Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1895-10-05
sIoyoLg NOTIONS
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While not . tsw physicisns have fall
% Victims 70 the bicycle crass, the
profsssion b mot backward In pointing
out some Of the injurious effects Of too
mush riding or constant use Of the
wheel "Sincs the machine has become
popular here" remarked o physician
whose name IL among the popular leo
turers st medical colleges, the other
day, more cases Of spinal trouble
have como TO the notice Of the profess
vion than ever before and not . few Of
chose arc Of q peculiar nature that no
doubt are due TO the position acquired
BY the victims while on the wheel.
Then there Is Ut present o greater num-
bsr Of persons troubled with pigeon
toes and the bicycle walk than there
were few years ago" In explaining
these now physical deformities which
the extreme use Of the bicycle Is rapid.
ly producing, the learned NJ. D. con-
tinued:
''The constant revolving motion Of
the feet and lower legs as they, turn
the pedals has given to the gait OF
those people who are much addicted to
the bicycle peculiar turn, which Is
known as the bicycle walk. Those
who remember the days Of the roller
skating craze will probably recall the
effect that exercise had on the gait of
those who practiced it, particularly
the gait Of some Of the young ladies Of
the age to be easily affected. They
took on at once o rolling. swinging,
half-gliding, rhythmical step that re-
sembled the motion Of roller skating
rs closely as could be by any one not
on rollers. So It will be with the
bicycle walk. except that instead Of
being only temporary popularity, 1t
threatens to become permanent
1.-THE bicycling walk is nothing moro
or less than the pedaling motion Of the
wheel applied to the walk, but 1t gives
to person who has 1t decidedly pc
culiar appearance. Notice n cycllst
who Is afflicted. II will be seen that
when he lifts his back foot In walking
he does not put 1t straight ahead, but
carries II back little, as he would
have to in following the pedals, and
then swings II high, almost up to the
calf OF the other leg, before sending 1t
forward. The pigeon-toeing comes In
there, also, and causes the sufferer
from bicycle walk to interfere after
the manner of horses. The interior
ence comes higher up, though, because
of the upward swing Of the foot as 1t
goes forward.
1.-THE pigeon-toeing is accounted for
by the position of the feet on the ped
ais. There the toes turn In and down
and the heels up and out, the pressure
being borne on the ball OF the foot.
''Among the racing men the bicycle
walk is most noticeab bic, of course. II
has taken them in much worse form
than it has the ordinary cyclist and ex-
tends to the swing OF the arms and the
carriage of the head The elbows of
racing man bend ont from the body, as
u result of having to bear his weight
as he leans far over the handle bars,
and gives him the appearance of being
bow-legged rs to his arms The neck
and head are projected forward, too,
and the face wears that strained, anx-
ious expression of man who wants to
get there rs soon as possible.
"The bicycle habit, II persisted in"
he says, twill make us all knock-kneed
and MS pigeon-toed as our native red
men. Pretty much everybody of the
present generation rides wheel, or is
just about to begin. Therefore, pretty
much verybody of the present genera
tion will be knock-kneed or pigeon
toed or will be affected with the BIZ
cycle walk. IN. Y. Telegram.