From high heels to as low as they go, women have had a long love affair with shoes.

But fashion - and function - don't always mesh.

On a high-tech runway, podiatrists get to the bottom of a patient's pain. Force-plates imbedded in the floor measure pressure points in the foot.

Heel pain is often caused by walking in completely flat shoes.

"Every shoe I buy has a little heel. I don't wear anything flat," says Rita Schlessinger.

For some patients, a new style is all that it takes.

"Every person is an individual and every footprint and foot type is like your own basic fingerprint. So every shoe type is going to be different for different patients," said Kathya Zinszer, DPM, Temple University

Cameras on the outside of the runway send out infrared light. They reflect movement of sensors placed on patients' ankles, toes and legs. That provides a 3-D image of the patient in mid-stride.

"A lot of patients who come in to see us come in and are having a lot of lower back pain or knee pain and it really starts from the foot," said Zinszer.

Doctors say any heel over two inches changes the body's center of gravity. Over time, some patients may begin to feel the effects. But that doesn't mean high heels have to take a hike. By occasionally switching styles, you've got a better chance of staying pain and injury-free.

Gait analysis can be  especially beneficial for diabetics who often lose feeling in their feet.