April Is Foot Health Awareness Month

April is Foot Health Awareness Month, Even in Hawaii
Telling people in Hawaii not to wear flip-flops is like telling people in Illinois not to eat Chicago Dogs.
April is Foot Health Awareness Month in the United States, but podiatrists may have some callous convincing to get Hawaii residents to give up what has become part of the culture.
?Slippers,? as locals call them, are a staple in the islands, and you can expect to see at the very least three or four pairs belonging to each resident of the home stacked outside every front door. Easy on and easy off, and in case visitors to paradise forget or are not aware of the tradition, ?Mahalo for Removing Your Shoes? signs adorn the entrance to every Hawaiian home.
Podiatrists all over the country see plenty of foot problems stroll in to their offices every day. They say the most common problems are heel pain, nail fungus and pain in the ball of the foot. As reported on a popular Hawaiian news station, David Yee, a podiatrist in Hawaii says wearing slippers can cause problems because ?all the stress and pounding that occurs when walking or running goes right through the rubber and into the foot and body.? Understandably, Dr. Yee is also not a big fan of high heels and says wearing them tends to, ?cause shortening and tightening of the legs which can put strain on the lower back.?
Human feet have been called biological masterpieces because of their strength, flexibility and functional design. They are complex machines that carry the weight of their owners throughout a lifetime. In a comparatively small part of the human body, both feet together contain 25 percent of all the bones in the body.
Studies have shown that 75 percent of Americans experience foot problems of some degree of seriousness at some time in their lives, but a much smaller percentage seek medical treatment. Problems with the feet or improperly fitting footwear can cause pain in the ankles, legs, back, hip, shoulders and neck.
A number of systemic diseases such as diabetes, circulatory disorders, kidney problems and even arthritis are first detected in the feet. According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, senior citizens and those with diabetes are at particular risk for serious foot problems that can lead to hospitalization and amputations. Those at high risk should inspect their feet or see a podiatrist on a regular basis to check for symptoms such as redness, tingling, swelling or cuts that are not healing, which can lead to diabetic ulcers.
For groups of people of all ages, properly fitting shoes and insoles are important in providing not only support to the feet, but they also help absorb the shock or forces that they are subjected to on a constant basis. Podiatrists recommend wearing a shoe size based on the length and width of your ?largest? foot.
So what does Dr. Yee in Hawaii have to say about proper shoes? He reports that popular local alternatives to wearing slippers seem to be the Sketchers brand toning shoes, the five-fingered running shoes that look like gloves for the feet, and shoes called A-coil that have what look like pogo sticks on the bottoms of the soles. The spring technology is designed to absorb shock on the heel, which in turn reduces stress on the back and the legs.
Whatever shoes they?re wearing around Hawaii, it?s customary and required; they come off before going inside.

Source: http://www.1directory.net/health-fitness/april-is-foot-health-awareness-month-3403.html

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