National Foot Health Week

Did you know that in our lifetime the average person will walk over 150,000 km? (that’s about 216,262,500 steps), each foot takes 1.5 times our body weight while we walk, so it’s important to take good care of our feet.

OCTOBER 14-20, 2019 is National Foot Health Week, it’s a week to say ‘Thanks’ to your feet for all the support they provide you with each and every year!

One of the key factors for a happy and healthy lifestyle is mobility. Being able to move around freely and comfortably is a must to overall health and sense of well-being.

The arches of the foot play an important part in supporting our body weight, that’s why any relief we can give them goes a long way to putting a smile on our face.

If your feet are comfortable then you’re comfortable which encourages a more active lifestyle. Painful feet = a painful life.

By understanding the impact of your feet and legs on your health, you can be more physically active, and there is nothing more important than that!

Some tips to remember for keeping our feet healthy:

Keep your feet clean and dry

Examine your feet regularly

Wear the appropriate footwear

If you are diabetic, get regular foot checks

Get periodic foot exams by a health professional

 “ The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art. “   
                                                        – Leonardo da Vinci

Remember to take care of your feet, and they’ll take care of you!

Did you know?

• Almost a quarter of the bones in our body are found in our feet.
• There are 26 bones in each foot, as well as 33 joints, 19 muscles, 10 tendons and 107 ligaments
• Our two feet have 250,000 sweat glands that are capable of producing half a pint of sweat in a single day!
• Our feet are often the most ticklish part of the body.
• 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.
• When we’re born, our feet are underdeveloped, which is why it takes time for arches to form.
• Feet are our natural shock absorbers.
• The Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in the body.
• It takes 12-18 months for a toenail to completely regrow.
• Shoe sizes were originally measured in barleycorns.
• The first shoe dates back to 3,500 BC.

Download the Foot Health Fact Sheets

The Australian Podiatry Association provides these fact sheets to help you learn more about your foot health and take better care of your feet! Please understand that they do not replace clinical advice, and we strongly advise you to see your podiatrist if you have any concerns.

https://www.podiatry.org.au/documents/item/2028

Testimonial

“Sole Therapy has been working closely with Denise and Slappa’s Thongs for several years now. Sole Therapy is a podiatry-based business that specializes in podiatry, biomechanics, orthoses and footwear since 2008.

We pride ourselves in finding and sourcing good value and quality products that we can sell to our clients here at the practice. Slappa’s Thongs have been a great produce for us to stock. Our practice model is based around helping individuals love their body from the sole up. Most of our clients seek our services because they have foot, leg, knee and back discomfort.

Slappa’s mould to your feet with great arch support and highly recommend them to anyone. In particular those who are experiencing heel pain and those that wear orthoses and looking for a summer alternative.”

Nicole Reilly | Director & Accredited Podiatrist, Sole Therapy (NSW)