The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1916-09-08
OUR ABUSED FEET
Many Ills Come From Wearing
the Wrong Kind of Shoes.
THEN, TOO, WE SHOULD TOE IN
That 10 the Natural Way 60 Walk or
Run, as IL Puts the Strain Where IL
Belongs, While Toeins Out lmpairs
tho Bones and Breeds Trouble.

Belongs, While Toeina Out Impairs
tho Bones and Breeds Trouble.
Corns, ipgrowing nails, crooked toes.
bunions, spreading feet, arch trouble
aching feet are all caused by toeing
out while walking. 1t is not natural
for those who start with normal feet
to toe out.
1t Is natural TO toe In, not far in, but
just inside Of a line straight ahead
All children toe In, nearly all youths
toe In Some people toe In all their
lives, but they are few All barefooted
people toe In. All moccasined Indians
toe in. No one can run without toeing
In. No speed can be made without
doing so. BY toeing In the spring of
the foot comes from all the small
bones of the front part of the foot.
When one toes out he is trying to walk
on the inner side of the foot.
Why does toeing out cause trouble?
Because the strain upon the foot in
walking is greater than 1t should be.
1t inclines the first two bones OF the
big toe toward the smaller toes by
degrees, until the spring finally comes
from the inner side of the big toe and
Its second joint. This undue strain on
the second joint is constantly pulling
1t inward and away from the smaller
bones. AS the strain continues the
tissues and ligaments that bind the
bones in the forefoot together stretch
and give way, and finally 1t becomes
separated somewhat and bulges out
into what is called bunion. A bunion
is partial dislocation.
at this stage Of impairment the bones
connecting with the smaller toes across
the ball of the foot settle down, and
what is called the transverse arch is
impaired. There are two arches In the
foot-a longitudinal arch. with which
every one IS familiar, and the trans
verse arch across the ball of the foot
from side to side. 1t is the transverse
arch that is first affected, and 1t is at
this stage of foot trouble that most
people begin to complain and look for
help.
Why did those who toe out do so In
the first place when it is natural to toe
inl The real reason was because they
wore shoes. Barefooted people do not
toe out so the shoe is the cause Shoes
are habitually too short and too narrow
across the end of the toes, and the long,
pointed toe of the shoe helps to prevent
toeing naturally. The big toe is strong
and monopoliZes the limited space; the
small toes, being weaker, are crushed
in narrowed quarters until their natu-
raj symmetry Is gone. They are crowd
ed backward by shoe too short until
the ends are curled under and their
nails point toward the ground instead
OF straight ahead The first two joints
OF the third and fourth toes are forced
upward, and the third joint Is pushed
down farther and farther as the tissues
supporting 1t become more and more
stretched by the pressure from above
and the forced spreading of the bones
of the foot.
The third bone OF the third toe at
this stage stands almost straight up
and down in the shoe. The result is q
corn on top and pain in the foot from
the pressure and sometimes a corn or
thickening on the bottom of the foot
just under the third joint Of the third
toe. Al this stage there are ingrowing
nails, due 10 the sidewise pressure OF
the shoe, that also are painful, so the
sufferer begins TO toe out to prevent
the pressure pain that would occur
from the sore and otherwise impaired
small toes II he toed In as he should.
The most sensible covering ever
made for the feet is the moccasin OF
the American Indian, worn without
stocking. Sandals also are good. The
sneakers of children and tennis shoes
with pliable rubber soles are next best.
Shoes should be so constructed that
it will be difficult, II not impossible to
toe out. A line drawn through the
length OF the big toe of a normal foot
backward will strike the heel near the
inner edge. Shoes should not compress
the toes to alter this line In children.
However the toes may have been
pressed out OF shape, the shoes Of
adults when made of leather with an
unyielding sole should extend straight
forward well past the end Of the big
toe and outward past the third toe and
then slope backward past the little toe
TO the outer ball OF the foot. In a shoe
so shaped the wearer will find 1t diff
cult to toe out; the big toe will have
its share OF room. The sole should
be fat, both from side TO side and
from end to end so the arch has room
to settle down as required with each
step to furnish the necessary spring.
The heel may be made snug and pro-
vision made for a snug fit across the
instep TO prevent the heel from slip
ping There should be no lift on the
heel except just enough to raise 1t level
rubber.
The right kind of a shoe will be
| queer looking thing as we now see
things, for In place OF the offending
| pointed toe 1t will look more like the
| blade of a paddle. 1t will not be stiff
| and unyielding. 1t will be from three
to FIVE inches across the ball of the
| foot Fashion is whimsical, and such
| shoe when 1t becomes regular may be
considered beautiful.-Dr. Arthur Il
Reynolds In American Magazine.
The only thing many a man has done
iA the past is to dream of the future