THE SKELETON 271 



most inevitable result. If the shoe is too tight, a slight 

 amount of rubbing will irritate the skin and provoke the 

 growth of corns; if the foot moves inside the shoe at each 

 step > it of course rubs on the leather, and in nature's effort 

 to counteract this, a callous spot is formed which grows con- 

 stantly thicker. Tight and badly shaped shoes have a still 

 more unfortunate effect on the small bones of the toes and 

 ankle, forcing these into unnatural, strained positions. To 

 appreciate this, the free, unconfined foot should first be 

 studied. Between the heel and the ball (Fig. 136), the fool 

 does not touch the ground, save along its outer border and 

 there only slightly. Moreover, on the ball of the foot the 

 weight falls largely on the sides, i. e. just back of the grea 

 and little toes. There is, thus, one longitudinal and one 

 transverse arch in the foot. These act as springs: when one 

 steps, the weight of the body is first thrown on the long arch 

 (on the one between the heel and the ball); as one rises on 

 the toes in going forward, the weight is transferred to the 

 transverse arch; and as it flattens, the foot should be able to 

 spread a little, and all the toes, each separately, to take an 

 active part in pushing the load ahead. 



It is thus very easy to see what high heeled shoes mean to 

 the long arch; they mean that the weight will be thrown for- 

 ward onto the ball, the ligaments at A (Fig. 136) will be 

 strained, and all the bones in the ankle will be forced into 

 unnatural positions with consequent strain on those liga- 

 ments. In connection with the long arch it should also be 

 noticed that if one " toes out " excessively in walking, the 

 weight, as one leans forward, is thrown on the inner side of 

 the long arch, which has no support at all, save that of the 

 muscles and ligaments. The weakening of the ligaments or 

 muscles concerned in the long arch, whether through badly 

 shaped or high heeled shoes, faulty position of the feet, or 

 lack of exercise, leads to a very painful condition called 

 flat-foot, in which the arch partially gives way, Jetting the 



