Your Feet Wish You Knew

Every day, your feet absorb over a million pounds of force.

- Anna-Kaisa Walker

1 Every day, your feet absorb over a million pounds of force. The average person walks the equivalent of three times around the equator in their lifetime.

2 Foot problems—plantar fasciitis, flat feet, calluses, bunions and ingrown toenails— are the most common foot-related problems faced by both young and old, says Dr Govind Singh Bisht, principal consultant (podiatry), at Max Hospital, Delhi. “Symptoms of conditions such as arthritis can show up in the feet, so foot ailments can reveal more serious medical issues,” he adds.

3 Says Dr Ambrish Mithal, chairman, division of endocrinology and diabetes, Medanta, Gurugram, “About 15 per cent of diabetics develop foot related problems either due to reduced blood flow or numbness due to nerve damages (neuropathy), which means injuries, cuts or bruises go unnoticed.” It could lead to infections, gangrene and amputations.