Know Your Feet-

Recent sales data from the Sporting Goods Industry indicates that Spring 2010 Footwear Sales are steadily climbing. Women seem to buy more running footwear than men.

So, it always is a good time to replace your old running shoes with new ones. Your feet will thank you for it.

In keeping with our desire to help outdoors people everywhere , we describe on this page some of the key elements in foot physiology and then describe the different physical activities associated with walking, hiking, and running.  We conclude this section with an overview of the kinds of footwear needed for each activity.

This article has been organized into the following seven topics: • The Physiology of the Feet, •Parts of the Feet, • Caught in the Act, • Selecting the Appropriate Footwear, • Advice from the Experts • One Step at a Time, and • Footwear Ads .

THE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE FEET -

Healthy feet can sustain enormous pressure (several tons over the course of a one-mile run).  The foot and ankle have:

• 26 bones (One-quarter of the bones in the human body are in the feet.);
• 33 joints;
• More than 100 muscles, tendons (fibrous tissues that connect muscles to bones), and ligaments (fibrous tissues that connect bones to other bones); and
• A network of blood vessels, nerves, skin, and soft tissue.

These parts work together to provide the body with support, balance, and mobility.  An abnormality in any part can result in the development of problems elsewhere in the body (i.e. back, legs, knees).  Abnormalities in other parts of the body can lead to problems in the feet.

PARTS OF THE FEET-

Structurally, the foot has three main parts: the forefoot, the mid foot, and the hind foot.
The forefoot consists of the toes and the connecting long bones (the metatarsals).  The mid foot, or arch, consists of five irregularly shaped tarsal bones, which are connected to the forefoot and hind foot by muscles and the plantar fascia (arch ligament).  The hind foot, which is comprised of three joints, links the mid foot to the ankle (talus) and includes the heel bone (calcaneus).  The heel is the largest bone in the foot and it joins the talus to form the subtalar joint.  A layer of fat cushions the bottom of the heel bone.
The parts of the feet work together to provide support, balance, and mobility.  A structural abnormality or malfunction in any part of the foot can cause pain and also can result in problems elsewhere in the body (e.g., back, hips, knees).

Muscles, Tendons, and Ligaments-
A network of muscles, tendons, and ligaments supports the bones and joints in the foot.
Muscles
There are 20 muscles in the foot that give the foot its shape by holding the bones in position, expand, and contract to impart movement.  The main muscles of the foot are:

• The anterior tibia, which enables the foot to move upward;
• The posterior tibia, which supports the arch;
• The peroneal tibia, which controls movement on the outside of the ankle;
• The extensors, which help the ankle raise the toes to initiate the act of stepping forward;
• The flexors, which help stabilize the toes against the ground;
• Smaller muscles enable the toes to lift and curl.

Tendons & Ligaments-
Elastic tissues (tendons) in the foot connect the muscles to the bones and joints.  The largest and strongest tendon of the foot is the Achilles tendon, which extends from the calf muscle to the heel.  Its strength and joint function facilitate running, jumping, walking up stairs, and raising the body onto the toes.  Ligaments hold the tendons in place and stabilize the joints. 

CAUGHT IN THE ACT-

• Walking- Walking is our most natural exercise.  In the early times, people used to walk all day long.  The movement of the arms, legs, and feet is slow, and rhythmic.  Ideally, we shift the weight of our body easily from one side to the other.  If we are not overweight and do not have abnormalities, walking is pain-free.  If we ARE overweight or have a physical abnormality, we must have shoes and/or prosthetics that will at least partially compensate for this. 

Since our gait is slow, the extension of the right leg and placement of the foot on the surface is gradual, with the heel of the foot making contact first and then smoothly transferring the weight forward onto the ball of the foot and then the toes.  The toes act as a spring, pivoting our body so that it leans forward.  Our weight is then shifted to the left side, the left leg is extended, and the left foot’s heel makes contact.  The process is then repeated. 

• Hiking- Hiking is usually done over irregular terrain and usually for longer periods of time than walking.  The gait is a little faster, so we shift the weight of our body a little quicker; the irregular terrain causes the transfer of weight to occur unevenly.  Hiking for long periods of time or with poorly fitted footwear can be painful but we don’t usually feel the pain until the next day.  While the movement of the arms, legs, and feet follow-through as with walking, such movement is often exaggerated- i.e. our arms swing more, we extend our legs more, the feet come down a little harder on the surface.

Many kinds of hiking involve carrying a backpack or supplies.  With the additional weight of our load, our bodies lean forward accentuating our momentum, especially when going downhill. 

• Running- running is an active physical sport involving much energy.  There are two kinds of running.  Fast competitive running, where you go all out; and the slower non-competitive running sometimes called jogging. However, when it comes to choosing footwear even the non-professionals want the best in running shoes.

When running the pace is much faster.  Your arms flail at your sides.  The body weight is transferred rapidly from the left to the right.  Your legs are extended as far as they can go.  Your feet pound the pavement.  After a while, your lungs and bones hurt.

Running often involves injuries.  The sheer punishment of the physical movements results in soreness, stiffness, and pain to the feet, legs, back, and other parts of the body if you are not “in-shape.”  While it seems simple enough, putting one foot down right in front of the other becomes problematic especially if going over an uneven surface.  Twisted or sprained ankles result from the gyrations experienced over uneven surfaces.

For this reason, many professional runners are “in training” much of their life.  They have to be in top physical shape.  One of the benefits of running, not commonly associated with walking or hiking, is the “runner’s high.”  This is the sensation that comes with the brain temporarily not getting enough oxygen, with the endocrine glands working over time producing adrenalin, and with loosing a large amount of water through sweating.

SELECTING APPROPRIATE FOOTWEAR-

Overview-
To help prevent foot pain, footwear should fit properly and should have adequate cushioning, arch support, and room at the ball of the foot and the toes.  In addition, boots or shoes should be in good repair, should always be worn with socks, and should be appropriate for specific activities (e.g., sneakers for exercise, running shoes for running, and boots for hiking).

• Choosing the right walking shoes-
  The basic requirements for a walking shoe is that it supports your weight, fits firmly around the foot, but is also pliable or flexible so that it bends as you walk.  Some things to consider include when choosing the correct walking shoes are: the type of walking you will be doing, i.e. hiking, strolling, or race walking etc., and there should be plenty of space in the toe box to allow for swelling during the walk.

• Choosing the right hiking footwear-
  The basic requirements of hiking footwear are that they are heavier or sturdier than walking shoes, have ample arch support, fit very comfortably around the foot, but are not as pliable.  For example, when hiking in the wilderness we often travel over gravel, rocks, mud, sand, and possibly through water.  For this reason, hikers frequently choose a quality boot with a tough sole that can handle rough land.  And since we can hike for hours, our footwear must fit like a pair of slippers in terms of comfort.
  7 out of 10 hikers wear poorly fitted boots and don't even know it.  That adds up to a lot of unnecessary blisters and sore feet--for some, even sore knees and ankles.  The solution is simple.  Become informed on proper footwear fitting and your foot problems will disappear. 

• Choosing the right running shoe-
  While runners usually don’t run all day long, (the marathon takes about 3 hours to run), the severity of the sport requires that running shoes be of superior quality.  Typically, running is done on flat surfaces such as a running track, road, or on a groomed trail.  When choosing your running shoes, we recommend that they fit snugly (almost bordering on tight), be very pliable or flexible, be light-weight, have good air flow through them, and a sole which both grips the surface and provides support for your feet.

For these reasons, it is very important to wear the right footwear.  Different sports, such as walking, hiking, football, and tennis require slightly different types of athletic shoes.  The same applies to running.  Running shoes generally have a slightly higher heel, with plenty of cushion for stability.  The shoes will have a toe box that is large enough to accommodate the pressure on the forefoot and give the toes plenty of space to spread out during the stride.  The outer covering should be a light mesh-like material that allows the foot to breathe.

So, no matter what shape your feet are in, knowing common foot problems and selecting the correct footwear is paramount.

ADVICE FROM THE FOOT CARE EXPERTS

ONE STEP AT A TIME-

Next month’s “Know Your Feet,” will discuss some common foot pain & problems and some inexpensive prevention and treatment measures.

Soulful journeying!

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