THE FEET.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XI, Issue 34, 26 August 1893, Page 142

THE FEET.

The feet are the support of the whole body, and are admirably adapted to this function by their strong ligaments, their many small bones and joints, their central arch, and their variously formed toes. How skilfully they are made will be evident if we contrast any possible movement on two stumps with the easy, springing, graceful walk of a woman with normal, well cared-for feet. Unhappily, the proportion of feet that are well cared for, in a physiological sense, is much smaller than it ought to be. Here, as in so many other places, the tyranny of fashion plays havoc with reason and common sense. A small foot is held to be a mark of beauty, and therefore nature must be improved upon, no matter at what expense of comfort and health.

Meantime sensible people, and especially sensible parents, will do well to remember that no corn or bunion is likely to appear upon any foot that is properly shod. A narrow-toed shoe presses all the toes against and over each other, more or less distorting them ; but its most serious effects are commonly seen in the enlargement of the big-toe joint. This enlargement and the consequent suffering are sometimes so great as to make it expedient to lay bare the bone, and saw off a large portion of it. Tight shoes not only produce deformity and suffering, but by impeding the circulation they induce cold feet, and may lead to grave general disorders. It should be remem bered, also, that a diminished flow of blood affects the nerves, lessening their sensibility, so that a woman may be finally quite unaware that her feet are cold, and so utterly neglect them.

Another common source of trouble is found in the ridiculous but fashionable high heel, carried forward into the arch of the foot. This is nothing less than a physiological outrage, and has properly been denounced in the strongest terms by the entire medical press. The weight of the body is removed from its natural point of support, and much of it is thrown upon the pinched, distorted toes, while the muscles of the lower limbs are at the same time wrenched, with no small risk of serious consequences. Mothers should do their best to give their daughters reasonable ideas upon a subject so important, and at the same time so little understood.