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 "After all, we are bitter sufferers if a shoe shakes our toes." Who will not subscribe to these lines of H. Heine! Who doesn't want to wear soft, lightweight, comfortable shoes!
But, alas, footwear was often at enmity and hostility with the foot, and what absurd and ugly forms did not take boots, boots, shoes ...
The ancient Romans sported shoes with long and sharp, upward curled toes. And in the Middle Ages, Count of Anjou again introduced long-toed shoes. In France during the days of chivalry, wearing such ridiculous shoes was the privilege of aristocrats. The more noble a person was, the longer he could have the toes of his shoes. For large feudal lords in the XIV century, they reached ... 60 centimeters!
 But already in the 15th century, fashion changed dramatically: the toe became excessively wide and awkward - up to 16 centimeters wide. It was called "bear's paw" or "bull's face".
The French king Louis XIV was short and introduced the fashion for high heels, which were supposed to emphasize his greatness and exclusivity. With his "light feet" the noble men in France, England, Germany began to wear high red heels. It is curious that at the same time, Russian fashionistas-boyars also towered in high heels, barely touching the ground with their fingers. Can you imagine how uncomfortable it was for them to move around?
For a long time, doctors have advocated that the shoes match the characteristics of the foot, be comfortable and rational. But it is not easy to oppose fashion, and it is known to be very capricious and often changes. We ourselves are witnesses of how sharp socks were often replaced by blunt, wide heels - “stilettos” and vice versa.
Shoes were once made the same for both feet. And only in the 16th century, in some places in Europe, they began to sew boots, boots and shoes for the right and left feet. On a large scale, such shoes began to be made only with the development of machine production. In Russia, this happened at the end of the 19th century. And the science of footwear began to develop in our country in the twenties of the XX century, when Soviet anthropologists began to carry out mass measurements of feet in order to identify the necessary sizes and completeness of shoes for the entire population.
Nowadays, shoe makers and physiologists, orthopedists and fashion designers, hygienists and design engineers are working on the creation of footwear in our country. We have state standards for lasts, for the quality of shoes and for materials for their manufacture. Trading organizations have the right not to accept non-standard footwear that does not meet the requirements of GOSTs for sale.
An increase in the number of shoe sizes has also benefited the foot. If in the old, so-called shtikhmassovy system, the intervals between dimensions were 6-7 millimeters, now it is 5 millimeters. This improves the ability to choose shoes according to the foot.
... The large, bright hall is filled with all kinds of machines and devices, sometimes very ingenious. This is a physical and mechanical laboratory. People in white coats closely monitor the performance of the devices on which they test the various qualities of the shoes. One device, for example, bends the toe of a shoe, and the flexibility indicator appears on the dial. Does it exceed the norm? So this pair of shoes will be rejected! Using another device, check the rigidity of the toe and heel. On the third, filled, like an aquarium, with water, empty boots "walk". And if they suddenly leak, sensors installed inside the boots will indicate the exact time, the place of the leak and even the walking speed.
With the help of these and other devices, the strength of the shoe is tested, the ability to pass air, moisture, remove sweat, and excess heat. The devices created and tested here are put into mass production and then sent to the largest shoe factories.
 As you know, shoes must support the arch of the foot, preserve its spring ability, increase shock absorption when hitting the ground, and give stability to the body while moving and standing. Rational footwear meets these requirements. The main reason for foot deformity (curvature of the toes, abrasions, calluses and flat feet) is the wrong choice of shoes.
So that the shoe does not press excessively, does not cause scuffs and calluses, does not bent the toes, it must correspond to the shape of the loaded foot. Therefore, when buying shoes, first of all pay attention to its toe, instep and heel. Under load, the foot lengthens up to 1.5 and expands to 1.7 centimeters. This means that shoes, especially in the toes, should be wide enough, with a certain gap on the sides (0.5-1 cm) and in the front (1-1.5 cm). When you stand in the shoes, the toes should move freely, and when you feel the comb of the toe with your hand, you can collect a small fold on it.
Shoes should not put pressure on the foot and in the instep, so as not to disrupt blood circulation, not to cause pain, sweating. Therefore, try to purchase boots and shoes of the required fullness, not counting on the fact that tight shoes are carried. In shoes of a smaller size and less fullness, the fingers rest on the toe, curl up, find one another, the mobility of the joints is limited.
So that the foot in the shoe does not fidget, it should be fastened with a sufficiently wide, durable back, tightly covering the ankle joint. But you should not buy shoes that are too spacious, especially in the backdrop. It is hard to move in the shoe "for growth" - the sock will bend upward, the skin wrinkles on the rise and press on the fingers.
 Nowadays, shoes without a heel are in demand. However, the foot in it is unstable, its arch seems to "sit down", and this threatens with flat feet. Girls and women now often wear very high-heeled shoes. But it has long been proven that high heels are at odds with good posture. Obstetricians-gynecologists also know something else: the constant wearing of high-heeled shoes can strain and stretch the abdominal muscles, which makes them weaken, and flaccid muscles are poor helpers during childbirth.
And one more note for lovers of high heels: it reduces the area of support of the sole by 30-40 percent, shifts the center of gravity of the body, thereby reducing its stability. Is it any wonder that women of fashion often have tendon sprains, ligament ruptures, dislocations and even fractures. Yes, and walking in such shoes is not beautiful — steps are short, mincing, and running in high heels is just suffering.
The heel should not disturb the muscle balance between the flexors of the foot. Therefore, the heel height in everyday shoes is recommended equal to 1/10 of the length of the foot, in other words - 2-3 centimeters.
Each type of shoe has its own place and time. What's good for the beach or home is unwise for theater or dance. What saves from rain and dirt overheats the foot in hot weather. It would seem that these are elementary truths However, how many people come to the theater in sandals, walk on sunny days in stocking boots, sit indoors in winter in warm shoes.
The well-known joke "if healthy were tasty, and tasty - useful" can be paraphrased "if fashionable was hygienic and hygienic - fashionable!" However, the last wish is already partly coming true. In fashion, there has been a trend towards lower heels, comfortable shoe shapes. Hopefully, thanks to the joint efforts of shoe makers and hygienists, the age-old feud between foot and shoe will finally end.
K. Tsvetkov
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