FOOT
CARE
Did you know that 25% of the total number of bones
in your body are in your feet? Going by this ratio, you should
accord a lot more care and nurturing to your feet than you do.
Let's do a bit more math! The average person, in the course
of a day, takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps. These would add up, during
an average lifetime of 70 years, to about 115,000 miles! Enough
number of steps to take you around the earth four times!
I hope these statistics make you realize how hard your feet
work. No wonder, then, that 3 out of 4 people in North America
suffer from serious feet-related problems.
Medical conditions such as arthritis, diabetes
and circulatory disorders can show their first symptoms in the
feet. So watch your feet for indications of these medical conditions
that affect a large proportion of North Americans. Arthritis
is the number one cause of disability, affecting well over 6
million in America. Over 50,000 people lose their foot or leg,
through amputation, every year, on account of problems caused
by Diabetes. Another ailment affecting a huge number of North
Americans is lower back pain. This affliction, commonly develops
from the wrong alignment of the spine, and can be prevented
by taking corrective steps at the feet level.
Foot care starts with knowing your foot type.
Low arches (flat feet) are very common and often
result in formation of calcium deposits, known as Heel Spurs,
which require weight redistribution and support. Special supports
and soles are available to prevent pain as well as exacerbation
of the condition. Medium arched feet have fewer problems, but
can, with advancing age, also lead to foot pains. High arch
(Pes Cavus) feet have an elevated arch, causing the heel and
toes to turn slightly inward, which, you guessed it .... cause
pain!
Common treatments for such feet conditions include
stretching exercises, losing weight, wearing shoes that have
shock-absorbing cushioned heels, and elevating the heel with
the use of a heel cradle, heel cup, or orthotic insoles.
Another aspect, often overlooked, is foot hygiene.
There are 250,000 sweat glands in the feet, which excrete as
much as a half-pint of moisture a day. This factor should be
taken into account by your personal hygiene routine to avoid
contracting fungal infections and plantar warts.
It's clear that most problems with the feet arise
out of neglect and lack of proper care. While ill fitting shoes
are a prime cause, yet, with minimal precautions, it's possible
to be comfortable and healthy as well as trendy. It's not enough
just to spend money on shoes. Diagnose your foot type and get
the right supports to correct the weak areas. With such preventive
measures in place, and with a bit of life-style changes, you'll
avoid the ailments that plague most North Americans.
A complete selection of comfort footwear and
lower body health care products for feet, legs, ankles and back
are available for maintenance of better foot health. Products
include walking shoes, therapeutic shoes, shoe insoles, hosiery,
slippers, specialty socks, foot cushions, foot cream, skin/nail/leg
care products, heel pain products, foot massagers, knee braces
and ankle braces, back supports, and exercise equipment.
In short, your feet can indicate your general health. The
26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles of each foot
support your entire body structure, and neglect of them can
lead to any number of problems, including lower back problems.
Back pain affects most adults at some stage in their life, and can be excruciating to live with.
For extensive information & free detailed reports on everything about Back Pain Relief, Sciatica, and Herniated Disc from the most authoritative source, The Healthy Back Institute.
