Dallas County Living Well Magazine Winter 2014 | Page 39

YOUR FEET SHOULD BE YOUR BIGGEST

INVESTMENT AND #1 PRIORITY
By Chantell Peterson

M

ost people take their
feet for granted and
don’t realize what a
vital role they play in
their everyday functions. Feet are made up of bones,
joints, muscles and soft tissues which
make them flexible so that the human
body can not only stand upright but
also perform activities such as walking, running and jumping. The soft tissues and bones were created to work
together to form a healthy, functioning and pain-free foot. But, let’s face
it, people do not take very good care
of their feet. Most foot problems are
due to neglect and improper care.
Feet are delicate entities that support the whole body, and have thousands of nerves at the bottom that
correspond to every organ and every
part of the body. Improper care and
use of the feet can have a negative
impact on the body’s organs and
posture and cause other issues such
as knee, ankle or hip pain and even
worse low back pain. So why are the
feet one of the most neglected parts
of the body?
Seventy-five percent of people will
experience some sort of foot pain or
foot issue during their lifetime. For this
reason, it is important that people become educated on these issues and
learn how to properly care for their
feet. There are a multiple number of

foot issues and below are a few of
them for your information. If you feel
you are experiencing any of these
issues, contact Southwest Foot and
Ankle Center for a consultation to ensure you receive proper care for your
feet.

HEEL PAIN

The heel is the largest bone in the foot
and heel pain is the most common
foot problem that affects two million
people every year. It can occur in the
front, back, or bottom of the heel.
One of the most common causes
of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. Other
frequent causes of heel pain include
bursitis, pinched nerves, tendonitis,
heel spurs, fractures, gout, fibromyalgia, arthritis, etc. In children, heel pain
can be caused by strain on the heel
bone’s growth plate. If heel pain goes
untreated, it wil