Here are a few awesome foot facts that you might not have known:
- Nearly a quarter of all of the bones in our body are in our feet
- The average person walks 110,000 miles in their lifetime
- Each foot takes 1.5 times your body weight while you walk
- Abnormalities or pain in the feet can signal more serious health problems
Your feet are incredibly important, so if you have foot problems, what should you do?
What are the most common foot problems?
Some of the most common problems are:
- Athlete’s foot – a fungal infection of the skin, usually found between the toes. It can cause discomfort, itching and pain.
- Bunions – an abnormality of the foot which causes a bump to develop on the large toe joint. This can cause pain while walking.
- Ingrown toenails – when the toenail starts to grow into the nail groove, causing significant pain.
- Plantar fasciitis – this occurs when the plantar fascia on the bottom of the foot becomes inflamed.
- Blisters – these often occur after walking or running, especially when wearing shoes that do not fit correctly. They can be painful and may become infected.
- Flat foot – this refers to the lack of arch in your foot when standing. It can cause problems when exercising or standing for long periods.
Should I see a doctor?
When you have problems with your feet, it can be difficult to know whether or not to visit a doctor. You can visit the NHS website to see what they recommend. Often, they will suggest treating your foot problems yourself at home and seeing a doctor if the symptoms do not ease in a couple of weeks.
Can anyone else help?
To take really good care of your feet, it is recommended to visit a podiatrist if you have foot problems. Podiatrists are foot specialists and will be able to help you with any issue (no matter how small!)
Treating yourself at home may help initially, but if you don’t deal with the underlying cause (for example, poorly fitting shoes, arch support issues or bone spurs) then your symptoms are likely to return again and again, potentially getting worse. This could cause severe damage to your feet!
Visiting a private podiatrist doesn’t require a referral from a doctor, so you don’t need to worry.
How can I find a podiatrist?
You can find a podiatrist on the College of Podiatry website. Here at Northwich Foot Clinic we have College of Podiatry accreditation and are happy to deal with any foot problems you may have.
