06/23/2003    Ray McClanahan, DPM, BS Ed.

William A. Rossi, DPM

RE: William A. Rossi, DPM
From: Ray McClanahan, DPM, BS Ed.

Having been greatly influenced by the work
of Dr. Rossi, to the point of abandoning much of
what I previously held to be true regarding foot
ailments, I am deeply saddened by his passing and
wish his family to know that he made a profound
effect on me and on my ability to understand foot
pathology.

I am saddened even more that more active
podiatrists are not incorporating his wisdom and
experience into their treatment protocols. A
prime example is the ongoing debate about
injecting neuromas. We have become so obsessed
with becoming experts at "treating" foot ailments
that we have neglected to critically examine the
causes. Dr. Wertheimer does a good job relating
intermetatarsal compression to narrow shoes. This
certainly is one viable explanation for the
trauma to the nerve. If you read Dr. Rossi's
work, you begin to realize that there are
numerous shoe-induced changes to the metatarsal
head region induced by almost ALL shoes, not just
the "high-heeled" variety.

In addition to the compression forces pointed
out by Dr. Wertheimer, Dr. Rossi helped me to
understand the sagittal forces acting on the met
head region that should be understood by all
podiatrists. Such as the fact that almost all
shoes, including athletic shoes create a ramp
effect whereby the rearfoot is elevated above the
met head region because the heel is elevated
higher than the forefoot. This alone creates
pressure under the met heads, but then add the
toespring effect (digits dorsiflexed at the MPJ
level) of up to 15 degrees, and add this to the
compression Dr. Wertheimer mentioned and all of a
sudden I am not that interested in whether to use
a local anesthetic, steroid or neurectomy.

I am most interested in curing my patient of
the pain they came in to see me for. This
requires discussing shoes. The fact that patients
relate relief from their neuroma pain by removing
their shoes should enable us as doctors to make
the connection between the shoe and the
trauma to the nerve. Why else would you take a
history? For those that are set in their ways and
wish to extrapolate on their expertise in
treating foot ailments, please at least discuss
shoes with your patient and give them the whole
picture. You may find many of them as interested
in the cure as the treatment. My condolences to
the Rossi family.

Ray McClanahan, DPM, BS Ed.
Longview, WA
footdr@nwfootankle.com

Other messages in this thread:

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07/02/2003    Cameron Kippen

William A. Rossi, DPM

RE: William A. Rossi, DPM

So sad to hear about the recent death of Dr
William A Rossi. An inspiration to all in the
foot care, fashion and shoe industries. An
original thinker and committed podologist he will
be sadly missed by many.

Our university is closing the undergraduate
podiatry program and there will be no intake in
2003 . Sad reflection of the times.

Cameron Kippen
Curtin Univeristy of Technology

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06/24/2003    Robert Schwartz, C.Ped

William A. Rossi, DPM

RE: William A. Rossi, DPM

Bill Rossi passed on last week, at 92. He was
a man who deserved a long, rich life. He believed
in higher values, and shared his feelings with
the world. The main world he tried to share it
with is the footwear and foot care world. He
wasn’t sure anyone was listening. He was going to
tell them, anyway.

I began to understand Bill, sometime after I
started teaching pedorthics at NYU. I needed some
slides, so that the information would have an
illustration to help enhance or clarify a point.
You only had to read one of Bill’s books to know
that he used pictures in his work. He offered me
his slides, and in fact mailed them to me the
next day. I was looking at the slides he gave me
just recently, and realized that what he had to
say, is as relevant today as when he authored it
decades ago.

Bill believed that footwear is an integral part
of foot care. He was disappointed that shoe
people didn’t understand feet, and foot care
people didn’t understand shoes. We believe that
foot healthcare, starts with proper footwear, and
promise to continue to publicize Bill’s beliefs
to all who will listen. Bill, your legacy will
live on through your books, articles and
teaching. Thanks for being my friend.

Robert Schwartz, C.Ped
New York, NY

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06/21/2003    Margery Eagan, The Boston Herald

OBITUARIES-------William A. Rossi, DPM

OBITUARIES
William A. Rossi, DPM

"The foot is an erotic organ and the shoe is
its sexual covering." Footwear fashion
is "podoerotic art." The shoes you choose are an
eye into your soul. As for a woman's soul, well,
be still one's heart. Heel to toe - not to
mention trim ankle wrapped in skimpy straps - the
female foot and its covering are just one great
big erogenous zone. "Men are still uncertain
whether the greatest of all invention was the
wheel or the high heel . . ."

The above thoughts are William A. Rossi's,
late of Marshfield and Hingham, raised above his
parents' shoe store on Columbus Avenue, Boston,
where he first fitted shoes and no doubt acquired
his lifelong admiration for the well-shaped toe.
Then it was on to podiatry school. Then a life as
and writer and TV commentator (remember Mike
Douglas's show?) and radio interviewee, all on
his lifelong passion: the foot and what does or
doesn't cover it.

Rossi was buried yesterday at age 92. News of
his death sparked a modest run, at least in some
local libraries, for his once-famous 1976
masterpiece, revised in 1993: "The Sex Life of
the Foot and Shoe." It is at once a serious,
bawdy and very funny history of feet and shoes
and what the latter say about the wearer.

Source: Margery Eagan, The Boston Herald 6/19/03

Editor’s note: Bill Rossi was a regular
contributor to Podiatry Management, and over the
years became a close personal friend. His
voluminous writings on footwear will forever
remain as a memorial to his greatness. We join
the podiatric community in mourning this
legendary podiatrist.