james semmel

TO: All breast cancer researchers, doctors, and patients.


The purpose of this yearly post is to stimulate interest and discussion
about the biomechanical effects of shoes on "age-related" degenerative
diseases, such as breast cancer. Chiropodist Dr. Simon J. Wikler
pioneered efforts to understand the influences of shoes in the 1950's,
but his work was neglected during the subsequent drug- and diet-based
approaches to medicine. However, the prolific footwear historian and
podiatrist Dr. William A. Rossi clearly demonstrated throughout his
publications that shoes influence the posture of the human body.
Therefore, using the posture-based approaches to medicine of the
distinguished orthopedist Dr. Joel E. Goldthwait, I have expanded Dr.
Wikler's insightful work to include a variety of illnesses and
conditions whose causes remain unknown.

Breast cancer is just one example of diseases that are related to the
use of footwear. Dr. Wikler observed that rounding of the shoulders in
humans puts tissue at a mechanical disadvantage. He explains, "The
breast is slung between strong fibrous bands (fascia) that arise from
the breast and collarbones. As long as the shoulders are thrust back
and the chest held erect, breasts can become very heavy and sag
considerably without undue strain to these fibrous bands. In the
characteristic posture of unbalanced feet, however, the shoulders slump
forward and, instead of the breast bone being prominent, the armpits
are now more forward. It becomes mechanically impossible for the
breast-and-collarbone fascia to support the breast. Weak fibers from
the outer side of the chest attached to the armpits must now do the
job. But these fibers are incapable. So there is a constant straining
and tearing at these tissues on the upper outer part of the breast. It
is exactly in this site that more than 90% of breast cancer is found,
and it can be reasonably concluded that the deformation of the feet may
be an important cause."

You may find my thesis regarding shoes and disease on the Internet at:
http://www.shoebusters.com
Thank you very much for considering my novel approach.

James Semmel
Albuquerque, New Mexico