Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-31
Streets
Blamed for Flat Feet

to its normal position. With a chart OF
the foot the physician showed just how il
drops" or says and how this throws an
unusual and Irritating weight on the other
membranes of the foot. causing them to
hurt. This support is sometimes made
In the shoe. as part of it, and frequent
ly is separate eontrivance merely in
serted into any pair OF shoes or slippers
as needed. But there are cases which
no such patented continuance will cure
and which have to be treated. Other
feet, of stronger nature, speedily re-
cover from the broken down condition
and are again normal.
What will interest the average woman
far more Is that this physician stated
emphatically that the wearing Of low
heels was detrimental rather than bene-
fetal to the easing Of fiat feet. Only q
shoe with a fairly high heel-and by
that 1 do not mean the lettering. ridicu-
has the we'll defined high arch which
fits snugly In against the inner side of
the foot. The spring heels worn by SO
many children until they are nearly
grown create a tendency to step out
heel first. Try first high heel shoe and
then a very low one and see how the
latter will cause you to instinctively fall
back upon your heels. Well, in Washing
ton. where the streets present the same
conditions as the Boardwalk at Atlantic
City-perfectly fiat and no slants-this is
accumulated. Rubber heels, to add a
layer to the regular one, are to be COM
mended. or cushion inside the SHOE
The physician considered that a loose
foot covering caused it to slide about too
much. But a shoe man insisted that tour
o$ nv,I
whose width would not cause a pinching
OF the foot. The singing and smartlng
are increased by any pressure of the
leather.
But this does not solve the whole prob
lem, fer when there comes q siege OF
warm, sticky. rainy. humid days women
who have always lived in Washington ex-
pertence the same trouble with their feet.
They ache and sting, and. as one witty
hostess expressed 1t, feel as If 1 had
forgotten to remove my Overshoes." And
that according to the testimony of the
member of a local engineering firm, is
the main trouble. In the construction of
Washington streets there is an unusual
amount Of rubber. The sun shines on it
and. 1t gives out a blistering heat, which
shrivels up tender feet just as If they
really were incased in goloshes. Men
suffer. too, but then mems shoes are
generally heavier soled. Worst Of ALL
the arch not only feels bad, but it looks
worse. Nobody wants to wear a dainty
pump when there isn't any instep rising
above 1t! And imagine fat feet with a
bathing suit!
Just there, suggested the physician,
the shoe pinches 1 know that these
streets are trying on the feet, but
I really believe they only aggravate a
condition instead of creating it.
Get an estimate of some of the women
here who are now suffering from fiat
feet and I am convinced you will find
most Of them were at the seashore last
summer and used to walk every day on
the beach wearing fiat-soled thin sandals,
and miles on a boardwalk every evening
in regulation shoes. You have probably
seen and laughed at the signs along it's
way, Boardwalk Feet Cured Here Well,
it isn't any joke. The principle of fiat
unyieldingness of these boards is that of
many of our streets; the foot is never on
an incline, but always straight down.
Women who return to towns where hills
afford relief speedily get over the trouble,
just as they do sunburn or freckles
it increased. Travellers who come here
sightseeing insist that they walk just as
much at home But do they? 1nvesti-
gate and you will discover that they have
been trying to do as much ground cover
ing in a day as they would in week at
home. do not mean to contend that
these streets are not injurious to tender
feet. They are. but outside conditions
aid in their work against the instep."
1t would seem that the only scheme for
women Of Washington to go their way In
perfect peace is either to wear those ter
ribly unbecoming sandals or else have
the city reconstructed So il it comes to
crucial test architects are advised to
get busy with plans. for nowhere else
are feminines more proud of their feet or
lavish in expenditure for the ridiculous
trifles of velvet, suede, satin and thin
kid which they dignity tJ the title of
street Shoes"