Keep your feet happy

The human foot is a delicate structure consisting of 26 bones, a quarter of all the bones in your body. But between squeezing your legs into pumps with high heels or wearing sandals that provide little support or cushioning, it is not uncommon for women's legs to be treated badly. As a result, women often complain of pain in their legs. Fortunately, there are many ways to correct and prevent common leg problems.

Foot pain

Women's legs are the subject of many studies. According to a recent survey in London, almost half of men notice women's legs the first time they meet her - and up to a third of men judge them or analyze their personality based on what they see. Not surprisingly, more than 84 percent of American women have ever felt "ashamed of their feet," or that more than half are often ashamed of their feet, according to another study by the American Pediatric Association (APMA). Young women who care more about style than comfort suffer more than older women, the study found.

"It affects women more than men and has a lot to do with cosmetic effects on women," said Crystal Holmes, DPM, an orthopedist and clinical professor of orthopedics at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. "We're also more attached to shoes, shopping and fashion, and shoes play a big role in fashion, so having legs that can be perceived as cosmetically inconvenient is a question.

High heels especially punish women's feet, says Dr. Holmes, and can cause severe pain in the legs. "If you have heels more than 2 inches tall, the pressure in the area of the front foot under the ball of your foot increases seven times. Thus, an average woman weighing between 120 and 155 pounds with heels over 2 inches high has approximately 700 to 800 pounds of pressure in that area. So it makes sense that it has to be painful.

Leg pain

Visits to orthopaedists for leg pain often reveal the following problems

The balls of your legs. This misalignment causes the thumb to tilt in relation to other fingers, causing joint swelling and pain. Shoes with narrow, pointed fingers can exacerbate the genetic propensity to form bursitis; wearing "smart shoes" and, if necessary, surgery can often help. "High heels don't cause bursitis or toes because they're usually genetic, but they can make them worse.

Athlete's step: The athlete's step caused by a fungal infection manifests itself as dry, itchy skin on his feet. It can be avoided if you wash your feet daily and then thoroughly dry them between your toes. The smell of the feet caused by excessive sweating on your feet can also be improved by good foot hygiene and frequent changes of shoes and socks.

Hammers toes. Heavily curled toes or hammer toes are often exacerbated by too tight shoes and bursi.

Corn. Thick toes are caused by friction between the skin and poorly fitting shoes. Corns can be nasty, but special padding or a mole will help protect the skin.

Controversies. Heel spurs occur when the bone grows abnormally under the heel bone and are sometimes associated with sole fascistic, swelling and tissue irritation in the sole of the foot. Treatment ranges from cortisone injections to custom-made shoes.

Warts. Warts caused by the virus are usually harmless and can be easily removed by a podiatrist. Avoiding walking barefoot can help prevent warts.

Ingrown toenails on your feet. This can be caused by anything from insufficient clamping of the nails to tight shoes. Fungal infection can also make it difficult for your toenails to ingrown up.

Wounds on the diabetic foot. Americans are increasingly at risk for diabetes, but women are also at increased risk for gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Without proper foot care, diabetes can lead to poor healing of wounds and foot infections.

No more leg pain.

Follow these instructions to prevent or correct leg problems:

Do not ignore pain in your legs. Consult your orthopedist if the pain persists.

Wash your feet regularly and dry them thoroughly, especially between your toes.

Buy shoes that fit. Avoid fragile sandals with insufficient support and heels that are over 2 inches tall.

Limit the time it takes to wear high heels and replace them with more comfortable, flat shoes.

Holmes notes that when it comes to getting good shoes, women should know that the size and shape of their legs can change with time and weight. In general, the legs get bigger with time, but they may get smaller as you lose weight. In addition, arthritis and trauma can change the size of the legs, as can pregnancy.

"If you have foot disease, go to the doctor", Holmes advises. "Ask for help early. Pain isn't normal. Pain is your body, which tells you that something is wrong, and you must seek help.