70 September 2015 www.womanthismonth.com LIFESTYLE | wellbeing Your feet are a clever engineering marvel. They share over 50 bones between them; almost one quarter of all the bones in your body. Add to that 60 joints and a couple of hundred muscles, tendons and ligaments that help them function. Simply walking puts tonnes of force on our feet, making them undergo a lot of wear and tear over the course of our years. It’s a tough world for our tootsies, and they sure deserve some TLC (Tender, Loving and Care) every day, not just the occasional pedicure. Foot problems aren’t only cosmetic, like dry feet or yellow toenails. A lot of people suffer painful foot conditions but have little idea how to remedy them. Here are few of the most common foot afflictions: BUNIONS We assure you, a bunion is nowhere as cute as it sounds. Orthotist Ashish Yamba of the American Foot & Ankle Centre explains: “A bunion develops when the first bone of the foot turns outward and the big toe points inward (toward the other toes), causing the joint to jut out.” Bunions can be a genetic inheritance, depending on the shape and structure of the foot. “Low arches, flat feet and loose joints and tendons all increase the risk,” says Ashish. But before you blame your foot ‘type’, know this: a bunion is most likely to develop when susceptible feet are repeatedly squeezed into narrow, pointed-toe footwear. This explains why bunions torment more women than men. High heels can exacerbate the problem because they tip the body’s weight forward, forcing the toes into the front of the shoe. Ask Victoria Beckham; she suffered agonising bunions thanks to her absurdly high heels – not so posh after all! To treat bunions, Ashish says: “Firstly relieve the pressure by wearing the right kind of shoes with a wide, flexible sole to support the foot and enough room in the toe box. Go for sandals, athletic shoes or soft leather ones. Keep heels low – no higher than an inch – 2.54 centimetres. When the bunion is irritated and painful, warm soaks, ice packs and aspirin or ibuprofen can help.” Put your Best Foot Forward We run on them to stay fit, we stand on them in serpentine queues and we squeeze them into pointy pumps. Your feet are the most pressured parts of your body, notes Behnaz Sanjana. After all, you’re on them all day, every day!
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