Dress and care of the feet /

by John Lord Peck

This plan of treatment will not only right up the foot, but we believe it will be a great help toward raising the flattened arch. At least, it ought not to be neglected in any case of flat-foot associated with treading inward; for as long as the foot treads on the inside, there is one cause—weight wrongly directed on the arch—constantly operating to break it down. And this might defeat all the efforts for its restoration.

Those feet that tread outside need exactly the same treatment recommended for the others, only, in the shoes made for them, it must be directed in a way exactly opposite. The stiffness of the counter must be on the outside, as also the guarding of the heel. The last must be straight and very full upon the inside. The main bulk of the wood between the heel and instep should be on that side, projecting well over the bottom at the ball, while it is spare, thinned, or hollowed on the other. The bottom should be thinned off at the inner edge, so that when placed upon a level surface it seems to lean that way. In a word, it will look as though it would fit beautifully a foot that treads inward. Then it is just adapted for one that goes outward. The whole shape and fit of a boot made upon such a last exerts an easy pressure, tending to right up the foot and force it to tread on the opposite side. The principle has not heretofore been generally recognized. Let it not be forgotten that the last that would appear to fit a foot that treads outward is just the one to be used for a foot that goes inward, and vice versa. When this is acted upon, the principal step is taken in overcoming the difficulty.

But as many persons having such feet preserve the natural form of them by treading the boots outside, it is about as well to let them go so, as attempt to right them up, even if a little more leather is thus worn out. On the contrary, when the tendency is to tread inside, the remedy can not be applied too soon if it is wished to avoid the big joints that result from such a habit.

Without the lasts here mentioned, however, a little temporary improvement can still be effected in those feet that tread over but slightly, by what shoemakers call “working under” the sole of the shoe on the side opposite that which treads over, and by also putting a piece of leather on the last above the sole or bottom, to make room in the upper at that side without increasing the width of the sole. The sole may be “worked full” on the treading-over side at the same time.

Feet that tread outside generally, if not always, have good arches.

The directions here given, if put in practice by a shoemaker who can appreciate and apply them thoroughly, will, it is believed, straighten up and cure any case of treading-over feet that can be helped at all. And this probably includes the majority of instances. The adoption of such lasts has never been fairly tried, as far as we know, and we are quite confident they will prove successful.

The turning over of the foot is believed to be sometimes occasioned in children by their being obliged or encouraged to stand or walk upon them for too long a time, when making their first attempts, in infancy. The bones, ligaments, and muscles being all soft, tender, and weak at this period, they may be forced into almost any shape by pressure or overstraining. This is something worthy of careful attention from parents. It is very easy to let a child contract a habit of walking which will render the feet and legs deformed through a whole lifetime. It is also very easy to prevent it, and give the child a natural, upright, easy, and graceful walk by taking a little pains at the proper period. And it should also be remembered that crooked feet and ankles are more easily straightened while they are young than when the foot has obtained its growth, and every part become firmly settled in its false position.

The legs and feet may turn inward, developing knockknees and flat-foot, or outward, growing into bow-legs, with the feet invariably treading over the opposite way. If a child grows up with either of these distortions, after being born with sound limbs, which might have been continued in their natural perfection, there is, on the part of somebody, a sad lack of duty.

It is quite possible, also, that this habit may be adopted by children sometimes from wearing a shoe that hurts the foot. The sufferer may turn it on one side to avoid a peg, or some rough projection on the insole, and in this way the fault may be developed in some of those cases where one foot treads over, while the other stands upright. And children will often get into an awkward manner of standing or walking, even without any reason for it—from sheer carelessness—and require a great deal of watching, in order to train up their feet correctly.[6]

It is to be borne in mind that in all cases of weak ankles, except those incurably so, the object should be to support them no more than is necessary; but instead, to allow the muscles to be used as much as possible for the sake of strengthening them. When the whole support comes from braces—in the shoe or outside of it—there is nothing left to be done by the muscles on the side of the foot and leg, and consequently they remain weak. The law of growth and strength is use, exercise, or labour. Hence, though guards and braces are sometimes required for weak-ankled children, there ought to be plenty of room between them and the foot; and it will be well to discard them as soon as a leather stiffening in the shoe can be safely substituted.