Best foot forward
We spend a huge part of everyday standing on our feet but how much do you really care for yours?
Although the idea of feet makes most people cringe at the thought, truth is it’s not about the aesthete. We tend to forget just how important feet are to health and the fact that these are the bearers of our body weight. Our feet are just as vital as any other part of the body and it is important to be aware of the dangers surrounding them. Medical conditions such as obesity, poor circulation, arthritis and diabetes can cause or worsen foot disorders, in addition, shoes aren’t doing much to save the day.
Human beings first stood upright almost one million years. As time went by, shoes were invented, creating a way to protect feet from the cold and injuries. But with protection came a high price to pay with women favouring fashion over comfort in their choice of shoe, so it’s really no surprise that 80 per cent of foot conditions occur in women.
The human foot has been called the mirror of health but many people, including older people, believe it is normal for feet to hurt and simply resign themselves to enduring foot problems that could be treated. There are, incredibly, more than 300 foot disorders and although some are heredity, most are caused by neglect and abuse. By the frequent wearing of heels alone, women are prone to corns and calluses, toenail problems, bunions, hammertoes, tight heel cords and others. This isn’t to say that women can’t wear high heels, just not on an everyday basis.
But what about age? Specialists explain that over time, feet become wider and longer making the natural padding under the heel and forefoot, thinner. “Years of standing and walking flatten your arches and stiffen your ankles and feet,” says Podiatrist Diamanto Maliotou. “By wearing high heels (defined as two inches or over), your foot slides forward, redistributing weight, creating unnatural pressure points and throwing your body’s natural alignment out of whack.”
Ironic as it sounds, people who exercise, apparently, lack basic foot health awareness and tend to neglect their feet. According to the Attitudes Toward Foot Care Study conducted by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) nearly 60 per cent of respondents claimed to have had foot problems in the past year.
Even the common pain associated with running known as runner’s knee is associated with the excessive pronation, or rolling in and down of the foot. Arch supports or shoe inserts can alleviate the problem. Tennis, basketball, aerobics and cross training are also known to cause some sort of foot condition over time.
Although podiatrists advise everyone to take care of their feet there are certain groups of people, such as diabetics who run a higher risk of developing serious foot conditions. “Having diabetes makes feet more susceptible to common infections such as athlete’s foot and fungus toenails because the body’s increased immune response can make foot infections more prevalent,” Maliotou said. Apparently, diabetes is the leading cause of adult blindness, lower limb amputations and kidney failure and Maliotou explains that regular foot screenings can detect early signs and symptoms. “Comprehensive foot care plans can reduce amputation rates by 45 to 85 per cent,” she said. And again shoes play a significant role, resulting in many podiatrists participating in a programme that enables diabetics to receive a custom moulded shoe that can cause less irritation.
If you have any problems with your feet book an appointment with Diamanto Maliotou: 22- 446464
Foot Care Facts
* Three out of four people experience serious foot problems in their lifetime.
* The foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles.
* One quarter of all the bones in the human body are in your feet. When these bones are out of alignment, so is the rest of the body.
* Only a small percentage of the population is born with foot problems.
* Walking is the best exercise for your feet. It also contributes to your general health by improving circulation, contributing to weight control, and promoting all-around wellbeing.
* Arthritis is the number one cause of disability. It limits everyday dressing, climbing stairs, getting in and out of bed or walking.
* About 60 to 70 per cent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of diabetic nerve damage, which in severe forms can lead to lower limb amputations. Approximately 56,000 people a year lose their foot or leg to diabetes.
* There are 250,000 sweat glands in a pair of feet. Sweat glands in the feet excrete as much as a half-pint of moisture a day.
* Walking barefoot can cause plantar warts. The virus enters through a cut.
* The two feet may be different sizes. Buy shoes for the larger one.
* More than five per cent of people have toenail problems in a given year.
* The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, which adds up to about 115,000 miles over a lifetime. That’s enough to go around the circumference of the earth four times.
* There are currently more websites on the internet having to do with foot fetishes than with foot health.
