Physical therapy should be used to accomplish a particular result. For this reason, when disorders of the feet are to be treated, a clear knowledge of the etiologic aspects of the condition is needed, and the plan of treatment should have a logical reason.
For many years there have been lists of exercises described with the general idea of strengthening the feet. In a vague sort of way, painful feet have been considered weak feet, and exercises have been prescribed to strengthen them. Needless to say, exercises can be done for only a small part of each day; yet the patient is probably forced to bear weight many hours of that day. The muscles of the feet cannot be weaker than muscles elsewhere in the body, so that there is no reason for planning strengthening exercises for the feet alone.
This paper is limited to a discussion of treatment of