Strong healthy feet are wide with toes that splay outwards. This is their natural, stable shape which can be lost if squeezed into tight, restrictive shoes for a long time, eventually taking on the pointed shape of shoes.
“Although often overlooked, your feet can provide an excellent warning of potential health concerns,” said Dr. Peter Chioros, a board-certified podiatrist with Swedish Medical Group. “Sudden changes or chronic symptoms such as pain or inflammation can signal illnesses and other potentially harmful conditions.”
A normal arch is the most common and the most desirable of foot shapes, but as you age and maybe put on a few pounds, that normal arch could begin to flatten out. You can help preserve your nice arch by wearing shoes with plenty of support.
“People with pink soles are healthy!” The color of the sole of the foot can be divided into 5 colors: "pink", "red", "yellow", “purple" and “white “ Among them, those who fall under pink are said to have healthy internal organs. When the internal organs are upset, changes in blood color and condition appear.
And many foot problems, including hammertoes, blisters, bunions, corns and calluses, claw and mallet toes, ingrown toenails, toenail fungus, and athlete's foot, can develop from neglect, ill-fitting shoes, and simple wear and tear. Pain in your feet may even be the first sign of a systemic problem.
Strong healthy feet are wide with toes that splay outwards. This is their natural, stable shape which can be lost if squeezed into tight, restrictive shoes for a long time, eventually taking on the pointed shape of shoes.
A Change in Foot Color
Both of your feet should look alike – if one foot is a different color than the other, then you probably have a problem developing in your feet and/or ankles. It might be that you have an infection, or gout, or perhaps a vein or circulatory problem.
Reflex areas of central organs such as the spinal column and stomach are in both feet; the organs on the right side of the body (e.g. the liver) are on the right foot, those on the left side (e.g. the spleen) are on the left foot; lungs and kidneys are on both feet; the toes correspond with the brain and its organs.
It is quite common for most people to believe they have either a flat foot or high arches, but what does that really mean? Both conditions are not detrimental to your overall leg and foot health, but both can increase the risk of certain injuries or problems in the future.
Most people think flat feet are bad and high arches are desirable. However, in reality, whether you have flat feet or high arches doesn't matter. What matters is how well you can connect to and truly use your feet.
Ideally, the arch of your foot curves slightly upward, which balances weight and impact optimally and keeps your foot muscles and ligaments healthy. The height of a person's arch is determined by the height of the navicular bone. Collapse of the longitudinal arches results in flat feet.
Swelling: When heart failure happens, it can make fluid build-up in the body, causing feet and ankles to swell. This can also happen in other body parts, leading to rapid weight gain. Numbness and Pain: When these symptoms occur in the feet it can be an indication of peripheral artery disease.
We check your legs and feet to look for swelling. People with heart or liver disease may have fluid back-up in their legs, but it can also be a sign of infection or blood clots. We also check the pulses in your feet and look for any skin problems.
Foot problems are common in people with diabetes. They can happen over time when high blood sugar damages the nerves and blood vessels in the feet. The nerve damage, called diabetic neuropathy, can cause numbness, tingling, pain, or a loss of feeling in your feet.
Dry, cracked skin on your feet. A change in the color and temperature of your feet. Thickened, yellow toenails. Fungus infections such as athlete's foot between your toes.
The most common causes of poor circulation in the feet are obesity, diabetes, and heart conditions such as peripheral artery disease (PAD). Common symptoms of poor circulation include tingling, numbness, throbbing, pain and muscle cramps. Peripheral artery disease is a common cause of poor circulation in the legs.
Jaundice
People with jaundice may have yellow feet, but they will have yellow skin on other parts of the body as well. They may also experience itching, which can sometimes be intense. Jaundice can be a symptom of: a viral infection, such as hepatitis A, B, or C.
The feet of barefoot individuals are characterized by strong, sturdy arches, thick calluses on the underside of the foot, and perfectly straight toes that are splayed well apart.
Constantly going barefoot, even indoors, can lead to heel pain, plantar fasciitis, and metatarsalgia (generalized pain in the forefoot).
The most obvious sign your foot is aging is its changing size and shape, says Williams. Over time, the body's ligaments and tendons lose their strength and ability to spring back. In feet, this manifests as a decrease or ''falling'' of the arch, which flattens and lengthens the foot and toes.
Injury, overuse or conditions causing inflammation involving any of the bones, ligaments or tendons in the foot can cause foot pain. Arthritis is a common cause of foot pain. Injury to the nerves of the feet may result in intense burning pain, numbness or tingling (peripheral neuropathy).
Some of the most common foot problems in older adults include bunions, corns, calluses, hammertoes, ingrown, thickened or discolored nails, diabetic foot conditions, poor circulation, and heel pain. Regular visits to a podiatrist can help you maintain your foot health as you age.
Calluses are hard and thick patches of skin. Compared with corns, calluses are larger and have a more irregular (more spread out) shape. You are most likely to see calluses on the bottom of your foot on the bony areas that carry your weight – your heel, big toe, the ball of your foot and along the side of your foot.