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News Releases
Don't Let Foot Pain Walk All Over You
Columbia, Mo. (April 11, 2007) - When your feet hurt, even the simplest tasks seem impossible. Despite how important the feet are to the body, most of us ignore them. April is Foot Health Awareness Month, so stop and take a good look at your feet!
"Many chronic conditions including arthritis are not static - they change over time," says Dr. Marlene Reid, DPM, Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). "Individuals must look at their feet daily."
During a typical day, people spend about four hours on their feet and take over 8,000 steps. That's a lot of pressure for two feet to handle. It's not surprising then that more than 50% of Americans experience foot pain at some point in their lives, according to the APMA.
Add a chronic disease to the mix and you could be experiencing a double whammy! The foot has 26 bones and 33 separate 33 joints, and over 120 muscles, ligaments, and nerves. According to the Arthritis Research Campaign, about eight out of ten people with rheumatoid arthritis find it affects their feet. And, two-thirds of people with osteoarthritis say foot pain is common.
"Foot Pain in NEVER normal," says Reid. "Pain is always a sign that something is wrong."
People with arthritis may experience many different foot ailments such as bunions, corns, calluses or even more permanent, disfiguring problems like hammertoe (occurs when the toes are permanently bent), plantar fasciitis (pain in the heel), or bursae (discomfort in the balls of the feet), as cited by the APMA.
Most people experience foot pain from time to time, but constant pain is not normal. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons lists these symptoms as tell-tale signs itŐs time to talk to your doctor about your feet:
- Your feet hurt regularly.
- Your feet hurt at night.
- The pain increases when you walk.
- The pain is centered (in one area).
- The pain is affecting your daily activities.
Especially if you have arthritis, extra close attention to your feet can head off potential problems. Yes, it makes sense, but it's also crucial to your lifelong health!
For more information about the American Podiatric Medical Association, visit www.apma.org.
The Missouri Arthritis Research Rehabilitation and Training Center (MARRTC) was established in 1971 at the University of Missouri-Columbia Arthritis Center. MARRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (H133B031120) and is the only federally funded arthritis rehabilitation research and training center in the country.
As part of the MU Health Communication Research Center (HCRC), MARRTC's mission is to become a national leader in the areas of disability management and communication, improve the quality of life and promote independent living among people who have arthritis and arthritic conditions. MARRTC's core message is "Disability is everyone's issue."
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