Most women own 19 pairs of shoes - some secretly

American women have come out of the closet with a secret - most own about 19 pairs of shoes and some have hidden purchases from their partners.

A poll of 1,057 women by the US' Consumer Reports National Research Center for shopping magazine ShopSmart found US women on average own 19 pairs of shoes although they only wear four pairs regularly while 15 percent have over 30 pairs.

The survey also found women would risk injury to squeeze into new slingbacks or stilettos, with 43 percent of women saying they had been at least moderately injured by shoes and 8 percent reporting serious injuries like sprains or breaks.