Fit Feet for Fine Health

Did you know there are 52 bones in the feet?

This information came from The Real Age Health Guide about the importance of healthy feet. You can check it out at Health@RealAge.com, and you can even sign up for their newsletter of other health tips.

Does your daily health routine include taking good care of your feet? If not, you could be opening the door to troublesome foot ailments down the road.

If you've noticed worrisome changes or symptoms in your feet or toes, don't ignore them. Chronic problems that are ignored may become worse, eventually affecting your gait, your posture, or your daily lifestyle.

However, inspecting your feet periodically and having any worrisome changes or symptoms examined by a healthcare professional can help alert you to special conditions that need extra care. It also might alert you to more serious medical conditions that warrant treatment. Foot health is often a mirror of general health. Many serious medical conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, and nerve or circulatory disorders, can show up first in your feet.

The good news is that most foot problems can be avoided with proper care. Only a small fraction of foot problems are genetic or inherited. With good foot health habits and foot care awareness, you can stop problems before they start.

Do Your Feet Hurt?
Contrary to popular belief, feet and toes are not supposed to hurt. But with the right information, you can keep your feet feeling fine for years to come. Use this HealthGuide as a tool to learn all you can about foot health and proper foot care. Over the next several weeks, you'll learn which signs and symptoms to watch for when examining your feet and how to take good care of your feet so that you can prevent foot problems from occurring. You'll also learn about some of the most common foot problems people experience and get advice on when to seek treatment for them.

In next week's issue, look for information on how to assess the health of your own feet.