FOOT HEALTH

Our feet connect us to the earth. There are over 7,000 nerve endings in each foot relaying information to the brain about our posture, terrain and the environment.

Each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints and a network of more than 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments. 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. Stability, balance, grip and strength are all needed to walk and run these joints giving shock absorption so that the rest of your body is not jarred as you move.

In the skin of the feet together with the nerves and blood vessels are 250,000 sweat glands. When active, feet can produce four to 175 ml of perspiration a day, sometimes more. Hydration to keep the feet supple is key. A steady balance must be maintained so feet are not sweaty / wet or dry / cracked - breathable shoes are important.

A person weighs more walking than standing. Walking is dead weight plus gravity and forward movement, which adds about 30 per cent to standing weight. An average day of walking brings a force equal to several hundred tonnes to bear on the feet. The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day - many more in hospitality!

Badly fitting shoes are the cause of many foot problems. Corns and calluses are caused by pressure, blisters and bursae by friction from skin rubbing between bony areas when wearing shoes. Shoes should be long enough, wide enough, and deep enough  to prevent pressure on the foot and not too loose to cause friction.