Foot Health

Foot Health by Janet Stovell

Feet come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and range from being problem free to giving their owners a lot of pain and discomfort.

A quarter of the bones in your skeleton are in your feet. Add to that over 100 muscles, ligaments and tendons plus 33 joints; combine to make a fairly complex structure. They also contain around a quarter of a million sweat glands which explains why foot odour can be a problem.

On average humans will take enough steps in their lifetime to walk around the globe 4 times. When we run, the pressure exerted on our feet can exceed about 4 times that of our body weight.

All this hard work by our feet comes at a cost when problems develop. Hard skin, corns, callouses, in-growing toenails, athlete's foot and foot odour are the most common complaints seen by a Chiropodist. Some conditions can be prevented or treated easily by changing hygiene practices and wearing the correct size shoe.

Generally feet should be washed daily in warm water and dried gently with a clean towel, then massaged with good quality foot cream.

Those suffering from arthritis and diabetes can have more complex foot problems and this is where correct footwear is vital. When vulnerable feet are subjected to ill fitting shoes, the consequences can be serious. Diabetes, for some sufferers, can mean loss of sensation in the feet. Pressure or friction from footwear would not necessarily be noticed by the wearer until the damage had been done.

Examine your feet regularly, any problems can, hopefully, be dealt with before they become painful. Discuss any concerns with your chiropodist who will be able to offer treatment or advice. Who knows, if you keep your feet healthy you may make it 5 times round the globe!

Janet Stovell MSSCh DipPodMed MBChA
Chiropodist

Janet Stovell runs a surgery based chiropody service in Southampton. With over 10 years experience she can help and advise on a whole range of foot problems. Contact her on 023 80 837237.