What is the cause of foot pain and when is it considered a problem?

Before tackling those questions, here is some foot-trivia to get a better understanding of the subject matter - the foot. * The foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, woven in a web of 126 muscles,

nerves and ligaments * In a typical day, a person spends about 4 hours on their feet and

takes between 8,000 to 10,000 steps * The foot functions both as a shock-absorber and a lever that propels

the leg forward * Each foot absorbs a force of about 150% of the person's body weight

with each step. With that said, is it surprising then that all of us should experience some form of foot pain at some point in our lives?

Foot pain generally occurs in one out of the three areas of the foot; the toes, the front of the foot or forefoot and the back of the foot or hindfoot. Whenever you experience any pain in your foot, make it a point to remember in which one of these three areas did the pain occur and describe it to your podiatric physician accordingly.

Problems or pain in the toes is most often caused by pressure and friction imposed on the foot as a result of wearing ill-fitting shoes. Pain originating in the forefoot usually involves either the metatarsal bones, which are the five long bones which extend from the front of the arch to the bones of the toes and the sesamoid bones, two bones in the first metatarsal which are connected to the big toe. Pain in the hindfoot extends from the heel across the sole (also known as the plantar, in podiatric terms) to the ball of the foot.

Here are some general guidelines for the prevention of foot pain, as provided by the American Podiatric Medical Association: 1. Never ignore foot pain. Any persistent pain requires the attention

of a podiatric physician 2. Be sure to wash feet regularly, especially between the toes and

dry them completely 3. Apart from being comfortable, shoes must fit properly. Shop for new

shoes after mid-day when feet tend to be largest 4. Do not wear the same shoes everyday by alternating your footwear 5. Avoid walking barefoot to reduce the risk of injury or infection 6. Wear the proper shoe for different activities. A game of tennis and

a jog in the park would each require different types of athletic

shoes, for example 7. Inspect feet regularly. Look for signs of peeling or scaling in the

sole, cracks and cuts in the skin or any discoloration of the nails,

for example 8. Use home-remedies for the treatment of foot pain with caution 9. A person with a known history of heart or renal problems should

refrain from treating their own feet as they are more prone to

infections. Doing so may actually make a minor problem or wound more

serious.

We will broach into the common causes of foot pain in Part 2 of this series.

Azlin Shereen is a self-taught webmaster on a quest to find the most comfortable pair of shoes for her tired feet. Find useful foot pain and foot care facts on her website at http://fashionableorthopedicshoes.com

Source: www.articlecity.com