Put your feet first

Foot pain can be debilitating

- By Camilla Foster

As we age, our feet undergo several, often overlooked, subtle changes that can affect comfort and mobility.

Over time, shifts in strength, flexibility, cushioning, and even foot shape can alter the way our feet cope with impact and movement. That raises an important question: do our feet actually need more support as we get older?

So, what tends to happen to our feet as we get older?

An alteration in the elasticity of collagen

"Core structural fibres within our body, such as the elasticity of collagen - which is integral in supporting tendons and ligaments - starts to alter," says Dr Helen Branthwaite, chief clinical adviser at The Royal College of Podiatry.

Bone regeneration slows

"We regenerate bone much faster when we are younger compared to when we get older," says Dr Branthwaite.

Reduction in strength