Foot
Foot: The end of the leg on which a person normally stands and walks. The foot is an extremely complex anatomic structure made up of 26 bones and 33 joints that must work together with 19 muscles and 107 ligaments to execute highly precise movements. At the same time the foot must be strong to support more than 100,000 pounds of pressure for every mile walked. Even small changes in the foot can unexpectedly undermine its structural integrity and cause pain with every step.
Foot function has been in conflict with fashion for many years. In China, girls once had their feet bound to shorten them by bending the toes backward. Nowadays, high heels can and often do cause foot problems as well as knee, hip, and back pain. Too narrow shoes make the big toe bend outward, forming a bunion or swollen big-toe joint. Some shoes scrunch up the smaller toes, causing claw or hammer toes with painful corns or calluses on the tops of these toes. Shoes, first and foremost, should fit the feet.
Cosmetic surgery on the feet done purely to permit the person to wear fashionable shoes runs a serious risk of producing more harm than good. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society advises against cosmetic surgery on the feet.
The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgery notes; “Surgery performed solely for the purpose of improving the appearance or size of the foot or ankle carries risks without medical benefit, and therefore should not be undertaken.” The foot as a measure of length is 12 inches or a third of a yard or, metrically, 30.48 centimeters. The abbreviation for foot is ft.
Read Also:
- Foot fungus
Foot fungus: Athlete’s foot causes foot itching, burning, pain, and scaling. It is caused by a fungus and is treated with antifungal medications, many of which are available over-the-counter. Keeping the feet dry by using cotton socks and breathable shoes helps prevent athletes foot.
- Foot pain
Foot pain is the sensation of discomfort in the foot arising from disorders or injury to any of the structures in the foot including bones, nerves, muscles, blood vessels, or connective tissue. There are numerous and varied causes for foot pain, since the foot is an extremely complex anatomic structure made up of 26 bones […]
- Foot type
Foot type: The category into which a particular foot falls. Foot types are generally classified into one of three categories: pronator, neutral, or supinator. The pronator type of foot rolls far inward during the weight-bearing phase of the stride. This foot type is characterized by a very low or flat arch. Heavier people often have […]
- Foot, athlete
Foot, athlete: A skin infection caused by a fungus called Trichophyton which can thrive and infect the upper layer of the skin when the feet (or other areas of the body) remain moist, warm, and irritated. The fungus can be found on floors and in socks and clothing and can be spread from person to […]
- Foot-and-mouth disease
Foot-and-mouth disease: A disease caused by a highly infectious virus that can infect people but affects them most by infecting livestock — cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. The foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is in the same family of viruses as those causing the common cold. The virus is spread by many routes — by contact […]