Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-18
PROPER CHOICE OF SHOE
MAKES PRETTY FEET
Muscles of the Feet Should
Have Sufficient Exercise
Every Day

A we'll shaped foot is n thing an
woman mirht Justly be proud Of Tn
, only reason that every woman hasn'
them In because she crowds her feet to'
much. II the toes are squeezed In to
central point It stands to reason that th'
Joints OF the big toes get enlarged, ana
often the foot Is 80 squeezed that the big
toe Is made to meet the second toe and
the first toe is doubled up and perma-
nontly deformed through the pressure OF
the other two against 1t.
II YOU look at baby's foot you viii
notice that straight line could be
drawn from the centre OF the end Of the
big toe through the centre Of its base
and right down to the middle OF the heel
and 1t Is upon the preservation Of this
line that immunity from bunions de-
pends.
| High heels are harmful, as many medl'
cal men have pointed out, for giving the
instep. as they do. an artificial support
ing arch, they weaken the natural arch
Of the foot, causing n tendency to Hat
| footedness.
But 1t is doubtful whether even high
heels do as much harm to the shape OF
the foot as shoe that is too short or
shoe that is of the wrong shape. Most
manufacturers show tendency to make
shoes with too little variation in the out
line of tho outer and inner part Of the
foot. They are too inclined, also, TO
make the toe OF the shoe point OFT
sharply in the centre instead of rounding
it off gently and slightly toward the
side
If YOU have been wearing shoes and
bunons are the result, the first thing to
do to remedy the state of things is to
'get your shoes made so that they follow
tho natural outline of the foot. All the
pressure on the inhamed Joint must be
relieved at once and everything done to
bring It back to its natural position. IN
the first stages of a bunion 1t is often
possible to achieve the last-named end
by wearing pads of cottonwood between
the great and the first toe
EXERCISE THE FOOT MUSCLES.
Muscles of the foot should be exercised,
too, IL the foot is to keep in good shape.
IL must be the right kind of exercise,
though, and too much pressure must not
be put upon the muscles. Long standing,
for instance, is very bad. Dancing, on
the other hand, in heelless shoes Is the
best kind of exercise the feet can possibly
have. You can be on your feet all day
and yet not give the foot muscles the
proper sort of exercise. Girls who do n
great deal of housework get heavy on
their feet in time, for housework often
means lot of standing, and when you
stand lot your weight gradually settles
on the weakest part Of the foot, the in
side of the arch. No wonder then, that
the arch gives way beneath the stralnl
Be careful about the shoes you choose.
A pair of new shoes should never require
stretching, for instance, They should fit
comfortably as soon as you put them on.
A good test as to whether you are wear
ing Iroper shoes is to try taking long
walk in them. II Mt the end of the walk
you feel little or no discomfort you may
be sure that they are the right kind. |
But If, on the other hand, your feet are |
tired and sore you will realize that your |
footgear is not quite what 1t should be. |
You needn't have ugly, clumsy-looklng |
shoes for walking, for shoes can be |
dainty and well-htting also. 1t is always |
false economy 10 buy cheap ones. Save |
a little on your dress and spend more On |
your footgear, and in time you will be |
pleased with the result.