![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.newsite.osteopathicvision.com\/_Media\/shapeimage_1-3_med.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I\u00a0read a very interesting article written by a podiatrist about feet. \u00a0In the article the author did research on indigenous peoples who do not wear shoes. \u00a0He found that 3% of those people had foot problems. \u00a0Then the same study was done on modern society. \u00a0He found that 78% of the people had foot problems. \u00a0I think of the 3% as equal in both populations – these are foot problems that are present from birth; club foot, flat feet, etc. If you subtract the indigenous 3% from the modern society number you have 75% of the population that has foot problems. \u00a0That is due to the only thing that differs in walking between you and me and an indigenous person – modern SHOES.<\/p>\n
Shoes are made around a form called a last. \u00a0The last time that the (shoe) last was really re-engineered was over 150 years ago. \u00a0Thus, we are a bit out of date with our thinking. \u00a0Make no mistake; shoes are designed for fashion, not function. \u00a0Fashion sells shoes. \u00a0It amazes me how much pain and discomfort people will put up with to “look good”.<\/p>\n
If you read the book “Born to Run” you will notice that the book strongly suggests that we did not really have problems with people running with shoes on until the 1970’s when the first running shoe came on the market. \u00a0Those shoes changed the way the foot strikes the ground and that lead to problems. \u00a0The design of running shoes still has not changed. \u00a0The problems still persist.<\/p>\n
One thing your shoes should not do is be straight along the inner edge. \u00a0If you look at a babies feet, their big toe is a bit to the middle (medial) from their heel when the foot is straight (it looks a bit like an ape foot). \u00a0They can also move their big toe more like a monkey (they can move it toward the middle). \u00a0This is normal. \u00a0When you start wearing shoes, the muscle that allows this motion of the toe (called abduction) gets weak (atrophy). \u00a0After a time it simply can’t move the toe to the middle anymore – it does not have the strength. \u00a0This is due to the end of the shoe (the toe box) pushing the big toe against all of the other ones. \u00a0Over years the abductor muscle weakens and the adductor muscle (the one that moves the big toe toward the others) gets stronger (it has no opposition). \u00a0This pulls the end of the big toe toward the others and the joint (the ball of the foot or the metacarpal\/phalangeal joint of the great toe) begins to move toward the middle – away from the other toes. \u00a0We call this a bunion. \u00a0Notice the cause of the bunion – SHOES. \u00a0Shoes that work with your feet (rather than against) will not try to make the inner edge of your foot straight, but will allow it to make the natural curve that nature intended.<\/p>\n
Contrary to popular belief, the human foot (when it works correctly) is a self-supporting structure (as in it requires no outside help). \u00a0Thus, arch supports are not required when the foot mechanically works as it should – they are not a long term solution to foot pain. \u00a0My first recommendation is to get your feet treated by someone who is skilled at getting the bones, ligaments and muscles to work correctly, and then buy shoes that work WITH the foot, rather than against it.<\/p>\n