• Three out of every four Americans experience serious foot problems in their lifetime.
• The foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles.
• Twenty-five percent (25%) of all the bones in the human body are in your feet. When these bones are out of alignment, so is the rest of the body.
• Only a small percentage of the population is born with foot problems. It is neglect and a lack of awareness of proper care--including ill-fitting shoes--that cause problems.
• Women have about four (4) times as many foot problems as men, with high heels and other poor footwear the major factor.
• Walking is the best exercise for your feet. It also contributes to your general health by improving circulation, contributing to weight control, and promoting overall fitness.
• Your feet mirror your general health. Conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, nerve and circulatory disorders can show their initial symptoms in the feet, so foot ailments can be your first sign of more serious medical problems.
• Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in America. It limits everyday dressing, climbing stairs, getting in and out of bed or walking for about 7 million Americans.
• About sixty to seventy percent (60%-70%) of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of diabetic nerve damage, which, in severe forms, can lead to lower limb amputations. Approximately 56,000 people annually lose their foot or leg to diabetes.
• There are 250,000 sweat glands in your feet. Sweat glands in the feet excrete as much as a half-pint of moisture a day…No wonder foot odor can be a problem!
• · Foot and ankle problems can be linked to an individual's weight and body mass index (BMI). Individuals who have higher BMI have a significant increase in foot and ankle problems.
• · One problem linked to nutrition that can affect your feet is inflammation. Certain foods can increase chemicals in your body that cause tissue inflammation. This inflammation could appear in your foot as plantar fasciitis, which causes pain in the thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot, in your heel, or elsewhere in your foot.