![]() ![]() Overall, 18% of all the skeletons showed signs of bunions. an Augustinian friary in the town (n=21).the parish church of All Saints by the Castle on the edge of town (n=50).a village called Cherry Hinton outside Cambridge (n=37).To investigate the relationship between bunions and bone fractures in the Middle Ages, the archaeologists examined the skeletons of 177 adults buried in four cemeteries in the following locations: ![]() Hallux valgus can result in impaired mobility, poor balance, and an increased risk of falls. They also found evidence of more fractures, likely caused by falls, among individuals who had bunions.įashion has inflicted many discomforts and indignities on its followers down the ages, from the wasp-like waistlines and codpieces of Tudor times, to the stiletto heels and “sagging” pants of our own.Īccording to research by archaeologists at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, a fashion for shoes called “ poulaines,” with long pointy toes, may have caused an outbreak of painful bunions in the Middle Ages.Ī bunion, or hallux valgus, is a bony bump at the base of the big toe that develops after the toe deflects inwards towards the second toe.Īn inherited fault in the mechanical structure of the foot is the most common cause of bunions, though constrictive footwear can worsen the underlying condition.The researchers speculate that a fashion for pointy shoes among the well-heeled of Medieval England may have spurred the increase in bunions.They found evidence that bunions were significantly more common in the 14th–15th centuries than in the 11th–13th centuries and more prevalent in affluent areas.Archaeologists have examined human skeletons dating from the Middle Ages that were buried in four cemeteries in and around Cambridge in England.Photo editing by Stephen Kelly ZU_09/Getty Images Share on Pinterest Scientists investigate whether a Middle Age fashion impacted foot health. ![]()
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