Happy New Year! Put your best foot forward
By Marcos Otero, Gulf Coast Immediate Care Center, Fort Walton Beach
Many of us plan to start exercise programs as the New Year begins. This includes walking, running, riding bikes, and swimming. However, many of us need to pay more attention to a crucial exercise component. Our feet. Over the next series of articles, I want to discuss the foot.
Some facts about the feet.
I am sure that at some time in your life or even right now, you have, or will have, foot pain. It is estimated that 75% of the population has complained of foot pain once in their lifetime. Women more than men! An average person is estimated to stand on their feet for over eight to ten hours daily. Do you realize that you will average walking almost 75,000 miles during your lifetime – the equivalent of traveling around the world THREE times?
Many of us, however, mistreat our feet. Walk barefoot. We wear inappropriate shoes. Don’t cut our nails correctly or not at all. This leads to multiple problems.
We will discuss the anatomy of the foot and many of its problems. Problems like diabetic foot, bunions, ingrown toenails, fractures, heel spurs, fallen arches, etc.
Anatomy –
The feet consist of pliable structures of bones, joints, muscles, and soft tissues that let us stand upright and perform activities like walking, running, weight-bearing, and jumping.
The foot is made of 26 bones and has 55 articulations divided into three sections:
- The forefoot contains the 14 bones of the five toes (phalanges) and the five longer bones (metatarsals) of the toes.
- The midfoot is a pyramid-like collection of bones that form the arches of the feet. These include the three cuneiform bones, the cuboid bone, and the navicular bone.
- The hindfoot forms the heel and ankle. The talus bone supports the leg bones (tibia and fibula), creating the ankle. The calcaneus (heel bone) is the most prominent bone in the foot.
These form an intricate structure that forms arches. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments along the surface of the feet allow the needed motion and balance. The Achilles tendon connects the heel to the calf muscle and is essential for running, jumping, and standing on the toes. These all help ambulate and absorb the force.
The foot can have multiple problems; these include:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Osteoarthritis of the feet
- Gout
- Athlete’s foot
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Bunions
- Achilles tendon injury
- Diabetic foot infection
- Swollen feet
- Calluses
- Corns
- Heel spurs
- Ingrown toenails
- Fallen arches (flat feet)
- Nail fungal infection
- Mallet toes
- Metatarsalgia
- Claw toes
- Fracture
- Plantar wart
- Morton’s neuroma
Over the next year, I will write multiple articles addressing these different foot problems. Please wear your running shoes, and we will start next month.
