How Well Do You Know Your Feet?

When it comes to foot care, most people tend to drop the ball. Your feet are a critical part of your everyday functions. However, it seems like most people seem to neglect their feet until something goes wrong. So what do you really know about your feet?

Fun Foot Facts

Here are some basic facts you probably didn’t know about your feet:

• Your foot and ankle contains 26 bones, 33 joints, over 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments and 250,000 sweat glands. That’s a lot for such a tiny package!
• All those bones in your feet make up around 25% of all the bones in the human body. If they are out of alignment, so is everything else.
• There are more sweat glands and nerve endings per square centimeter on the soles of your feet than any other part of your body.
• One foot will always be larger than the other.
• Lower backaches, headaches, indigestions and a misaligned spine can often be traced to problems with your feet.
• The skin on your feet is thicker than anywhere else on your body.

Did you know…? Here are some foot and foot care facts that may surprise you:

• 1-2 of every 1,000 people are born with extra toes. This is called polydactylism.
• During an average day of walking, the total pressure on your feet can add up to hundreds of tons. This equals the average amount of a fully loaded dump truck!
• When you are stressed, you are more susceptible to the virus that leads to warts on your feet.
• When you shop for shoes, try shopping in the afternoon. This is when your feet will be the most swollen, so you can be sure that your new shoes will fit comfortably all the time.
• Women are four times for likely than men to develop foot problems due to their shoes.
• Your feet can mirror your general health. So if a problem arises, it may be an indicator of a more serious medical condition.

Foot Care for Better Health

You probably didn’t realize how important your feet can become to your overall health. Make sure you are taking good care of your feet by:

• Buying comfortable, well fitted shoes
• Keeping your feet clean and dry
• Changing your shoes, socks and stockings often
• Put your feet up when sitting down
• Check your feet often for blisters, cuts or warts
• Stretch and gently massage your feet

Always practice proper foot care, and don’t forget that your feet are an integral part of your body—treat them well.