Each year on August 17th, we at Patrick Fettinger, DPM, celebrate a very special day: National I Love My Feet Day. It’s a great time to remind our Fairfield County patients to appreciate their feet and all they do.

Amazing Foot Facts

Your feet are pretty incredible. Each one is made up of 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, and 19 muscles and tendons. Consider these other feats of your feet:

• The sweat glands in your feet produce approximately a half pint of perspiration every day.
• Lifting your heel off the ground as you walk forces your toes to carry half the weight of your body.
• There are almost 8,000 nerves in your feet—more per square centimeter than any other part of your body.
• When you run, your feet sustain the pressure of as much as four times your body weight.
• Your feet can tip you off to health problems in other parts of your body. Conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, kidney disease, and high blood pressure may all show their symptoms in your feet.

Show Your Gratitude

There are lots of ways you can be good to your feet. A few to consider:

Buy new shoes—get your feet professionally measured and invest in a pair of high-quality, supportive shoes that fit correctly. It is one of the best ways to show love to your feet and prevent many common podiatric problems.

Treat your feet to a massage—a foot massage helps improve circulation and relieves muscle tension—plus, it feels amazing!

Try an anti-fatigue mat—you can put one of these cushy mats in front of the kitchen sink or at work if you are on your feet for many hours at a time for a job. It can reduce strain on the feet and reduce foot pain at the end of the day.

Maintain a healthy weight—your feet carry the weight of your entire body. Fewer pounds mean less stress on your feet.

Of course, the best gift you can give your feet is to pay attention to them and not put off seeking treatment when you experience foot pain or other unusual symptoms. As soon as you notice anything concerning your feet, contact our New Fairfield (203-746-9660) or Middlebury (203-598-0357) office and have our podiatrist, Dr. Patrick J. Fettinger, examine your feet to determine the source of your discomfort.