Health

Happy Feet for Healthier Living

By

Mohit Kamboj

Feet often get neglected in conversations of health and wellness. It’s surprising, given that gravity places the full burden of our body’s weight squarely on our feet. With every step we take, 26 bones, 30 joints, 100+ muscles, ligaments, and tendons in each foot work their magic to get us up and running. It’s a mammoth undertaking and yet another biological wonder that the human body is capable of. Would you believe that an estimated 25% of all the bones in the body are located in our feet? When combined with joints, joint muscles, ligaments, and tendons, the feet truly are masterclass body parts.

Our Feet Bear the Brunt Day In, Day Out 

The weight-bearing capacity of our feet is something that few other body parts can handle.

And yet this very subject is one that we pay scant attention to. Today we pay tribute to our feet for the fascinating features and functions they are capable of. Happy feet for healthier living is more than a slogan; it’s a reality. Foot problems commonly occur, with conditions such as hammertoes, blisters, bunions, calluses, corns, plantar fasciitis, ingrown toenails, gout, and various forms of fungus. Like many other ailments, foot problems can be cured with the right treatment approach.

Three Dozen Possible Reasons You Get Foot Pain

According to the Mayo Clinic, foot pain is caused by any of three dozen possibilities, many of which are inflammatory, or diseased in nature. Needless to say, a debilitating condition of the feet prevents patients from bearing weight on the feet and inhibits walking, running, or other activities. The cause-effect relationship is severe, as it pertains to physical mobility. That’s why it’s really important to take extra special care of the feet to avoid the complications that may arise from tendinitis, arthritis, flat feet, tendon ruptures, bursitis, psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, stress fractures, and tarsal tunnel syndrome et al.

Fortunately, there are many ways to effectively treat foot ailments, beginning with proper care and attention. A careful selection of your shoes is a good place to start. Proper arch support, heel support, and shoe sizing are sacrosanct. Shoes also contribute towards foot care by allowing your feet to breathe and aerate properly, avoiding compression on toes, and the heel. By choosing the wrong shoes, you could encourage fungal growth, odors, bunions, corns, and other unwanted conditions. The shoes we wear should be comfortable, supportive, and designed expressly for a specific purpose. Walking shoes, running shoes, cross-trainers, hiking shoes, casual shoes, or formal shoes are but a few of the many different options available.

Benefits of Custom Orthotics 

Regardless of the shoe, custom orthotics are required for the most comfortable and supportive fit. Podiatrists around the world agree that many of the aches and pains experienced in the musculoskeletal system are directly attributed to problems in the feet. Misalignment and functional problems can easily occur when the feet are imbalanced, or the ankles are poorly aligned in the shoes. This creates instability with every step you take. One of the front-runners in custom orthotics is Upstep, and they provide insoles that are perfectly adapted to an individual’s feet. The benefit of orthotics is immediately apparent. The absence of pain, inflammation, and imbalance tells the story. Orthotics can remove pressure on the feet, helping inflammation to subside and injuries to heal.

Orthotics can easily be inserted into your favorite pair of shoes. They hardly weigh anything at all, and fit snugly inside the shoe, contoured to the dimensions of your feet to provide maximum stability, comfort, and support. They are ideal for correcting improperly-aligned feet, and other problems such as supination and under pronation. Orthotics can be designed for specific purposes such as sedentary activity (if you stand for long periods at work), or if you are actively moving about all day long. The right orthotics can guard against friction and inflammation on joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. The first noticeable effect of using the right insoles and custom orthotics is the absence of pain. That’s a tell-tale sign that you’re doing the right thing and moving in the right direction.