Quick Foot Facts: Anatomy, Healthy Feet, Injuries

And Problems, (Fun!)

The Good BodyLast updated: April 17, 2018Fitness, Pain Management, UncategorizedLeave
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Your feet work tireless day in and day out. Often times they are one of the
most under-appreciated parts of the human body.

To help you better understand and appreciate your own feet, we bring
you the most interesting facts about feet.

Anatomy Foot Facts

1.Nearly a quarter of all bones in our bodies are
in our feet.

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2.There are 26 bones in each foot, as well as 33
joints, 19 muscles, 10 tendons and 107
ligaments.

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3.Your feet may just be the most ticklish part of
your body.

This is because we have 8,000 nerves in our feet.

• Ticklish feet are a good sign, as reduced sensitivity could be a

symptom of neuropathy, a medical condition that is often linked to
diabetes.
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Don’t forget to pin these facts about feet for later!

Salvar
4.Your two feet have 250,000 sweat glands that
are capable of producing half a pint of sweat in a
single day!

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5.Morton’s toe is the name given to the condition
where the second toe is longer than the big toe. It
affects 20-30% of the world’s population.

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6.When we’re born, our feet are underdeveloped,
which is why it takes time for arches to form.

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Did You Know?

The bones in our feet don’t finish hardening until 21 years of age.
7.Feet are your natural shock absorbers.

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8.Although prosthetics have come a long way,
the complexity of the human foot and ankle mean
it is hard to replicate.

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Healthy Feet Facts

9.Feet often reflect your general health.
Abnormalities or pain in the feet can often signal
more serious health conditions.

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10.The average person walks 110,000 miles in
their lifetime.

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11.Eighty percent of Americans over 21 have
reported having a foot ailment.

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• The most commonly reported foot ailments include nail

problems, plantar fasciitis, and pain in the balls or heels of
the feet.
These conditions often have over-the-counter and at home ways to
relieve the pain. You’ll find some of the best products and remedies for
foot pain relief here.

MYTH:
Athletic shoes are good for the feet and built to maximize comfort.
12.Just two in ten people consider their foot
health regularly.

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13.The Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in
the body.

It connects muscles in the lower leg with the heel bone and is essential for
walking and running.

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14.Feet function best in their bare, or natural,
state.

The foot’s natural shape is when the heel and forefoot are level. Your toes
need to freely flex, extend and spread. Shoes commonly elevate the heel
and constrict the movement of the toes.

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Get your facts straight!

Foot Injuries and Problems

MYTH:
If I’ve broken a bone, I won’t be able to move it.
15.Ankle sprain is the most common foot ailment,
even compared to blisters, calluses, foot fatigue,
cracked skin and athlete’s foot!

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16.Commonly seen in athletes, shin splints are a
cumulative stress disorder caused by repetitive
stresses on the bones, muscles and joints in the
legs.

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17.Women are four times more likely to have foot
problems compared to men.

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• This is primarily attributed to the fact that women wear heels.

Western women started wearing heel in the 17th century after
European men got the idea from Persian warriors.
18.Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common
forms of foot pain. It affects more than 2 million
people a year.

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19.Rheumatoid arthritis can cause soreness in
the joints, including the feet.

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More than 50 million adults (aged 18 and over) have doctor-

diagnosed arthritis.
• Women are more likely to have doctor-diagnosed arthritis at 26
percent, compared to 18 percent of men.
20.It takes 12-18 months for a toenail to
completely regrow.

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21.Over the course of a day, your feet take a
cumulative force of a couple hundred tons.

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Fun feet facts

22.Shoe sizes were originally measured in
barleycorns.

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This unit of measurement originated in the United Kingdom during the

14th century and is still being used around the world today.
Based on the length of a grain of barley, each shoe size adds a third of
inch, corresponding to the fact that there are three barleycorns in an inch.
23.Each foot takes 1.5 times your body weight
while you walk.

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24.When running, your feet take up to five times
your weight.

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25.The first shoe dates back to 3,500 BC. Made of
a single piece of leather, it was recently found in
present-day Armenia.

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26.1 in 1,000 babies is born with an extra toe or
finger. The condition is called polydactyly.

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27.Foot massages can improve your mood and
overall health, plus they feel good!

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• For most people, it’s not feasible or practical to visit a masseuse

regularly. If you’d like to give your feet frequent pampering, why
not consider a foot massaging device for home use.

Did You Know?

According to Harvard Health, massage devices from pharmacies or health

stores can relax and restore your feet..
 We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about your feet. Now that you
know how hard your feet work day after day, remember to take the time
to care for them.
References
1. Spanne, A. (2015) 14 Funky Facts About Feet. [Online] Available
from: http://mentalfloss.com/article/72021/14-funky-facts-about-feet [Accessed 17 April
2018]. ↩
2. American Podiatric Medical Association. (2014) Public Opinion Research on Foot Health and
Care. [Online] Available
from: https://www.apma.org/files/APMA2014TodaysPodiatristSurveyAllFindings.pdf [Accessed
17 April 2018]. ↩
3. Hughes, R. (2018) Feet & Footwear Myths. [Online] Available
from: https://naturalfootgear.com/blogs/education/17882224-feet-footwear-myths [Accessed
17 April 2018]. ↩
4. Advanced Foot & Ankle. (2018) Myths About Foot & Ankle Injuries. [Online] Available
from: https://www.afacc.net/foot-problems/myths/ [Accessed 17 April 2018]. ↩
5. Spanne, A. (see footnote 1) ↩
6. Arthritis Foundation. (2018) Arthritis Facts. [Online] Available
from: https://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/understanding-arthritis/arthritis-statistics-
facts.php [Accessed 17 April 2018]. ↩
7. Arthritis Foundation. (see footnote 6) ↩
8. Scott, M. (2017) Shoe Sizes Explained. [Online] Available
from: https://oureverydaylife.com/shoe-sizes-explained-12207347.html [Accessed 17 April
2018]. ↩
9. Oldfield, M. & Mitchinson, J. (2011) QI: Quite interesting facts about feet. [Online] Available
from: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filter/qi/8404696/QI-Quite-interesting-facts-
about-feet.html [Accessed 17 April 2018]. ↩
10. Harvard Medical School. (2017) Foot massage: The pause that refreshes and is good for you!.
[Online] Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/foot-massage-the-
pause-that-refreshes-and-it-good-for-you [Accessed 17 April 2018]. ↩