High Heels Lead to Celebs' Hard Falls

(Image Credit: Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images)

High heels are stylish, but falling in them isn't.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard found that out the hard way Wednesday after taking a spill when her heels got stuck in the grass at the Gandhi memorial in India.

Gillard's face nearly hit the ground. She broke her falls with her hands, and lost a shoe in the process. She wasn't hurt and she later gave a detailed explanation of her tumble when questioned by a male journalist.

"For men who get to wear flat shoes all day, every day, if you wear a heel it can get embedded in soft grass," she said. "And then when you pull your foot out, the shoe doesn't come, and then the rest of it is as you saw."

PHOTOS: High Heels Gone Wild

For many women, including many celebrities, heels are a wardrobe staple, even though they prove a danger.

"I think women don't walk off the big toe properly and that makes your foot more unstable," New York podiatrist Dr. Suzanne Levine said. "The higher the heel, the more unstable so, when in doubt, always lower your heel height."

The stylish footwear apparently is worth the risk of harm and potential embarrassment. Because anyone could have a camera phone nowadays, the Internet has plenty of embarrassing video of falling celebrities.

The Top Tumbles

Lady Gaga

"Born This Way" pop star Lady Gaga is known for her unique fashion sense. From head to toe, she makes a statement. Gaga often wears boots with high heels or wedges. This YouTube video shows her taking a spill during a concert in Montreal. Ever the professional, Gaga gets up and keeps on going.

Carmen Electra

The sultry actress was sashaying down the runway at a Los Angeles fashion show when she turned to blow a kiss to the audience and fell on her rear end. See the fall HERE.

RELATED: Are your high heels a danger?

Beyonce

The R&B diva is known for her high energy performances, but during a particularly intense dance routine at a concert in Orlando, Fla., she fell down several steps on stage. She, too, got up and kept on performing.

Jennifer Lopez

The erstwhile "American Idol" judge was set up for a daring jump while on stage at the American Music Awards, but her landing fell flat, ironically during her performance of "Loubotins," her song about the pricey footwear from French designer Christian Louboutin. Lopez got right back into her performance.

Anchor Laughs at Model's Fall

And who can forget this video, showing a news anchor's reaction to a model's repeated catwalk flops at Paris Fashion Week? The anchor is unable to control his laughter, which can be heard in the background as video of the model falling, getting up and falling again plays on a loop. One YouTube video of the clip has been viewed more than 15 million times.