Singin' Them Footache Blues

SINGIN' THEM FOOTACHE BLUES

Platform shoes are not only bad for your feet and posture, but can actually cause traffic accidents. According to a recent expose in Jet magazine, this latest fad created by the fashion industry causes more sprained ankles, inflammation of the foot, corns, and lower back pain.

Dr. Robert Roberts, president of the Illinois Podiatry Association, points out, "They create an abnormal way of walking by throwing all the weight to the metatarsal bone (at the ball of the foot). They also give a tilt to the spine and could possibly cause it to slip out of alignment."

The National Safety Council has warned against the shoes for driving. According to Mary Anderson, the council's information specialist, "The sole-soaring platform divorces the driver from the feel of the pedals. This could lead to a dangerous miscalculation in speed judgment and braking power."