Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-05-31

tons on the use of autos, gas,
buses and the varied changes in
general transportation, curtail-
ment or lessening of delivery
services to the home, many Of
us are going to discover our feet,
possibly for the first time in
years.
1t must be admitted that wo-
men, in particular. not only neg
lect their feet, but positively mis-
treat them. While spending dol
lars and hours in manicures, To-
tions and creams for the hands,
there is only one woman In a
hundred who bestows equivalent
care on her feet.
Further, orthopedic surgeons
and foot authorities constantly
urge women TO wear shoes that
make for comfortable" walk
ing.
"Oh, how my feet ache" is an
oft-heard exclamation particu-
larly. by the shopper or one who
has been Observation-Disclosures
by a scuffing-off of the offending
shoe under the table.
Yes, feet DO ache-but why?
Is IL the wrong shoe? Is it fall
len arches?
On this point, we can well af-
ford to listen to DR.. Dudley j.
Morton, of Columbia University's
College of Physicians and Sur
geons, who is a leading author
ity on the FOOT
According TO DR. Morton. the
trouble and cause Of aching feet
lies in poorly-distributed body
weight. Says this expert: Dis
tribute the weight OF the body
properly on the bones, and the
most aching feet viii respond"
Malformed feet. of course. re-
quire special shoes. supports. etc.
To see clearly the soundness of
this reasoning, ii is only neces-
sary TO consider how your foot
is constructed and utilized in
aiding body support. When you
stand. you put most of your
weight on the strong, flat and
padlike heel; but when you walk.
YOU throw the fun body weight
forward. so that it must be car
ried by the five slender metatar-
sal bones which lie just behind
the toes. until you again put
down the heel-pad Of your other
foot
What does an X-ray picture of
the foot show ? II shows these
five bones as very slender, four
Of them all of the same width,
being no larger than the average
cigarette, with the one behind
the great toe about twice as
large. Therefore, in normal
foot. twice as much weight
should be supported by the larger
bone as by the other four toes.
But when the foot aches. as
we say. the X-ray reveals that
the metatarsal bone behind the
second toe is too wide, and the
remaining bones too thin. In
other words, the second toe has
come TO take-up some Of the
work Of the great toe, and also
Of the third. fourth and fifth
toes. Thus, the body weight is
unevenly distributed.
II we attempt TO correct this
condition by "toeing in" we
throw the machinery inside the
foot still more badly out of gear.
For this enlarged second meta
tarsal bone is caused by a loaf
ing or Sinking Of the first meta
tarsal bone, much as one arm
enlarges when the other becomes
crippled.
The proof of this contention is
found in the calluses which form
on the soles of the feet of those
who have to stand long hours.
Calluses always appear where
the weight falls most heavily.
These calluses act as skin-irri-
tants, and this excessive weight
Eat the wrong point inflames
the joints and causes tangled
nerves and strained muscles.
Think how important this is,
when II Is estimated that man
weighing 165 pounds takes
12,1S5 steps on any average day.
and that this number of steps
Is the equivalent Of some DAT
tons of jolts. Think how much
more serious the whole matter
becomes to woman who is
wearing shoes with heels worm
down at the edges.
To redistribute weight prop
erly, have a foot-specialist look
at your foot. Ask him TO insert
an insole with an elevation of
the proper thickness to fall be-
meath the big toe joint. This
principle is the same as the one
a housewife follows when she
doubles-up a small pad of paper