It’s important to understand your feet have direct impact on the rest of your body and support you with each step. A small abnormality in foot function can have a large impact on joints higher up in the body, causing pain and discomfort.

When you are running, the pressure on your feet can be three or four times your body weight. Even walking can produce more pressure than the sum of your body weight. The American Podiatric Medical Association says that the average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. That adds up to about 115,000 miles in a lifetime or more than four times the circumference of the globe. That is a lot of walking with ill-fitting shoes or painful feet!!

In some cases foot ailments can be an early signal of more serious medical problems like arthritis or diabetes. Women have four times as many foot problems as men because they have a long history of wearing high heels and/or pointy toe shoes. Orthotics and proper shoe fit are very important aspects of foot health. Remember if you are experiencing pain or discomfort in your ankles, knees or hip joints ….the direct cause may be the function of your feet or ill-fitting shoes.