The side view of your foot shows its arch.
Image from Thieme's Atlas of Anatomy - get it if you don't got it.
Its shape is reminiscent of the vaulted ceiling of gothic cathedrals:
P.S. If you love Notre Dame in Paris, check out this photo from Martin Deak's flickr stream.
The arch is one of the strongest shapes in architecture. (The strongest maybe?) It can support unbelievable forces. These interior arches of a cathedral ceiling support the weight of a stone ceiling. Similarly, your foot's arch supports all of your weight. Each time you step, one arch absorbs your weight; if you are running, those forces are nearly three times your weight. As long as the structure of the arch doesn't break down, its strength is incomparable.
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