FLAT FEET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19720, 20 August 1927, Page 6 (Supplement)

FLAT FEET.

WHAT A SPECIALIST SAYS. t . BENEFIT OF EXERCISES. The normal healthy foot ! How maay people have ever noticed that a footprint, on the hard sand, or the imprint of a wet foot on the floor, shows nut the outline of the whole sole, hut instead a disjointed pattern, produced by the heel, the outer line of the sole, the point* where the ball of foot vested, and the rounded dftbs left by the ends of tin* toes ?

This appearance is due to the arched shape of the foot, one large arch extending from the ball of the foot to the lice' and a short one extending across the front, behind the base of the toes. This arched arrangement is maintained by powerful ligamentous structures in the sole of the foot, and when from any cause they lose their function, becoming over-stretched, the arches are said to "drop." The foot then rests on ' the ground for its whole length. The results of this are that the gait becomes shuffling. the spring being lost. Pain and fat\gue accompany the distortion as the bones of the foot are pressed on the ground, and in addition to limitation of function, grace of movement is destoyed. while headache, backache, and general weariness help to complete the misery of the subject. Persons who become fat and too heavy for their plantar arches become flat-footed. Others again who, through ill-health, lose tone of tissue, or those whose avocations in life entail much standing, such as policemen, nurses, shop assistants, waiters, etc., are all subject to the condition. How widespread is the evil is manifested by the large number of advertisements one sees daily extolling the different "supports." In his book "Exercise in Education and Medicine." J3r. R. Tait McKenzie says: "In an examination of a thousand supposedly normal students I have found it (flat-foot) in two hundred and seventeen cases."

Once the condition of flat-foot becomes established, euro in the sense of restora tion of the pristine state is out of the question. But much may be done to improve the sufferer's disability by suitable exercises, and in cases where the bodvwoight, is excessive this may be considerably reduced with marked benefit. Dancing and walking on tip-toe, combined with Exercise V., will materially help to improve the muscle tone and have a marked effect on the feet. At times it may be necessary to practise a complete system of suitable foot exercises, combined with massage, for a long period before betterment- is achieved: and it is seldom that, a case occurs which proves wholly-unamenable to treatment. All cases of flat-foot require suitable boots. Shoes are not to be recommended. The best form of boot is one which allows a certain amount of freedom to the toes, while giving the necessary .support. The inner line of the boot-sole, from toe to heel, should be in a straight line, the inner side of the sole and heel should be a little thicker than the outer, and the "waist" of the boot should fit well and be fairlv stiff.