Feet generally get taken for granted – that is, until something goes wrong with them. Nothing incapacitates you as much as a broken or badly infected foot. Think about it, even with a broken arm, you still remain mobile and able to do most things. Feet get us around – we use them for running, walking and jumping. And yet, most people know very little about what actually goes on inside the foot. Here are some interesting facts about feet – how many of them did you know?

Bigfoot
The largest feet in the world belong to a Mr Matthew McGrory who lives in America whose feet are a whopping size 28½ (US size). The 7ft4in resident of Florida, USA has to fork out a massive $22,745 for a pair of shoes to fit his unusually large feet.

My job stinks!
The record for the most feet sniffed belongs to a Madeline Albrecht, Cincinatti, Ohio, USA. So far, throughout her career working for a research company testing footcare products for Scholl, Madeline has sniffed approximately 5,600 feet.

Achilles heel
The Achilles tendon located in the heel of the foot was named after one of the most famous mythical characters from Ovid's 'Illiad'. In an attempt to immortalize her son, Thetis (Achilles' Mother) dipped Achilles into the River Styx, holding him by his ankle. Therefore his ankle became the only part of his body capable of sustaining a mortal wound. This is why he strongest tendon in the foot acquired the name of Achilles tendon.

The walk of life
When you are walking normally, the whole foot is never flat on the ground.

If your feet are well-aligned, your toes will point straight ahead when you are walking. The first point of contact is your heel, then the outside border of your foot, then the ball of your foot, and finally the big toe.

The average person walks about 10,000 steps a day. During a lifetime it is thought that a person has walked enough steps top have traveled around the planet more than 4 times, which is approximately 115,000 miles

During an average day of walking, the total forces on your feet can total hundreds of tons. Equivalent to the average weight of a cement truck fully loaded!!

Standing in one spot is far more tiring than walking. The reason for this is that demands are being made on the same few muscles for a length of time.

Those bones
25% of bones in the human body are located in the feet, which are made up from 52 bones. Each foot contains 26 bones (x 2 feet = 52 bones).

Combined….there is over 60 joints, 200 ligaments, and 35 muscles in your feet.

Thick Skin
The skin on bottom (plantar surface) of your feet is thicker than it is anywhere else on your body. It is the first defense against repetitive foot problems.

Flat Feet
Flat feet are not always problematic – if flat feet are well-aligned, they enable a person to stand for longer periods of time, as the weight is distributed over a larger area.

Mismatched
The gait pattern of your right foot does not usually match that of your left.

Diabetes
60-70% of people with Diabetes will develop some form of nerve and/or circulation-related foot problems within their life time.

Most Common Problems
Ingrown nails and heel pain are the most common foot problems treated in a foot specialist’s office.

Corns and calluses are never normal, but they are the second most common foot problems. They indicate that you could benefit from foot alignment or from better choice of shoes. The next most common foot problems are warts, blisters, athlete's foot and fissures.

Lower backache, headaches, indigestion and a misaligned spine can often be traced to problems with your feet.

When you are stressed, you are more susceptible to the virus that causes warts on the foot.

Need a new pair of shoes?
Shopping for shoes is best done in the afternoon, when your feet have swollen a little. Then you can be sure that your new shoes will fit your feet at all times, and don't pinch.When trying on new shoes, make sure you stand up and walk about in them to check how supportive and comfortable they are.

The feet can be one of the most indicative signs of an individual's health. Early symptoms for diabetes, arthritis and circulatory problems can often show themselves initially in the feet

Beauty is pain
Around 40% of Australians will experience some form of foot problems in their lifetime.

75% of Americans will experience foot problems at some time in their lives. Incidence varies with age. Over 50% of people over the age of 50, and approximately 35% between the ages of 18-24.

About 19 percent of the US population has an average of 1.4 foot problems each year. This is based on statistics from the American Podiatric Medical Association

Women suffer from four times as many problems than men. This is believed to be a result of their choice of footwear, which usually consists shoes with narrow toes and high heels

Rising damp
The feet contain approximately 250,000 sweat glands that excrete as much as half a pint of moisture every day. Excess moisture can cause (and exacerbate) many skin-related problems such as athletes foot, fungal nails, eczematous conditions, and many dermatoses.

The soles of your feet contain more sweat glands and sensitive nerve-endings per square centimeter than any other part of your body.

Foot binding
In China during the early 10th century, foot binding was seen as a sign of beauty and was practiced by all social classes. Foot binding was a tradition in which the toes were tightly wrapped in cloth breaking the bones and curling the foot under. After a number of years performing this ritual from about the age of 5 onwards, the front and back of the foot would be forced together to give the impression of small dainty feet. Prospective mothers in law would inspect a girl's feet to see whether she was suitable for marriage to her son.

Cold feet
It is estimated by scientists and historians that the first shoes were created during the ice age 5,000,000 years ago and were made from animal skins.

A Philosopher's thoughts
The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates once claimed "When our feet hurt, we hurt all over".

A Work of Art
Leonardo da Vinci called the foot "a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art".

(Source: The People's Almanac. Editors David Wallechinsky and Irving Wallace.)