25 Feet Facts

Learn more about the feet you use everyday!

Did you know?

1. A human foot & ankle is a strong, mechanical structure that contain 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons & ligaments.
2. The 52 bones in your feet make up one quarter of all the bones in your body. When they are out of alignment, so is the rest of your body.
3. There are approximately 250,000 sweat glands in a pair of feet, and they excrete as much as half a pint of moisture each day.
4. The soles of your feet contain more sweat glands and sensory nerve endings per square centimeter than any other part of the body.
5. The American Podiatry Medical Association says buying shoes is best done during the afternoon. Your feet tend to swell a little during the day, and it’s best to buy shoes that fit then.
6. Women are 4 times more likely to have foot problems than men are, mostly due to footwear.
7. A 2½-inch high heel can increase the load on the forefoot by 75%.
8. Many people have one foot larger than the other, so it’s best to fit the larger one while standing.
9. The American Podiatric Medical Association states the average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, which add up to 115,000 miles in a lifetime – more than 4 times the circumference of the globe.
10. During an average day of walking, the total forces on your feet can total hundreds of tons, equivalent to an average of a fully loaded cement truck.
11. Walking is the best exercise for your feet. It contributes to your general health by improving circulation and weight control.
12. Standing in one spot is far more tiring than walking because the demands are being made on the same few muscles for a longer length of time.
13. Foot ailments can become your first sign of more serious medical problems. Your feet mirror your general health, so conditions like arthritis, diabetes, nerve and circulatory disorders can show their initial symptoms in your feet.
14. Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in America, including in your feet.
15. Podiatric physicians are 4 times less likely to use costly services than other physicians.
16. 75% of Americans will experience foot problems at one time or another in their lives.
17. About 19% of the US population has an average of 1.4-foot problems each year.
18. About 5% of the US population has fungal foot infections each year.
19. About 5% of the US population has ingrown toenail problems each year.
20. About 5% of the US population has corns or calluses each year. They are less likely to receive treatment and more likely to continue having problems without treatment.
21. About 6% of US population has foot injuries, bunions, flat feet or fallen arches each year.
22. About 60% of all foot & ankle injuries aged 17 or older are ankle strains or sprains.
23. About 60-70% of diabetics will develop some form of diabetic nerve damage, which in severe forms can lead to diabetic lower limb amputation. Approximately 56,000 people a year lose their foot or leg due to diabetes.
24. Heel pain and ingrown toenails are the most common problems researched.
25. Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome is a very common reason for feeling pain and burning in their feet.

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