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Karen E Anderson, DPM
Associate, American College of Foot Surgeons

Medicine and Surgery of the Foot & Ankle
Specializing In Chronic Pain Conditions

7855 Fay Ave., Suite 290, La Jolla, CA 92037 · (858) 459-3214 · Fax (858) 459-3505
5565 Grossmont Center Dr., Bldg 3, Suite 152, La Mesa CA 91942 · (619) 440-2202 · Fax (619) 440-0502

Foot Care Facts

  • 3 out of 4 Americans experience serious foot problems in their lifetime.
  • The foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles.
  • 1/4 of all the bones in the human body are down in your feet. When these bones are out of alignment, so is the rest of the body.
  • Only a small percentage of the population is born with foot problems.
  • Barring injury or illness, it's neglect and a lack of awareness of proper care - including ill fitting shoes - that bring on problems.
  • Women have about four times as many foot problems as men. High heels are partly to blame.
  • Walking is the best exercise for your feet. It also contributes to your general health by improving circulation, contributing to weight control, and promoting all-around well being.
  • Your feet mirror your general health. Conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, nerve and circulatory disorders can show their initial symptoms in the feet - so foot ailments can be your first sign of more serious medical problems.
  • Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in America. It limits everyday dressing, climbing stairs, getting in and out of bed or walking - for about 7 million Americans.
  • About 60-70% of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of diabetic nerve damage, which in severe forms can lead to lower limb amputations. Approximately 56,000 people a year lose their foot or leg to diabetes.
  • There are 250,000 sweat glands in a pair of feet. Sweat glands in the feet excrete as much as a half-pint of moisture a day.
  • Walking barefoot can cause plantar warts. The virus enters through a cut.
  • The two feet may be different sizes. Buy shoes for the larger one.
  • About 5% of Americans have toenail problems in a given year.
  • The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, which adds up to about 115,000 miles over a lifetime. That's enough to go around the circumference of the earth four times.