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Only If The Shoe Fits, Wear It

Healty Feet Lead To A More Active Life For Seniors

Aren't your feet amazing? Well, you probably don't think of them that way, especially if they currently ache. However, they really are biological marvels. These relatively small, mobile platforms are strong and flexible enough to help us to maintain balance, create motion, stop movement and withstand body weight.

However, years of use (and sometimes overuse) can really take their toll on your feet. Poor circulation, ill-fitting shoes and improper care can also cause problems. That's why so many seniors suffer from a variety of foot ailments. In addition, they commonly suffer from the affects these ailments have on their overall health and lifestyle.

Foot problems are quite common with seniors.

When Feet Ache, Activity Decreases

The U.S. National Center for Health Statistics says that impairment to the lower extremities is a leading cause of limitation in the activities of the elderly. The loss of mobility makes seniors more dependent on others and can make it difficult (if not impossible) to be involved in social activities. In addition, foot problems can lead to hip, knee and back pain. And these ailments limit mobility and activity even more. So it seems a good podiatrist can help seniors with their feet...and their social calendar.

Here's The Facts About Feet

  • 75% of Americans will have a health problem with a foot at sometime during their life.
  • There are 300+ different foot aliments.
  • Women have 4 times as many foot problems as men. High heels are a major reason why.
  • The human foot is a complex structure. In addition to nerves and blood vessels, it contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles.
  • The total of 52 bones in both of your feet make up about 1/4 of all the bones in your body.
  • A pair of feet contains about 250,000 sweat glands that excrete as much as 1/2 pint of moisture per day.
  • The average person takes from 8,000 to 10,000 steps each day. During an average lifetime, this adds up to walking around the globe 4 times (115,000 mi.).
  • Only a small percentage of people are born with foot problems. Ailments are typically caused by neglect, poor care and a lifetime of wear and tear.
  • There are about 10,700 podiatrists in the U.S. Seniors are responsible for a large percentage of the more than 55 million visits per year to these foot doctors.
  • 1/4 of all nursing home patients cannot walk at all and an additional 1/6 can only walk with assistance.
(Sources: American Podiatric Medical Assn., NIH)