Stock image of a shoe washed up on the beach. Getty Images
At least 20 people have been washed up on the Pacific Northwest coast in sneakers since 2007.
The Salish Sea foot discoveries were previously attributed to a serial killer who had a footfetish.
However, a British doctor explained that it was most likely due to modern sneaker designs.
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TikTok has made a viral video showing a doctor solving the mystery behind why sneakers with severed feet continue to appear on beaches in the Pacific Northwest.
The Mirror reported that at least 20 feet of human remains have been found along the Salish Sea's coastline, which runs from Canada's British Columbia to Washington State.
The latest example was on New Year's Day 2019, when beachgoers at Jetty Island, Washington found their foot in a boot.
Conspiracy theorists suggest that the grisly discoveries may have been made by a serial killer or mafia who disposed of bodies. Dr. Karan Raj, however, told his 4 million TikTok users that there was a simpler explanation.
Raj explained in a video that has been viewed over 650,000 times that foot discoveries are due to human anatomy and, partially, footwear designs.
Raj stated in the video that "when a human body falls to the seafloor, it's quickly set on by scavengers." These scavengers prefer to deal with the soft parts of the body, rather than the more difficult and grisly ones.
Raj explained that the ligaments and tissues around the ankles are some of the most delicate parts of the body. The doctor explained that if scavengers consume this, the foot will separate from the rest of your body very quickly."
Gail Anderson, an entomologist, says that feet and hands can sometimes separate from the rest of the body in water. However, they are rarely able to float.
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Raj explained that modern sneakers' buoyancy is what makes them float, and eventually wash up on the Pacific Northwest shores.
National Geographic reports that sneakers made in the past decade often have gas-filled soles, making them especially insinkable.
Parker MacCready, an oceanography professor, explained to National Geographic why feet appear only along Salish Sea shores. He said that there is a "perfect storm" of shoes washing up in the area.
MacCready explained that the Salish Sea is a complex and large body of inland water that acts as a trap to ensure that water-bound items remain in it. He said that the westerly winds tend to bring in things from the ocean, rather than push them out.
According to The Guardian the British Columbia Coroners Service has ruled foul play out of all investigations into Canadian foot finds. A coroner stated that none of the feet had any signs of trauma, and that all the victims died either by suicide or in an accident.
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