Great! Why don't we take up a collection for research? Sending some of the most critical podiatrists would be ideal.
www.bbc.co.uk/tribe/tribes/kombai/
"It seems that cannibalism is still carried out by the Kombai."
Barefoot Running: Current state of the play
- Thread starter Maupuia
- Start date
www.bbc.co.uk/tribe/tribes/kombai/
"It seems that cannibalism is still carried out by the Kombai."
I have often compared the shoe industry's product with the cigarette industry's product. Many people were damaged or killed by the cigarettes they smoked or were smoked in their presence, and a lot of people have been damaged by the types of shoes they've worn or were put in (by their parents, as Sid suggests). Why should one industry be challenged and punished, by countless lawsuits that have held up in court, but the other industry not be challenged and punished? My lungs are now protected by laws and warnings, but my feet are not.
I'm not so sure. I've been thinking that there really hasn't been any concerted effort by the medical community to restore the normal unshod functioning of the foot. From what I understand of treatments such as orthotics, bunion surgery, and morton's neuroma, the goal is to improve the level of functioning while wearing shoes.
Bunion surgery often involves removing a section of bone and reshaping the foot, which incidentally will narrow the foot and make it fit better in shoes. Seems a bit barbaric to me, as most surgeons typically try to restore normal functioning during reconstruction rather than improve upon nature.
You do make a good point, though, that if people want to restore regular unshod function to their feet due to damage from shoes, they are on their own for the most part, at least in terms of the medical community. It would be nice to see a rehab standard of care emerge from actual data, not anecdotes.
Actually, no. This is what the surgeons would like everyone to think. Let's look at a radiograph.
The surgeon proudly explains why this is an exemplar of bunion surgery. I have no doubt that he is an execellent surgeon performing the procedure with skill. My concern is the current paradigm where the feet are reconstructed to fit shoes, rather than the unshod state.
Whatever would be normal for the unshod foot.
www.wheelessonline.com/ortho/radiographs_hallux_valgus
www.wheelessonline.com/ortho/radiographs_hallux_valgus
For those unfamiliar with the anatomy of the foot, note how the procedure did nothing to correct the metatarsal, which is still displaced in the radiograph relative to the sesamoids. The great toe was repositioned by cutting out a piece of the metatarsal then reconnecting the two fragments of the metatarsal at an angle.
Now to be fair, I suspect that repositioning the structures properly would be far too complex for a single surgery and have highly variable results. It may actually require splinting for years to coax the toe back into place and allow the muscles to strengthen. This is not unexpected, as it took several years for the bunion to progress.
So the question is, why are people patient enough to wear orthodontics for years, but yet seek a quick fix for their feet? Perhaps, that is all that is being offered to them as a remedy? Maybe there are no modern shoes that will fit their feet afterwards, without risk of reinjury?
So the question is, why are people patient enough to wear orthodontics for years, but yet seek a quick fix for their feet? Perhaps, that is all that is being offered to them as a remedy? Maybe there are no modern shoes that will fit their feet afterwards, without risk of reinjury?
Many adults these days do undergo 1-2 years of orthodontic therapy, but most still opt for the quicker (but not necessarily better) solution of capping/bonding/veneering to achieve the aesthetic result they desire.
Most wearing braces for years are not presented with quicker more expensive/more invasive options, because they are kids and end up doing the right thing instead.
