DEFORMITY OF FIRST METATARSAL HEAD DUE TO FAULTY FOOT MECHANICS

A series of three cases wimich revealed time effect of stress and strain upon time head of the first metatarsal caused the investigation of the pa-timology from a roentgenological standpoint. Many investigators have written upon the mechanics of tile foot and its applied pathology, but we have been unable to find any description resembling the condition shown in time cases presented. Morton, in his excellent book, “The Human Foot”, has summarized completely time effect of a shortened first metatarsal. He states that. time second metatarsal bears the burden of the force, and this, together with the defect in the length of the first metatarsal, causes the foot to roll inward. The sesamoids, which serve primarily as contact points, are in a more posterior position (toward the neck of the first metatarsal), and timus their relation to the second metatarsal would tend to cause the body weigimt to be concentrated upon the latter when the foot is used as a lever. When this occurs, Morton has repeatedly noticed that th