Often, we tend to overlook the importance of having healthy feet to our overall health. It is possible for a person to overlook pain in their feet as compared to other parts of the body. In fact, we tend to assume that any pain we may be feeling in our feet is going to wear out on its own in a few days. Even when we go for medical check-ups, we only insist that the doctors check our eyes, nose, mouth, blood pressure, and stool sample. In case all these tests appear to be within the recommended ranges, we assume that our bodies are functioning at optimum capacity and go back home full of vigor.

Every day, we spend hours walking, running or even standing on our feet. During these activities, our feet undergo a lot of tear and wear as a result of force from tramping the ground. This tear and wear may be made more severe in cases where a person wears the wrong kind of shoes. An example is ladies’ shoes which at times wedge their feet to the extent that their feet are not able to support their body mass as required. This often results in hurting ankles.

Apart from pains from tear and wear, there are other factors that may result in the overall health of our feet being poor. An example of such a condition is toenail fungus. It is a common condition among people and begins with a yellow or white spot under the toenail. As the infection goes untreated, the toenail fungus develops into athlete’s foot. By this time, a person will often be experiencing pain even when wearing well-fitting shoes.

Another condition of the foot is called heel pain. This condition occurs when plantar fascia, tissues of the foot experience mechanical injury resulting in inflammation. Plantar fascia plays the important role of attaching the heel bone to the rest of the bones in the foot. They also act as shock absorbers protecting the feet against impact. In the event of a mechanical hit or sudden tension of the plantar fascia, it may tear resulting in heel pain. Symptoms of heel pain include numbness, swollen feet, and tingling sensations around the heel. Often, this condition may not render one immobile. However, if not treated, it may result in arthritis as a result of rapid inflammation around the joints of the foot.

To avoid such situations, it is important the when going for a medical checkup, we also insist on seeing a podiatrist. This gives the benefit of early diagnosis in the event where we have any of the conditions above. Regular exercising also plays a major role in keeping our feet in good shape.