatter shoes akin to Birkenstocks — like the ones she deliberates alongside pink pumps in a “Matrix”-like moment from the trailer — but not without some modifications.

“A Birkenstock is not going to have the arch support for somebody that has as high of an arch as Barbie does,” Schaeffer said. “What you would have to do is get something in that sandal to fill up that area, or the arch, and get a little more height to it. That would be more of a custom insert or shoe that Barbie could wear, but you could easily wear regular sneakers like Vans or Converse.”

As “Barbie” enters theaters and fans lean into the meta moment with “Barbiecore” pink outfits — and heels to match — Schaeffer wants to emphasize the importance of having fun, while remaining mindful on how much time you spend in high heels for the occasion.

“Dress up, look like Barbie, if that what makes you happy and you’re having fun doing it, rock it out,” the doctor said. “When you get home, put those shoes on the shelf and relax. Let the feet breathe, get comfortable, do some light stretching to help stretch the plantar fascia out, the Achilles out, and maybe get a good foot massage. Everything in moderation is the answer.”