Ways to avoid foot problems

One in every six persons has trouble with his or her feet, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Rosemont, Ill. The main cause is very preventable--shoes that do not fit properly. Estimates show that foot problems in the U.S. can result in over $3,000,-000,000 a year in added health care costs.

Everyone can reduce their risk of foot woes by wearing shoes that conform to the natural shape of their feet, not the other way around. Shoes that do not fit cause bunions, corns, calluses hammertoes, and other disabling disorders.

Since Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo heels probably are not the route to healthier feet, follow the checklist below:

* Have your feet measured each time you buy new shoes. Turning 30, 40, or 70 or 80, for that matter, may result in a new shoe size. Foot width frequently increases with age.

* The upper part of the shoe should be made of a soft, flexible material to match the shape of your foot.

* Shoes made from leather can reduce the possibility of skin irritation.

* Thick soles lessen pressure on hard surfaces.

* Low-heeled shoes are more comfortable, safer, and less damaging than high-heeled ones.

Other interesting foot facts include:

* There are 250,000 sweat glands in a pair of feet; they excrete as much as a half-pint of moisture a day.

* As reported by foot.com, feet mirror general health. Conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, and nerve and circulatory disorders can show their initial symptoms in the feet.

* Thanks to high heels, women have about four times as many foot problems as men.

* The average person takes 8-10,000 steps a day, which add up to about 115,000 miles over a lifetime.

* The foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, and 19 muscles. One-quarter of all bones in the human body are in the feet.

* Many shoe, sandal, and flip-flop wearers think an individual can catch athlete's foot by going barefoot. Not so, says the American Academy of Dermatology, Schaumburg, Ill.: Athlete's foot does not occur among people who traditionally go barefoot. It is moisture, sweating, and lack of proper ventilation of the feet that present the perfect setting for the fungus of athlete's foot to grow.

* Only a small percentage of Americans are born with foot problems. It is neglect and a lack of awareness of proper care--including ill-fitting shoes--that lead to difficulties.

* About five percent of the population have toenail problems in a given year.

* Walking is the best exercise for feet. It also contributes to a person's general health by improving circulation, providing weight control, and promoting all-around well-being.

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