Soldier with Rigid Flat Feet, First World War

Soldier with Rigid Flat Feet, First World War

Soldier with rigid flat feet, Ft. Meyers, VA. World War I era. Flat feet (also called pes planus or fallen arches) is a postural deformity in which the arches of the foot collapse, with the entire sole of the foot coming into complete or near-complete contact with the ground. An estimated 20–30% of the general population have an arch that simply never develops in one or both feet. If the MLA is absent or nonfunctional in both the seated and standing positions, the individual has “rigid” flatfoot. In the past, flat-footedness has been a disqualification for enlisting in the army. Today, if the flat feet are asymptomatic and function normally, the person will be accepted. Studies analyzing the correlation between flat feet and physical injuries in soldiers have been inconclusive, but none suggest that flat feet are an impediment, at least in soldiers who reached the age of military recruitment without prior foot problems.

Album / Science Source / NMHM

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2108 x 3063 px | 18.5 MB

17.8 x 25.9 cm | 7.0 x 10.2 in (300 dpi)