Dear Sir, - In view of the recent correspondence you have published, it occurs to me that some of your readers would be rather interested to hear from another girl with the disability of a shortened leg, and the way the difficulty is overcome.
A little over a year ago I was involved in an accident resulting in serious injury to my right leg. When at length I got about again, it was with this leg shortened by more than 3 inches, and I was, of course, on crutches for some time.
I am a tall girl, not unattractive in appearance (to put it modestly!), and at first I was much upset about my short leg. As soon as possible I had my first big boot made, having this fashioned in as attractive style as it could be, and matching to some extent a high-heeled Court shoe for my left foot.
Rather to my surprise, my unusual footwear was deemed attractive by quite a number of my men friends - as was my disability generally, for I had a very good time whilst about on crutches. I determined to make the best of what I considered a bad job - even if others did not think so - and to take trouble to get the best effect from it.
The next boot I had made was in dark green, built a little higher than before, with shoe having a 4 inch heel to match. (The shoe to my first boot only had a 3 inch heel.) I began to use an ebony cane for walking out, and the general effect was not at all bad - a very slight limp only, and of course a slow walk.
A few months ago I was married to a charming husband who seems to be making quite a hobby of my footwear and methods of walking generally. The latest experiments are equally fascinating to him and me. My husband has had made far me to special pairs of shoes for indoor and evening wear, and I am now quite expert in these. In each case the left shoe has a normal high heel of a little over 3 inches, whilst the right shoe is very special with a heel just 7 inches high! Upon the latter I am right on tip-toe, and the balance is very tricky indeed.
Incidentally, these shoes are the envy of most of my friends, who have all than once more begged to try them on, making most amusing effects to walk round the room in them.
I confess it took me some little time to get accustomed to the extraordinary height of the heel on the right shoe, and I needed my husband's arm the first few times I wore them. The essentials are an extremely short stride and considerable care. I naturally limp rather a lot in these shoes. As the heel height does not compensate for my short leg to the same extent as the big boots; but my husband considers them very fascinating, and others appear to agree with him. I now frequently go out in them, providing I am not walking far, and the other day I managed to cross a very uneven cobbled street fairly gracefully - the tapering 7 inch heel needing a good deal of skill, as it tried to slip into various crevices.
A few weeks ago my leg was aching somewhat, and when my husband got home in the evening I greeted him at the door with a crutch under my right arm and my short leg hanging well clear of the ground, as I had put on a pair of normal high-heeled shoes. Now, although he, of course, knew I possessed a pair of crutches, he had never seen me use them, as I had stowed them away in a box-room. He seemed very intrigued as I preceded him into the lounge balancing on one crutch and a single high heel, and asked why I did not sometimes use it and rest my leg. He commented that I seemed very adapt with a crutch, and used it gracefully without letting my shoulder go up too much.
I said that if he liked to see me walk like that, I would often do so, but that I would like to have a smart new crutch to use, as the old one were rather heavy. That was sufficient for him! Two days later I was the possessor of a beautifully made slender black crutch, very light and easy to use, and fitted with a detachable tip which could be replaced by a slightly longer one to compensate for different heel heights. At the same time he bought me a pair of silver evening shoes with 5 inch heels, and a pair of red Court shoes with similar heels and high ankle straps. The latter I am wearing when going out with him in the evenings sometimes - theatre last night, for instance.
I definitely need his arm with a five inch heel and one crutch, but I get quite a thrill out of this method of walking, providing it is but a short distance. I find the most effective method is to put my right toe round and behind my crutch, my right leg therefore moving with it. My husband seems to think this quite attractive, as he says one sees from behind a dainty ankle and a high heeled shoe "caressing" the crutch a few inches from the ground.
From the above it will be seen that I am able now to vary my methods of overcoming my disability. In the mornings I usually go into town - by 'bus most of the way - on a 7 inch heel; in the afternoon I frequently walk quite a good distance wearing a big boot; and in the evenings I am either back in my special shoes or wearing 6 inch heeled shoes - and using my crutch if going out in them.
Indoors I can walk about on the 6 inch heels without my crutch, but I would not call it a graceful exhibition! Incidentally, I am able to dance quite well on a 7 inch heel, but it is, of course, rather tiring.
I wonder whether any others of your readers have experimented in similar ways. I may say that in my opinion a shortened leg for a girl may be inconvenient, but it certainly can have its compensations.
Yours truly,
Janet.