DR. HARDY, OWNER OF ACADEMY FOOT AND ORTHOTIC CLINICS SHARES SOME 'FUN FOOT FACTS'
posted: Feb. 04, 2014.
Fun Foot Facts
- Your feet have ¼ of all the bones in your body – 52 bones!
- The foot is an intricate structure containing 26 bones with thirty-three joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles and multiple tendons that hold the structure together and allow it to move in a variety of ways.
- There are approximately 250,000 sweat glands in a pair of feet, and they excrete as much as half a pint of moisture each day.
- It is not “normal” for your feet to hurt!
- Seventy-five percent of Americans will experience foot health problems of varying degrees of severity at one time or another in their lives.
- There are times when you're walking that the pressure on your feet exceeds your body weight, and when you're running, it can be three or four times your weight.
- As a person's income increases, the prevalence of foot problems decreases.
- Women have about four times as many foot problems as men; lifelong patterns of wearing high heels often are the culprit.
- An average, healthy person should aim to take 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. That covers several miles and adds up to about 115,000 miles in a lifetime. By age 70, the average person will have walked the equivalent of 4 times around the globe.
- 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 well being.
- Your feet mirror your general health. Such conditions as arthritis, diabetes, nerve and circulatory disorders can show their initial symptoms in the feet -- so foot ailments can be your first sign of more serious medical problems.
- Only a small percentage of the population is born with foot problems. It is neglect, and a lack of awareness of proper care -- including ill-fitting shoes -- that bring on the problems.
- A lifetime of wear and tear, plus neglect, accounts for the fact that the practices of most foot specialists are made up of older patients.
If you or a loved requires competent advice or foot care, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Hardy's Toronto Foot Clinic, Academy Foot and Orthotic Clinics at 416-465-8737.