We are careful to take care of most parts of our bodies, from the essential care of our hearts, muscles and joints to skin, hair and nail care. However, many people tend to neglect their feet.

Fascinating Foot Facts

1. Each foot is a complex mechanical structure made up of 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments.

2. An average person takes 8,000-10,000 steps each day. That’s 115,000 miles in a typical lifetime, which is equivalent to circling the globe more than four times!

3. Feet have about 250,000 sweat glands which produce up to half a pint of perspiration each day.

4. Did you know that your feet are constantly ‘talking’ to your brain? They’re packed with around 200,000 nerve endings per foot which are incredibly responsive, and input detailed information to your brain about everything from pressure to temperature,

5. The nerve endings in your toes help your feet to maintain balance and bear the weight of your body when you walk

6. Toenails grow at a rate of around 1mm per month, which is more slowly than fingernails. Growing an entirely new nail can take up to a year.

7. Feet experience forces totalling hundreds of tons during an average day of walking,

8. Women experience foot problems four times more often than men, largely attributed to shoe choice.

9. Babies’ feet grow rapidly. By age one, most have reached nearly half of their adult size.

10. Two feet on a person are usually slightly different sizes.

11. Feet are at their largest at the end of the day.

12. Feet continue to grow and change shape throughout your life, past 40, your feet grow by as much as half a shoe size every 10 years! This is because feet flatten and elongate with age.

13. Did you know that standing still is far more tiring than walking? This is because you only use a few muscles when you’re still, whereas walking distributes the burden of movement over many more muscles and increases circulation.

Tips to take care of your feet

Shoe shop in the afternoon. Feet can swell as the day goes on and if your shoes fit in the afternoon when you are active, you can be assured they will fit correctly and be comfortable all day long.

Check your shoe size. Be sure that the shoes fit the shape of your feet. If you take the insole out of the shoe and stand on it, no part of your foot should hang over the side of the insole. Also allow 1.5cm in front of your big toe.
Protect your feet in communal areas. Wearing pool shoes will help you avoid getting athlete’s foot and other foot infections when using public areas such as gym showers or swimming pools.

Change socks daily. Changing your socks daily reduces smells that are caused by bacteria and other organisms that are on the feet.

Wear appropriate footwear.

• Depending on the type of work you do, you may need to wear specialized occupational footwear with features like hard reinforced toecaps or anti-slip soles.

• If you wear high heels at work, wear comfortable shoes on your way to work and change into your heels when you get there. You should limit your time wearing high heels because they can damage the feet if worn regularly. It is better to wear them just for special occasions.

• Avoid wearing tight-fitting shoes. Your shoes shouldn’t hurt your feet.

• Avoid wearing flip-flops or flats. They don’t provide enough arch support.

• Rotate your shoes so you’re not wearing the same pair every day.

Wash your feet often. Keep your feet clean by washing them every day in warm, soapy water. While doing this, check if there are any red areas or sores on your feet.
Dry your feet well. Dry your feet thoroughly after washing them, especially between the toes as bacterial and fungal infections like athlete’s foot love damp conditions.
Moisturise. If your skin is dry, apply moisturising cream all over the foot, except between the toes.

File Gently remove hard skin and calluses with a pumice stone or foot file.

Cut toenails carefully. Trim your toenails straight across with a nail clipper. Then use an emery board or nail file to smooth the corners, which will prevent the nail from growing into your skin.