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When X-Rays were used at the Shoe Store

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Re: When X-Rays were used at the Shoe Store

#21

Post by 3JPLW »

rob74 wrote: post #14

Interesting and also scary - I guess it was ok for customers, but the employees using the machines would probably over time get a serious amount of radiation literally in their face (from what it looks like)? If you think that nowadays while making X-rays the medical personnel will either wear lead-lined aprons or leave the room altogether...

Especially given this:

> That 1948 study of 43 machines in Detroit showed ranges from 16 to 75 roentgens per minute. In 1946, the American Standards Association had issued a safety code for industrial use of X-rays, limiting exposure to 0.1 R per day.

I'd be curious how much a typical modern dental x-ray emits, but we no longer measure in roentgens these days as we have better measures of the actual dose (sieverts).

Re: When X-Rays were used at the Shoe Store

#22

Post by [deleted] »

cbanek wrote: post #10
elric wrote: post #4

Tangent. People are still getting conned when it comes to shoes. Custom designed soles, with padding in the "right" places based on the shape of your foot, in order to "absorb impact" or "correct overpronation". Which is nonsense and unnecessary unless you have foot deformities. Your foot is perfectly capable of absorbing impact and whatnot. This is all marketing aimed at gullible new runners who want to go from couc…

I don't remember where I saw this, but I thought I saw a display that you could step on and it would try to convince you to buy custom designed insoles? It used some kind of pressure sensor that would map your foot or something. I feel like shoes are kind of like mattresses are marketed the same way - mostly talking about pressure points, that and memory foam.

[deleted]

Re: When X-Rays were used at the Shoe Store

#23

Post by quickthrowman »

3JPLW wrote: post #21
rob74 wrote: post #14

Interesting and also scary - I guess it was ok for customers, but the employees using the machines would probably over time get a serious amount of radiation literally in their face (from what it looks like)? If you think that nowadays while making X-rays the medical personnel will either wear lead-lined aprons or leave the room altogether...

Especially given this: > That 1948 study of 43 machines in Detroit showed ranges from 16 to 75 roentgens per minute. In 1946, the American Standards Association had issued a safety code for industrial use of X-rays, limiting exposure to 0.1 R per day. I'd be curious how much a typical modern dental x-ray emits, but we no longer measure in roentgens these days as we have better measures of the actual dose (sieverts).

Radiation from x-rays is measured in microsieverts, or less than a single day’s exposure to background radiation

https://www.iaea.org/resources/rpop/health-professionals/den...

Re: When X-Rays were used at the Shoe Store

#25

Post by amanaplanacanal »

elric wrote: post #4

Tangent. People are still getting conned when it comes to shoes. Custom designed soles, with padding in the "right" places based on the shape of your foot, in order to "absorb impact" or "correct overpronation". Which is nonsense and unnecessary unless you have foot deformities. Your foot is perfectly capable of absorbing impact and whatnot. This is all marketing aimed at gullible new runners who want to go from couc…

Exactly. People ran barefoot, then with a thin piece of leather strapped to their feet for hundreds of thousands of years. All this arch and ankle support of the last few decades has done nothing except cause injuries.

Re: When X-Rays were used at the Shoe Store

#26

Post by TheOtherHobbes »

andybak wrote: post #6

I'm 49 and I'm sure I remember there still being machines in stores when I was 7 or 8. Is that possible? I don't recall them actually in use - but they were visibly present. (I'm in the UK) EDIT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe-fitting_fluoroscope#Regul... Looks possible.

It's possible. I'm older and I remember seeing my foot bones outlined in a very attractive green through one. These machines weren't rare items.

I wasn't old enough to understand the dangers, and of course most parents didn't understand them either.

It was all rather insane and reckless, and only luck rather than judgement kept them from becoming a major public health issue.

Re: When X-Rays were used at the Shoe Store

#27

Post by crtasm »

andybak wrote: post #6

I'm 49 and I'm sure I remember there still being machines in stores when I was 7 or 8. Is that possible? I don't recall them actually in use - but they were visibly present. (I'm in the UK) EDIT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe-fitting_fluoroscope#Regul... Looks possible.

My sister was x-rayed in the UK circa 1987, something to do with her feet being wider than the norm.

Re: When X-Rays were used at the Shoe Store

#28

Post by TheOtherHobbes »

3JPLW wrote: post #21
rob74 wrote: post #14

Interesting and also scary - I guess it was ok for customers, but the employees using the machines would probably over time get a serious amount of radiation literally in their face (from what it looks like)? If you think that nowadays while making X-rays the medical personnel will either wear lead-lined aprons or leave the room altogether...

Especially given this: > That 1948 study of 43 machines in Detroit showed ranges from 16 to 75 roentgens per minute. In 1946, the American Standards Association had issued a safety code for industrial use of X-rays, limiting exposure to 0.1 R per day. I'd be curious how much a typical modern dental x-ray emits, but we no longer measure in roentgens these days as we have better measures of the actual dose (sieverts).

Modern dental x-rays are basically negligible for most patients, although not for dentists who do them daily, even though they're well away from the beam - which is why they have to hide when they take them.

Less negligible are CT scans, which can expose you to multiples of the average annual background dose in a few minutes.

That's still relatively low level exposure. But there isn't really a safe minimum exposure level, and it's certainly not something you'd want to have regularly.

Re: When X-Rays were used at the Shoe Store

#29

Post by dantillberg »

amanaplanacanal wrote: post #25
elric wrote: post #4

Tangent. People are still getting conned when it comes to shoes. Custom designed soles, with padding in the "right" places based on the shape of your foot, in order to "absorb impact" or "correct overpronation". Which is nonsense and unnecessary unless you have foot deformities. Your foot is perfectly capable of absorbing impact and whatnot. This is all marketing aimed at gullible new runners who want to go from couc…

Exactly. People ran barefoot, then with a thin piece of leather strapped to their feet for hundreds of thousands of years. All this arch and ankle support of the last few decades has done nothing except cause injuries.

What about all the concrete and asphalt we run on now? Doesn't that make a difference?

Re: When X-Rays were used at the Shoe Store

#30

Post by mrfusion »

skj wrote: post #24
mrfusion wrote: post #19

Say, why can’t we recreate this with ultrasound? Actually that seems like a good idea. Should I patent it?

Would require taking your shoes and socks off, smothering them in sonic gel, and having someone who knows how operate the wand.

I’m not sure about that. I’d imagine for a general outline of the foot with little need for detail it might be fine.
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