Starting on the Right Foot
Believe it or not, your feet are some of the most vital parts of your body—and taking care of your feet is pertinent to an active and healthy lifestyle.
The starting infrastructure of the body, both feet provide you transportation, balance, posture, and support—all within hundredths of a second.
Here are some facts about your tootsies to help you learn and appreciate your own two feet.
The bones in your feet make up approximately 25% of the total bones in your body.
The body has 206 bones total. Each foot has 26 bones, adding up to 52 bones for your pair. Doing the math, that is precisely 25.24% of your total bone count!
The foot has 33 joints and 100 muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
The muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones in your feet work together to allow movement and bear weight.
The average American takes 3,000 to 4,000 steps per day - but recommendations say to take more.
Doing the math, you will walk approximately 75,000 to 115,000 miles in your lifetime—equivalent to circling the globe four times!
While the average American takes between 3,000 and 4,000 steps in a day, science backs up claims that walking more will enhance health.
A peer-reviewed study done by the JAMA Network Open studied 2,110 middle-aged adults over ten years. The study found those who walked at least 7,000 steps in a day had a “50% to 70% lower chance of mortality” than those that walked less.
Your toenails take one month to grow 1.6 millimeters.
If you lose a toenail, it can take up to 1.5 years before it fully grows due to its slow growth rate. Additionally, as we age, our toenails thicken and round out, which causes the growth rate to slow even more.
The feet have 250,000 sweat glands.
Ever wondered why feet stink so bad? The feet house more than a quarter-million sweat glands! While feet will always sweat, excessive sweating is often associated with a health condition called hyperhidrosis.
The condition of your feet can tell a lot about your overall health.
Keeping your feet healthy is vital to overall health. Your feet (and any abnormalities) often are the first sign of another health problem. These can include:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Melanoma
- Arthritis
The Smithsonian Museum houses more than twenty pairs of famous shoes.
The Smithsonian Museum is not only home to the world’s most famous pair of shoes, the Ruby Slippers of “The Wizard of Oz,” but also includes shoes throughout their exhibits worn by LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Willie Mays, Raven Beak, Phyllis Diller, and more.
Twenty percent of the population has Morton’s Toe.
Is your second toe taller than your big toe? When this occurs, it is called Morton’s toe. This condition is often not associated with health risks but can increase the chances of foot calluses.
Approximately one in three women will develop bunions in their lifetime.
Bunions, or hallux valgus, are bony bumps that form on the big toe’s joint. At the base of the joint, bunions often cause abnormal bony protrusions that can progress and worsen into more discomforting and painful conditions.
The health care professional that takes care of your feet is called a podiatrist.
A podiatrist is a doctor who treats feet, ankles, and their ailments. Podiatrists are well-educated doctors that must attend an accredited podiatric college—taking four years after an undergraduate degree.
Additionally, podiatrists must undergo residency training and pass the American Board of Podiatric Medicine board qualification and certification process.
Bux-Mont Foot & Ankle Care Centers improves lives one step at a time.
When you are looking for a skilled and trusted doctor to take care of your ankles or feet, look no further than the professionals at Bux-Mont Foot & Ankle Care Centers.
Our services will meet your needs with compassionate care and advanced technology if you require podiatric care. Contact us online or call us at (215) 392-4009 today.