April is National Foot Awareness Month

Did you know feet are so popular that they have their own national awareness month? Yes, that’s correct. April is National Foot Health Awareness Month. Now, you may be thinking what exactly is so exciting about a foot. Believe it or not, some people don’t even find them to be that cute! Leonard da Vinci once said “The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work
of art.” Let’s take a look at why feet can be so interesting. 

The Gentle Foot Care Center has listed some of our favorite foot facts.
• Each foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles. 25% of all the bones in your body are located in your feet. If they are out of alignment, so are you.
• Feet have 250,000 sweat glands and excrete up to 8 ounces a day.
• Although there are so many different types of exercise, walking is the best exercise for your feet. It contributes to your general health by improving circulation and promotes weight loss.
• The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, which equals about 115,000 miles over a lifetime. By age 70, you will have walked about 4 times around the planet Earth.
• There are currently more Internet websites about foot fetishes than foot health.
• Of the people who actually are looking up foot problems on the Internet, heel pain and ingrown toenails are the most common problems researched.
• Women have 4x as many foot problems as men. Ladies, you can blames your high heels. A 2½-inch high heel increases the load on the ball of the foot by 75%.
• Only a small percentage of the population is actually born with foot problems. Neglect and poorly fitting shoes are a major contributing factor.
• Since feet typically swell during the day, go shoe shopping in the late afternoon. Have your feet measure while you’re standing. Always try shoes on both feet since many people have one foot larger than the other. Buy your shoes to fit the larger foot.
• Our feet are the mirror to our general health. Conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, circulatory and nerve disorders can initially show symptoms in the feet. A foot illness can be the first sign of more serious medical problem. Arthritis is one of the number one causes of disability in America, including your feet.
• Corns and calluses occur when the skin rubs against the bony areas in shoes. The pain from this friction is actually a gift from our body alerting us that something is wrong.
• Approximately 60-70% of diabetics develop some form of diabetic nerve damage. In severe cases this leads diabetic lower limb amputation. About 56,000 people a year lose their foot or leg due to diabetes.
• 3 out of 4 Americans will experience foot pain in their lifetime.
• The average man wears a size 10 1/2. The largest foot belongs to Matthew McGrory who wears US size 28 1/2.
• Fingernails and toenails grow faster during hot weather, pregnancy no teenage years. Floridians beware!
• The average toddler takes its first step around 13-17 months. But, between 10- 18 months falls in the normal range.
• The ancient Romans were the first to construct specific right and left shoes. Before that, shoes could be worn on either foot.

As Dr Luepschen always says ” Feet are the foundation of life. If you want a strong body start at the base and work your way up.”
The Gentle Foot Care Center hopes you understand now why we get so excited about feet. Dr. Olga Garcia Luepschen and the Gentle Foot Care Center are located on US 27. For more information visit http://www.Gentlefootcarecenter.com or call 863-314-9255.