The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art.
Leonardo da Vinci
This April we are celebrating Foot Health Month at Holistic Health.
It was irresistible – since earlier in the month we celebrated National Walking Day, Walk to Work Day, and next week Royal College of Podiatry’s Foot Health Week will return.
Podiatry can seem like an unusual choice of profession to some – not everybody loves feet! It’s understandable, because at the worst of times feet can get a bad reputation, so it’s important to recognise the incredibly hard work they are doing to keep you moving.
Foot health facts that might surprise you:
There are over 100 muscles, ligaments and tendons working to stabilise your foot.
Combined, the feet hold a quarter of all bones in your body – with 26 bones in each foot.
Each foot has 33 joints – each constantly adapting to keep you moving and flexible.
There are thousands of nerve endings in your feet – and there are more per centimetre squared than any other part of the body.
There are over 250,000 sweat glands in your feet! In one day they produce approximately half a pint of sweat. Make sure you’re putting them in breathable fabrics.
Did you know that approximately 20% of all strokes are caused by heartbeat irregularities? In an podiatry appointment our practitioners can detect this condition early in your feet and legs.
By simply going on a regular daily walk not only will your overall health improve, but it can help to reduce the risk of premature death by 50%.
In flat shoes your big toe joint will bear twice your body weight with each step.
In heels higher than 10cm, over 80% of your bodyweight will rest on your forefoot – which is five times more than naturally designed to do so!
Over 10% of all fractures happen in the ankle. A podiatrist can provide custom orthotics, addressing any weightbearing abnormalities and reducing this risk.
At birth, most of a baby’s bones are made of cartilage – and it takes until 18 years of age for the 26 bones in a human foot to finish developing.
By the time a child reaches the age of one, their foot will already have grown to half of its adult size…
Phew, that was a lot of information… now what?
Your feet are amazing – so listen to them when they send warning signals. If you’re experiencing problems or pain that has lasted for longer than two weeks, or is recurring, book a visit with our fantastic team of podiatrists: Tracy, Conn and Carol.
As experts of the foot and lower limb, podiatrists are best placed to assess your issues, diagnose the cause, reduce your pain and empower you to step forward with confidence.
If you have little people, put your child’s growing feet into the right shoes so their potential for greatness is not limited! Our Clinic Director and lead podiatrist Tracy is passionate about early prevention of foot problems – and she offers foot checks for children.
Here are just some of conditions our podiatrists treat every day:
- Corns
- Callouses
- Verrucae
- Ingrown Toe Nails
- Fungal Nail Infection
- Athletes Foot
- Bunions/Bunionettes
- Hyperhidrosis
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Heel Pain
- Biomechanical Issues
- Sports Injuries
Don’t wait until a minor concern becomes a major one. This is a great time to have your feet assessed as we move into sandals season!
Get in touch:
Call: 020 7275 8434
Email: info@holistichealthhackney.co.uk
Or pop in to the clinic at 64 Broadway Market, Hackney.
