The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-04-27
WOMAN AND HER SHOES.
EXQUISITE Torture Caused by Some
of the Smartest Footgear.

There is much talk nowadays of
the injury done to women's feet by
the smart footgear of the day. The
people who understand such things
declare that the very high heels and
pointed toes tend to break down the
arch of the foot, or if this is not done
the Joint of the great toe is pushed
out of place and the ugly Juttlng out
which disfgures so many feet ensues.
The woman or girl who has torment
ed her poor feet to this extent lays
the blame on everything but her
vanity. She thinks that bootmakers
have lost their skill, that new shoes
need always to be broken in and so
on. when the simple realization that
shoes are too narrow and pointed,
heels too high and the boot itself
perhaps half size smaller than 1t
should be, would explain it all and
fit her perhaps for more wisdom IN
the future.
Of all the agonies the foot can
least endure the boot too narrow and
with high heels is the thing to be
feared.
The structure of the foot is ex-
tremely delicate, though formed to
bear the weight of the body when it
is properly balanced. There is a
system of arches and piers, the
strongest pier being in the heel, and
the EXTREMIST curve of inner arch
forming the instep. Any boots or
shoes which throw undue pressure
upon the forward pier, which is the
ball of the foot, hold it without the
elasticity needed and so fatten the
arch and broaden the foot. The ex-
treme forms of high French heels
transfer most of the body weight
from the heel to the line of connec-
tion between the instep and toes,
where there are a series of small
Joints, with delicate sockets, not
formed to bear the hard work thrown
upon them.
IF such footgear is worn long,
broken arches are likely to follow,
but the girl herself will be the last
to know where her trouble is. The
condition is recognized by doctors as
a very dangerous one for the general
health, and when they are called in
to examine persons for such public
service that requires physical lit
ness the owner of the broken arch
never passes the examination. A
medical survey of factory workers
also takes cognizance of the arch OF
the foot, and if the examiner is very
clever he knows at glance where
to find the broken arch. The work
er who has it may be splayfooted, or
have a pasty complexion with dull
eyes-the machinery of all the body
will seem out of gear.
So aside from the exquisite tor
ture it causes-for it is the most tor
menting pain imaginable there is
the fact that feet so injured put one
out of the race.
Naturally placed upon the ground,
the heels get the greater weight of
the body, the ball supplying spring
with walking and moving about; the
great toe takes a grip upon the floor
of earth with movement, and at the
inside of the foot there is hollow
which is the inner curve of the arch.
Wet the foot, place it upon the floor
and then look at the impression; if
there is no indication of this hollow,
the impression showing straigtish
inner line, you may be sure that
your arch is going or is already gone.
The high instep once thought mere
ly an indication of good birth is the
proper standard for health and beau
ty, that is, some degree or other of
it. Nature never meant to have any
fiat footed children.
To close this particular point of
the subject let me advise young
girls who suffer from any degree of
flat-footedness to get the arch sup
ports sold in all good shoe stores.
These are fitted to boots and slip
pers and the relief they give is i'm
mense. For the rest be sure and
have the walking shoes big enough
for some movement, Of the great toe,
the heels fiat and broad, soles thick
and toes rounded. House and party
slippers are another thing; these may
be fancy, even pointed in the toe and
if they are we'll made and long
enough no harm will result. Feet
kept in good condition with proper
walking gear will stand good deal
of nonsense with the dress-up mo-
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