High heels are uncomfortable. No matter what size or shape they are, they are a device created to inflict pain on the people who wear them. But many in our society have accepted that beauty is pain, and in Pop Star Academy: Katseye, that means dancing is pain too.

In the eight-part series, 20 ambitious young women undergo a rigorous K-pop training program to secure a coveted spot in a new international girl group created in collaboration between K-pop machine company HYBE and American record label Geffen.

The girls’ talents in dance, singing and acting vary across all skill levels – from beginners to girls who are professionally trained in their respective skills. Excellent singers may only have dance experience because they imitate TikTokers. Trainees who have been taking ballet lessons since childhood may not know how to control their pitch. As the show progresses, the girls and their skills also evolve, and the trainees’ instructors stress that becoming a star requires endless dedication: hours of daily practice, physical endurance and mental strength.

One of the aspects of her training, however, is learning how to move and dance at an elite level… in high heels. Nikky Paramo, one of the dance instructors and an industry veteran who has performed on tour with Britney Spears, emphasizes how demanding this skill is, which adds another level of physical complexity to a routine.

While teaching the girls a new routine, Paramo says, “People just expect women to be able to dance in high heels. They say, ‘I could just put on high heels and do a routine.’ It’s not like that. Good luck.”

She explains: “You’re standing on your toes the whole time, which puts strain on your Achilles tendon. It’s very demanding on the body.” The series shows how students with the least dance knowledge focus only on the movements, while those who reach a higher level can incorporate heels into their practice routines.

Paramo says she tries to teach the girls how to improve their skills quickly “while wearing three-inch heels, and some of them have never worn heels in their lives.”

In fact, wearing high heels on a daily basis can increase the risk of long-term health problems. The Conversation found that constantly wearing high heels can lead to an “increased risk of bunions, musculoskeletal pain and injuries to the wearer. Some of these injuries, such as ankle fractures, were serious and required hospital treatment.”

For female dancers, however, the risk is even greater. Dance doctors like Sajid A. Surve, co-director of the Texas Center for Performing Arts Health and a professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, stress the importance of understanding that heels not only affect women’s feet, but also affect other parts of their bodies.

In an article in the journal Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, Surve explains, “High heels tilt the foot and distort muscles and joints, so the effects are not limited to the feet. … It is not uncommon for people who spend a lot of time in high heels to experience pain in the lower back, neck and shoulder area because the shoes disrupt the natural shape of the body.”

In addition, a study that observed a group of female dancers in high heels during a one-hour class consisting of a 10-minute warm-up, 20 minutes of exercises, and 30 minutes of choreography found increased muscle tissue breakdown.

Despite all these obvious concerns and long-term effects on the body, there is hope for all women who wear high heels, especially those who dance in them.

According to Surve, stretching your calves loosens the hamstrings, thereby relieving the pain that comes from wearing and walking in high heels. Stretching before and after wearing high heels for long periods of time and taking some breaks while wearing the shoes should help counteract the long-term effects. A video from the American Osteopathic Association explains it:

It’s important to note that the type of shoe a person wears will also determine the level of comfort and pain they will feel. Suave noted that the slope of the shoe is more crucial than the heel height. A comfortable, supported heel should allow a person to distribute their weight evenly, so platform soles or thicker heels might help. However, in the docuseries, the dancers wear narrow, thin stiletto heels, which aren’t necessarily the safest for dancing and increase the risk of injury. The trainers on the show emphasize that dancers should work on strengthening their core to improve their performance with heels.

When it comes to the performance expected of pop stars, dancing in high heels is seen as a necessity. Paramo said, “With high heels, the better the technique, the faster you progress,” citing that 90% of female artists wear high heels when they perform.

Ultimately, dancing in high heels is a risk that dancers themselves seem to understand. It’s not just the high heels that pose a problem when dancing—it’s the footwear in general. There’s literally a niche, an ASMR corner on TikTok where ballerinas show their followers how to break in their new pointe shoes so they’re more comfortable to wear.

If audiences learn anything from the rigorous training in Pop Star Academy: Katseye, it’s that dancing in high heels is no easy feat. Young dancers should be respected for their efforts, but also protected from permanently damaging their resilient bodies for their well-deserved moment in the spotlight.

“Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE” is currently streaming on Netflix.