The Impact of Footwear and Gait on Foot Health
By David Moore
Foot pain is a common complaint that affects millions of people worldwide. To understand why your feet might hurt, it is essential to consider several contributing factors, including footwear, foot structure, posture and gait. By examining these elements, we can gain insight into the primary causes of foot pain and explore potential solutions.
The Influence of Footwear on Foot Health
Footwear plays a significant role in determining the health and shape of our feet. The shoes you have worn since childhood can have a lasting impact on your foot structure and overall comfort.
Comparison of Shod and Unshod Feet
To illustrate the effects of footwear on foot health, consider two figures. Figure one is a photo of the foot of a person who has never worn shoes, while Figure two shows a foot deformed by the shoes worn over time. One of the many differences between these two feet is the orientation of the big toe.
In an unshod foot, the big toe has a wide separation from the second toe and is adducted, meaning it is oriented slightly towards the midline of the body. This natural alignment as well as flexibility of the toes, is also observed in the feet of idealized statues of gods and heroes from the classical Greek period, as depicted in Figures three and four.
The widest part of an unshod foot is between the base of the big toe and the base of the little toe. However, most shoes begin to narrow there, crowding and restricting the toes (Figure 5) This crowding forces the little toe to abduct (orient away from the mid-line of the body.) This phenomenon is universally represented in anatomy books. (Figure 6)
When toes are crowded for an extended period, vulnerable individuals develop hallux valgus, commonly known as bunions. This condition involves the formation of bony growth at the big toe joint, as shown in Figure 7. Bunions encourage the foot to orient outwards during walking, affecting the coordination of the entire body.
The role of Gait and posture
Shoes and a lifetime of shoe wearing is just on potential factor in foot pain. While foot distortion affects your overall gait and posture, your gait and posture also affects your feet. leading to a complex interplay of factors influencing foot health. An abnormal gait and posture leads to uneven distribution of weight across the foot, causing certain areas to bear more pressure than others which may result in pain, calluses, and numerous other foot problems.
Where to from here?
This is the first of a series of posts focused on the feet.
I will follow up shortly with the following,
• More about shoes and how to choose appropriate footwear
• What about orthotics?
• Lifestyle and environmental factors
• How to change our gait and posture
• Do foot exercises help? And if so which ones and how can I practice them?
Figure 1 = Unshod feet
Figure 2
Figure 3 – Ancient Bronze from Herculaneum
Figure 4 – Nike of Pianoa
Figure 5 = Oxford Shoes
Figure 6
Figure 7- Bunion
Images
Figs 1, 2 & 3 – From article – Phil Hoffman - Conclusions drawn from a comparative study of the feet of barefooted and shoe-wearing. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery 1905
Fig 4 – Archaeological Museum of Olympia
Fig 5 – Mike Tyler from Pixabay
Fig 6 – Anatomy of the Human Body – Henry Gray 1908
Fig 7 – Lamiot CC = BY SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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