Walkers need some help too

Your spectacular New Year’s Day issue, “The Foot,” featured an interesting array of articles. But, regrettably, it played to the popular foot-related theme of running at the expense of the not-so-simple act of walking. Getting from “A” to “B” seems lost on myriad dysfunctional walkers, who initiate locomotion by tipping the upper body forward, blocking the hip, over-striding and finally lunging with a heel-pounding footfall. All this culminates in deleterious consequences not only for the foot, but also for the knee, hip and spine.

This phenomenon is more subtly evident in movies that depict the female protagonist over-striding her way through scenes because Hollywood deems this a sign of a woman’s assertiveness.

If early physical education classes and newspapers like yours educated the public more on the interrelationship of fitness, walking and foot health, we’d all be in better shape to take the new year in good stride.

WILLIAM K. SOLBERG

Los Angeles

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You did not cover shoes for basics -- walking. Not everyone hikes, runs, plays basketball.

STEPHANY YABLOW

North Hollywood

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Re your article on Nike+ shoes enabling a person’s movements to be tracked [“It Knows Where You Go,” Jan. 1]: Sorry, but how is this news? I own a Nike+ and at 60 feet I would say that my wife can spy on me using something that is better and costs way less -- her eyes.

MICHEL CONTANT

Boucherville, Canada