tag:theconversation.com,2011:/ca/topics/feet-17196/articles
Feet – The Conversation
2023-07-14T14:52:31Z
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/208901
2023-07-14T14:52:31Z
2023-07-14T14:52:31Z
Is the ‘barefoot-boy summer’ trend bad for your feet? Experts explain
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535067/original/file-20230630-21-uix25f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C0%2C5152%2C3445&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/faceless-man-standing-barefoot-on-lake-1647232741">Anastasiya Adamovich/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Riffing off 2019’s “<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2019-07-19/hot-girl-summer-meme-megan-thee-stallion-explained">hot girl summer</a>” and 2022’s “<a href="https://harpersbazaar.com.au/adam-sandler-fashion-trend/">Adam Sandler summer</a>”, online magazine The Cut has declared 2023 the year of the “<a href="https://www.thecut.com/2023/05/barefoot-boy-summer.html">barefoot-boy summer</a>”. </p>
<p>American musician <a href="https://twitter.com/PopBase/status/1652751827249799168?lang=en">Mike Sabath</a> and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8772296/">Euphoria</a> actor <a href="https://i-d.vice.com/en/article/7kxbez/jacob-elordi-shawn-mendes-feet-public-trend">Jacob Elordi</a> were both papped walking barefooted earlier this year in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.goldderby.com/article/2023/succession-alexander-skarsgard-matsson-barefoot/">Alexander Skarsgård’s Succession character</a> (tech mogul Lukas Matsson) was also shown walking sans-shoe between private jets in the show’s final season.</p>
<p>Speaking to The Cut, Sabath extolled the pleasure of barefoot hiking saying it makes him, “<a href="https://www.thecut.com/2023/05/barefoot-boy-summer.html">feel more free</a>”. He also had a top tip for any amateur bare footers – watch out for snakes. But feelings of freedom aside, is walking barefoot any good for your health?</p>
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<img alt="Quarter life, a series by The Conversation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/quarter-life-117947?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">This article is part of Quarter Life</a></strong>, a series about issues affecting those of us in our twenties and thirties. From the challenges of beginning a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet or just making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore the questions and bring answers as we navigate this turbulent period of life.</p>
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<p>The health benefits of barefoot walking have been reported to include <a href="https://marathonhandbook.com/benefits-of-walking-barefoot/">decreasing inflammation</a>, <a href="https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/benefits-of-walking-barefoot">relieving anxiety</a> and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/could-walking-barefoot-on-the-grass-improve-your-health-the-science-behind-grounding/2018/07/05/12de5d64-7be2-11e8-aeee-4d04c8ac6158_story.html">soothing chronic pain</a>, through the mechanism of connecting skin (feet) with the earth (known as “<a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/grounding">earthing</a>”). It has also been claimed that walking barefoot can offer <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/walking-barefoot#benefits">improvements in balance</a>. </p>
<p>But there is surprisingly little contemporary research to support these claims and less media attention has been given to lack of evidence around the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27801744/">long-term impact of barefoot walking</a>.</p>
<p>We do know that changes to feet may occur through walking barefoot. These include increased forefoot spreading, as habitual barefoot walkers have been shown to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26220400/">have wider feet</a>. What is not clear is whether these changes are positive or negative, particularly when it comes to ageing.</p>
<h2>The risks</h2>
<p>Adopting the barefoot-boy lifestyle during the summer months can pose risks to your health, however. This <a href="https://theconversation.com/lyme-disease-justin-biebers-tick-bite-illness-can-cause-joint-pain-heart-problems-and-depression-129651">includes Lyme disease</a> from forest ticks, stepping on hidden barbecues on the beach or jellyfish and weever fish in the sea. </p>
<p>In towns and cities, there is particular risk from walking on concrete, including sustaining foot trauma and infections. And there’s the obvious potential to step on pavement unmentionables.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1652751827249799168"}"></div></p>
<p>Whether the barefoot lifestyle is “good for you” really depends on who you are. There are particular risks, for example, for people with neurological problems in the lower leg. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-us/news/children-young-adults-type-2-rise">According to Diabetes UK</a>, diabetes is becoming an increasingly prevalent health problem among younger adults. A serious effect of uncontrolled diabetes is the loss of sensation in the feet. </p>
<p>This means people with uncontrolled diabetes often cannot detect threats to foot damage, such as stepping on a drawing pin. This could lead to undetected foot ulceration or, in extreme cases, <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gangrene/causes/#:%7E:text=and%20cause%20gangrene.-,Diabetes,to%20injure%20yourself%20without%20realising">gangrene</a>.</p>
<h2>Feet and shame</h2>
<p>The bare-foot boy summer trend is unlikely to be universally embraced. For many, bare feet are a source of embarrassment. </p>
<p>Ongoing <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/research/projects/footnotes-investigating-the-perceptions-of-feet">research at the University of Southampton</a> has revealed that by school age, children demonstrate that they are aware of feet being perceived as disgusting. This is a strong sentiment for a part of the anatomy we rely on for early years socialisation and exploration.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5w-fSxszrxk?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A TEDx talk by Dr Emma Cowley discussed the adaptability, vulnerability and durability of the human foot.</span></figcaption>
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<p><a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/research/projects/footnotes-investigating-the-perceptions-of-feet">Podiatrists report</a> that patients often relay shame and trivialise their experiences of foot health conditions. Many patients apply nail polish, report “hiding” their feet in footwear and apply fragrances to ensure they cause least offence to the practitioner treating them.</p>
<p>The barefoot lifestyle isn’t fundamentally bad or good for health, but does require awareness of risk. Look after them well and your feet will take you on many adventures – whether in shoes or not.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208901/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Professor Catherine Bowen is the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research. Catherine receives funding from the National Institute for Health Research. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Institute for Health Research, NHS or the Department of Health. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emma Cowley receives funding from the Royal College of Podiatry. She is affiliated with The Royal College of Podiatry.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joanne Casey works for The Royal College of Podiatry and owns shares in Aldred Casey Medical Ltd. She receives funding as a clinical advisor from Flen Health Ltd and Polaroid Technologies. The views and opinions expressed herein are of the authors and do not necessarily reflect that of the aforementioned organisations.</span></em></p>
Adopting the ‘barefoot-boy’ lifestyle during the summer months can pose risks to your health.
Catherine Bowen, Professor of Podiatry, University of Southampton
Emma Cowley, Senior Teaching Fellow, Podiatry, University of Southampton
Joanne Casey, Visiting Fellow, Podiatry, University of Southampton
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/203538
2023-04-21T12:40:48Z
2023-04-21T12:40:48Z
Keeping NBA players on the court is no small ‘feet’
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521420/original/file-20230417-16-xu2g2y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=546%2C7%2C3302%2C2186&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III falls to the court after suffering a toe injury during a playoff game in May 2021.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/robert-williams-iii-of-the-boston-celtics-reacts-after-news-photo/1318749877?adppopup=true">Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The NBA playoffs provide a stage for some of the biggest and tallest athletes in the world. With an <a href="https://www.hoopsaddict.com/average-nba-players-shoe-size/">average height of 6 feet, 7 inches and an average weight of 225 pounds</a>, players have a lot of skin, bone and muscle to support. </p>
<p>That’s why their feet play such an outsize role – literally and figuratively. </p>
<p>As a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=en&user=_AxjgecAAAAJ">physical therapist</a> and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Philip-Anloague">researcher</a> who works closely with NBA athletes, I know just how difficult it is to maintain the health of players who are on the higher end of the foot-size spectrum.</p>
<p>And so while fans eagerly anticipate eye-popping dunks and crafty assists, I’ll be keeping an eye on the footwork of players like <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/2023/3/9/23632448/kevin-durant-injury-news-phoenix-suns-ankle-warm-up-out">Kevin Durant</a>, <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/sixers/joel-embiid-injury-stats-sixers-20220502.html">Joel Embiid</a> and <a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/lebron-james-foot-injury-timeline-return-latest-updates-lakers/vvvgzwzwzyy85emnklhjrtef">Lebron James</a>, each of whom has had challenges keeping their feet healthy.</p>
<h2>The importance of a strong foundation</h2>
<p>NBA players’ bodies take a beating. </p>
<p>They jump and come crashing down to the court up to 70 times per game, with centers – typically the tallest players on the court – <a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/jab.10.3.222">usually jumping the most</a>. </p>
<p>When players land, the impact on the ground can be as high as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/jab.10.3.222">four to six times</a> their body weight. The average player also changes direction <a href="https://theconversation.com/stiff-muscles-are-a-counterintuitive-superpower-of-nba-athletes-116252">every two to three seconds</a>, requiring stopping, turning and accelerating. Together, the jumps, twists, dekes and sprints put immense pressure on players’ foot, ankle and knee joints.</p>
<p>Like a tall building, basketball players need a solid foundation to support their massive bodies and withstand the power that is generated by all of this movement. </p>
<p>This is where the feet come in. The average shoe size of NBA players is close to a <a href="https://www.hoopsaddict.com/average-nba-players-shoe-size/">U.S. size 15</a>. NBA Hall-of-Famers Shaquille O'Neal and Bob Lanier famously wore <a href="https://www.hoopsaddict.com/average-nba-players-shoe-size/">size 22 shoes</a>. Among current players, Kevin Durant (18), Andre Drummond (19), Brook and Robin Lopez (20), Karl Anthony Towns (20) and Tacko Fall (22) lead the pack. The typical <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/average-shoe-size-for-men#by-height">shoe size</a> for an American adult male is 10.5.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Man poses with large shoe and championship ring." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521419/original/file-20230417-16-hkye8m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521419/original/file-20230417-16-hkye8m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521419/original/file-20230417-16-hkye8m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521419/original/file-20230417-16-hkye8m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521419/original/file-20230417-16-hkye8m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=633&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521419/original/file-20230417-16-hkye8m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=633&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521419/original/file-20230417-16-hkye8m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=633&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Shaquille O'Neal’s massive feet are the stuff of legend.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/reebok-classic-and-shaquille-oneal-launch-the-new-shaq-news-photo/642706244?adppopup=true">Josh Brasted/Getty Images</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>Having big feet means having big bones that act as levers to create forces needed for athletic maneuvers. The foot’s 26 bones are intricately linked together with a series of 33 joints and bound together by <a href="https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2018.7192">soft tissues</a> like muscles, tendons and ligaments. The big toe, the arch of <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=_AxjgecAAAAJ&citation_for_view=_AxjgecAAAAJ:WF5omc3nYNoC">the midfoot</a> and the ankle are the gears that facilitate motion. </p>
<p>The soft tissue that connects these joints acts like a spring. Energy must be transferred from one joint to the other in a leverlike system that allows athletes to propel themselves forward when running and jumping. Likewise, these joints need to work together to absorb the shock of landing, slowing down or changing directions.</p>
<p>If this structure is not sound, the entire process can break down.</p>
<h2>What goes up must come down</h2>
<p>According to sports medicine specialist Mark C. Drakos, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738109357303">62% of injuries</a> in the NBA occur below the waist, with foot and ankle injuries accounting for over 22% of them. Ankle injuries are the most common: A player has a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546519864678">25.8% chance</a> of incurring one over the course of a season.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738117738988">Stress fractures</a>, while less common, can be particularly debilitating, lingering for weeks or months. The most <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201758">common bones</a> in the feet and lower leg to experience stress fractures are the navicular, talus, tibia and fibula. </p>
<p>Orthopedic surgeon <a href="https://surgery.mcmaster.ca/bio/dr.-moin-khan">Moin Kahn</a> conducted a case study and found that <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1177/1941738109357303">only 30% of the athletes</a> who incurred a stress fracture from 2005 to 2015 were able to return to their previous level of play a year after their injury.</p>
<p>Having big feet doesn’t mean that an NBA athlete is destined to have an injury. But many big men have had their struggles. This list includes former players Bill Walton, Arvydas Sabonis, Yao Ming and Greg Oden, all of whom wore size 19 shoes. </p>
<p>Standing at 7 feet, 3 inches, NBA prospect Victor Wembanyama has already had his fair share of <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2022/8/3/23289223/victor-wembanyama-injury-history-muscle-psoas-back-nba-draft-2023">health issues</a>, including a fibular stress fracture. He wears a size 20.5 shoe.</p>
<h2>Getting off on the right foot</h2>
<p>Our research team has been studying joint range of motion, arch mobility, and foot and ankle mechanics in NBA players <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=en&user=_AxjgecAAAAJ">to help athletes mitigate these injury risks</a>. </p>
<p>Part of that work involves building a database that includes the normal clinical measurements for elite basketball players – big toe extension, arch mobility, ankle flexion, hamstring flexibility and hip range of motion. </p>
<p>Understanding normal physical dimensions helps physical therapists and trainers to understand the risk of injury based on vulnerabilities in a player’s physical makeup. </p>
<p>For example, the average range of the big toe’s extension for the general population is 60 degrees. However, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=en&user=_AxjgecAAAAJ">our research</a> shows that the average NBA front court player has motion that is about 40 degrees. This means that the typical NBA player has feet and ankles that are stiffer than the average person’s. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lYrA30qcvK4?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Kevin Durant tears his Achilles tendon during Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals.</span></figcaption>
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<p>While this stiffness can be advantageous and work like a coiled spring that helps a basketball player run and jump, physical therapists must constantly work on these muscles to loosen them up. That’s because too much stiffness can cause <a href="https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/fulltext/2014/10000/lower_extremity_stiffness__effects_on_performance.12.aspx">bone injuries</a>.</p>
<p>Understanding what is happening during the heat of the action is also important. </p>
<p>We found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/jab.2022-0088">Achilles tendon tears</a> tend to occur when the ankle bends more than 48 degrees. We suspect that this can happen when players’ ankles aren’t stiff enough: The tendon can’t adequately withstand the forces it encounters during game play.</p>
<p>The foot – a complex network of bones, joints and tissue – is ultimately only as strong as its weakest link. And the health of a team’s feet can end up being the one thing standing between them and a championship.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203538/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Philip Anloague does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
The gargantuan feet of NBA players are the stuff of legend. But nearly two-thirds of their injuries occur below the waist, and they have a 25.8% chance of incurring an ankle injury every season.
Philip Anloague, Associate Provost; Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, University of Dayton
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/194331
2023-01-03T22:54:28Z
2023-01-03T22:54:28Z
Who is and isn’t suited to barefoot running? And if I want to try, how do I start?
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498602/original/file-20221202-22-kredno.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C85%2C4388%2C2276&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>You might have noticed a buzz on social media about barefoot running, with many proponents breathlessly describing it as the most natural way to run. </p>
<p>But not everyone is a fan. The claims made about going barefoot can range from, “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done” to “I tried it and now I’m in terrible pain.”</p>
<p>So what does the research say about how to drop your usual runners and take up barefoot running, and why it seems to work for some people and not for others?</p>
<p>Our new <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/9900/Transitioning_to_Barefoot_Running_Using_a.188.aspx">paper</a>, published in <a href="https://www.acsm.org/education-resources/journals/medicine-science-in-sports-exercise">Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise</a>, tested a new way of switching from traditional shoe to barefoot running, and investigated why some runners may not tolerate barefoot running. We identified two key characteristics of runners who failed to transition to barefoot running.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498628/original/file-20221202-24-haemsi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A man grips his barefoot while sitting." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498628/original/file-20221202-24-haemsi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498628/original/file-20221202-24-haemsi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=264&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498628/original/file-20221202-24-haemsi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=264&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498628/original/file-20221202-24-haemsi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=264&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498628/original/file-20221202-24-haemsi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=332&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498628/original/file-20221202-24-haemsi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=332&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498628/original/file-20221202-24-haemsi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=332&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Barefoot running is just not for everyone.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/children-should-spend-more-time-barefoot-to-encourage-a-healthier-foot-structure-100289">Children should spend more time barefoot to encourage a healthier foot structure</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What we did and what we found</h2>
<p>We studied 76 runners who transitioned to barefoot running over 20 weeks – using a minimal running shoe as an intermediate phase between traditional shoe and barefoot running. </p>
<p>The runners ran in traditional running shoes for the first four weeks. For the next four weeks, they increased their time in minimal running shoes by no more than 20% of their total running volume each week. </p>
<p>After running full-time in minimal shoes for another four weeks, they then spent the next four weeks gradually increasing their time running barefoot by no more than 20% per week. </p>
<p>Finally, they ran barefoot for a further four weeks. </p>
<p>We also asked the runners to do some calf and foot strengthening and stretching, to assist the muscles in the move from traditional shoe to barefoot running.</p>
<p>Using this strategy, 70% of runners were able to successfully transition to barefoot running over 20 weeks.</p>
<p>Pain in the calf when running in minimal shoes and pain in the foot when running barefoot were the main reasons for not being able to switch to barefoot running. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498633/original/file-20221202-22-plrjho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Two people run barefoot on a beach." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498633/original/file-20221202-22-plrjho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498633/original/file-20221202-22-plrjho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498633/original/file-20221202-22-plrjho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498633/original/file-20221202-22-plrjho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498633/original/file-20221202-22-plrjho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498633/original/file-20221202-22-plrjho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498633/original/file-20221202-22-plrjho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Barefoot running tends to increase stress in the tissues of the foot and calf.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/an-elderly-man-and-a-woman-jogging-at-thebeach-8637985/">Photo by Kampus Production/Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>So why doesn’t barefoot running suit some people?</h2>
<p>We identified two features that were present in runners who failed to transition to barefoot running. </p>
<p>Contacting the ground first with the heel while running was one, and the other was very mobile feet (which means the arch is more flexible when the foot is bearing weight).</p>
<p>Why? It’s too early to say for sure, but we do know barefoot running tends to increase stress in the tissues of the foot and calf. </p>
<p>Our findings seem to indicate this tissue stress was not well tolerated in those who habitually contact the ground with their heels and/or have very mobile feet when they run barefoot or in minimal shoes.</p>
<p>This may result in pain and eventually injury. We also know <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3113/FAI.2012.0262">from</a> <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/16/1257">other</a> <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/8/476">studies</a> that running barefoot or in minimal shoes will result in higher rates of foot injury (such as stress fractures of the bones of the foot) and pain in the shin and calf. Traditional shoes usually provide more support and cushioning.</p>
<p>It seems runners who habitually contact the ground with their heel while running find it difficult to switch to contacting the ground with more of their midfoot or forefoot, which is what barefoot running tends to promote. </p>
<p>Those with mobile feet may need their muscles to work harder to stiffen the foot when pushing the foot off the ground while running.</p>
<p>Perhaps a more gradual transition period during which the limit is 10% (not 20%) weekly increase of running in minimal shoes or barefoot spread over a longer period (such as 40 weeks) would enable those wishing to run barefoot to do so without pain or injury. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498634/original/file-20221202-19-yz54vc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A person stretches their foot." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498634/original/file-20221202-19-yz54vc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/498634/original/file-20221202-19-yz54vc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498634/original/file-20221202-19-yz54vc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498634/original/file-20221202-19-yz54vc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498634/original/file-20221202-19-yz54vc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498634/original/file-20221202-19-yz54vc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/498634/original/file-20221202-19-yz54vc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">If you want to try barefoot running, transition gradually.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Top tips for successful barefoot running</h2>
<p>If you’re keen to try barefoot running, keep these tips in mind:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>transition gradually over at least 20 weeks. Take longer if needed</p></li>
<li><p>use a minimal shoe as an intermediary, if possible</p></li>
<li><p>limit any increase in running in minimal shoes or barefoot to no more than 20% of total running distance per week</p></li>
<li><p>use pain during and in the 24 hours after running as a guide – especially if you feel the level of severity is unacceptable</p></li>
<li><p>consult a sports and exercise health care professional (such as a physiotherapist or podiatrist) if you experience pain or require assistance in transitioning – especially if you have previous injuries</p></li>
<li><p>consult a qualified run coach to assist with your running program</p></li>
<li><p>when barefoot running, protect your feet by running in well-lit conditions so you can see obstacles, and avoid excessively hot, cold or sharp surfaces</p></li>
<li><p>mix it up – people who run in lots of different types of footwear report fewer injuries than those who only run in one type of shoe.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>It may also be that some runners are just not able to switch from their traditional running shoes to barefoot running. </p>
<p>Barefoot running may not be for everyone. It will not make you faster or reduce overall injury rate, and there is no evidence running barefoot burns more calories than running with shoes. </p>
<p>But if you’re thinking of giving barefoot running a go, transitioning gradually – using a minimal running shoe as an interim step – is more likely to result in a successful transition, and keep you running.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/eliud-kipchoge-broke-the-mens-marathon-record-by-30-seconds-how-close-is-the-official-sub-2-hour-barrier-now-191421">Eliud Kipchoge broke the men's marathon record by 30 seconds. How close is the official sub-2 hour barrier now?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194331/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Natalie Collins has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Medical Research Future Fund, and Arthritis Australia. New Balance provided all shoes used in this study, free of charge, through the New Balance Global Scientific Award. New Balance had no input into the design of the study or interpretation of the results.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Bill Vicenzino has received funding from New Balance Global Scientific Award.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kathryn Mills has received in-kind support from the New Balance Global Scientific Award. She is the current chair of the International Footwear Biomechanics Group, which is a volunteer role. </span></em></p>
Thinking of trying barefoot running? We investigated a new strategy to switch from traditional shoe to barefoot running, and why barefoot running may work for some runners but not others.
Natalie Collins, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, The University of Queensland
Bill Vicenzino, Professor and Chair in Sports Physiotherapy, The University of Queensland
Kathryn Mills, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/192859
2022-10-24T19:02:41Z
2022-10-24T19:02:41Z
The foot scene in House of the Dragon was upsetting, but it’s nothing compared to the real history of the fetish
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491260/original/file-20221024-21-qlcwmm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=40%2C0%2C1237%2C718&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Unsplash/HBO</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>From the day it first graced our screens, the Game of Thrones franchise became infamous for depicting rather shocking and taboo sexual proclivities. From incest and necrophilia, to sadism and borderline-cannibalism, viewers have truly been exposed to (an often disturbing) range of erotic desires. Yet, even after a decade on our screens, the lasciviousness of the Seven Kingdoms still holds the power to shock us. </p>
<p>The most recent episode of House of the Dragon, the prequel set 200 years before the main events of Game of Thrones, depicted a fetish which caused <a href="https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a41651192/house-of-the-dragon-foot-scene-larys-alicent/">some fans</a> to declare the show-runners had finally gone “too far.” </p>
<p>In exchange for information which may secure her son’s reign, Queen Alicent must appease the sexual appetite of Lord Larys Strong – by removing her socks and shoes, displaying her bare, naked feet for him to strenuously admire. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O_qErTQH8_A?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<h2>Feet throughout history</h2>
<p>Foot fetishes are no new feat. In fact, we find evidence of this desire throughout the ancient world. </p>
<p>At least three of the love letters of the great philosopher Philostratus evidence a particular interest in feet. In <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/philostratus_elder-letters/1949/pb_LCL383.451.xml">To A Barefoot Boy</a>, Philostratus worships the shape of his lover’s feet and implores them to always walk barefoot so he may kiss the footprints left behind: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>O perfect lines of feet most dearly loved! O flowers new and strange! O plants sprung from earth! O kiss left lying on the ground! </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Things take a turn for the slightly kinkier once we get to his 37th letter. Philostratus describes the feet of a woman even better than those of Aphrodite (who, according to Hesiod’s origin story, had feet so perfect the grass grew beneath them) and wishes he could be dominated by these feet:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>O thrice charmed would I be and blessed, if you [feet] would tread on me. </p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Starting on the right foot</h2>
<p>Worship of feet wasn’t solely linked to the bedroom. It sometimes played quite a prominent role in public life. </p>
<p>The emergence of foot-washing as a custom is a prime example of this, intimately tied to displays of reverence and love. During his reign as Pope in the 9th century, Eugene II began the custom of kissing the feet of the Pope, which still continues today. </p>
<p>In the century following this, the torturous practice of foot-binding was brought to life in 10th century China during the reign of Emperor Li Yu. He was said to have been entranced by a court dancer, Yao Niang, who bound her feet into the shape of a moon, and danced on her toes inside a six-foot golden lotus. </p>
<p>This obsession was linked to sexual desire from the very beginning. It was quickly taken up as a fashion by ladies of the court, and became a symbol of high status feminine refinement. The last shoe factory only ceased to make “lotus” shoes in 1999.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491234/original/file-20221024-13-r9fw6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491234/original/file-20221024-13-r9fw6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491234/original/file-20221024-13-r9fw6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=871&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491234/original/file-20221024-13-r9fw6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=871&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491234/original/file-20221024-13-r9fw6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=871&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491234/original/file-20221024-13-r9fw6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1095&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491234/original/file-20221024-13-r9fw6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1095&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491234/original/file-20221024-13-r9fw6s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1095&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">18th century illustration showing Yao Niang binding her own feet.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Wikimedia Commons</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>By the 13th century, troubadour poets began singing praise of the beautiful feminine foot, desiring arches that were high, and toes that were slender and long. One group of researchers have suggested feet surged in erotic interest during this time as a result of the 13th century gonorrhoea epidemic. Their <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.2466/pr0.1998.83.2.491">1998 study</a> found erotic literature about feet rises exponentially during major sexually transmitted epidemics in history. </p>
<p>For instance, during the syphilis epidemic of the 16th century, a movement in popular fashion began to draw eroticised attention to women’s feet. The term “toe-cleavage” became used to describe shoes which displayed the base of the first two toes. Similarly, by the 19th century epidemic, brothels began to specialise in foot-eroticisation.</p>
<p>When genital-contact proves to dangerous, feet are (historically) the next most-likely body part to be eroticised. </p>
<h2>Tickling your fancy</h2>
<p>F. Scott Fitzgerald (or, Feet-zgerld, if you will) is believed to have been one patron of this new specialisation. Fitzgerald repeatedly visited one sex-worker because of her feet, and was even described by her as a “foot fetishist”. </p>
<p>While he loved feet (at least the feet of this particular woman), he detested his own and refused to let anyone see them naked. He admitted he was plagued by a “Freudian shame about his feet”. </p>
<p>Sigmund Freud, of course, had a very insightful take on foot fetishes. As with all things Freud, it all had to do with the penis – lusting after feet was so common because the feet and toes resemble the shape of the penis. (I honestly believe it would be harder to find a part of the body that Freud does not think looks like the penis.)</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491235/original/file-20221024-18-w6xqi7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491235/original/file-20221024-18-w6xqi7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491235/original/file-20221024-18-w6xqi7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=742&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491235/original/file-20221024-18-w6xqi7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=742&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491235/original/file-20221024-18-w6xqi7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=742&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491235/original/file-20221024-18-w6xqi7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=933&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491235/original/file-20221024-18-w6xqi7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=933&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491235/original/file-20221024-18-w6xqi7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=933&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">F. Scott Fitzgerald, potentially looking at a pair of beautiful feet.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Wikimedia Commons</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It wasn’t until the 1980s, however, that the connection between foot fetishes and the contemporary epidemic was explicitly recognised. As foot-pornography emerged in magazines, some editorials advertised “foot-sex” could be regarded as a pleasurable, safe alternative to penetrative sex, which ran the risk of sexually transmitted diseases. </p>
<p>After completing their review of historical literature, the researchers of the 1998 study went on to review issues from eight of the largest pornographic magazines in the United States, released between 1965 to 1994. </p>
<p>Their <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.2466/pr0.1998.83.2.491">investigation</a> proved the number of foot-orientated pictures in pornographic magazines rose exponentially over the course of the AIDS epidemic. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/madness-miscarriages-and-incest-as-in-house-of-the-dragon-real-life-royal-families-have-seen-it-all-throughout-history-189225">Madness, miscarriages and incest: as in House of the Dragon, real-life royal families have seen it all throughout history</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>If you’re thinking of getting into this fetish, don’t get cold feet</h2>
<p>If this is true, it may explain why queer men are most likely to have fantasised about feet. According to <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a19523651/foot-fetish/">data collected</a> by social psychologist Justin Lehmiller, one in seven people today have had a sexual fantasy in which feet or toes played a prominent role. </p>
<p>The fantasy was most common amongst gay and bisexual men (21%), followed by heterosexual men (18%), lesbian and bisexual women (15%), and finally heterosexual women (5%). </p>
<p>With such a prevalent amount of the population having fantasised about feet, it is perhaps surprising the representation of this fetish-interest in The House of the Dragon was met with such shock. </p>
<p>Despite its pervasiveness, both today and throughout history, this erotic desire has rarely found itself feet-ured by many historical accounts. The decision for show is perhaps radical for this reason – a decision which may well have left one in every seventh viewer very happy.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/192859/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Esmé Louise James does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
From Popes and philosophers to writers and emperors, the foot fetish has a long and storied history in our world.
Esmé Louise James, Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Melbourne
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/188559
2022-09-12T12:12:36Z
2022-09-12T12:12:36Z
How do ants crawl on walls? A biologist explains their sticky, spiky, gravity-defying grip
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/478784/original/file-20220811-23-w41scx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C6%2C2272%2C1693&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Walking vertically – or even upside down – is a piece of cake for ants.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/climbing-up-a-wall-royalty-free-image/175996454">pecchio/iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/curious-kids-us-74795">Curious Kids</a> is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">curiouskidsus@theconversation.com</a>.</em></p>
<hr>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>How do ants crawl on walls? – Ethan, age 9, Dallas, Texas</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p>When I first started my job <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=hrO-baMAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">as a biologist</a> at the University of South Florida, I drove my Jeep to a grassy field, dug up a mound of fire ants and shoveled it into a 5-gallon bucket. Immediately, thousands of ants swarmed out of the soil and up the walls of the bucket headed for freedom. Luckily I had a lid.</p>
<p>How do ants make climbing walls, ceilings and other surfaces look so easy? <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&view_op=list_works&gmla=AJsN-F7sTTsnLhAu39Zwg-90iH0Hwx9849J-UEbRISOmCR2ouYfcOp2_o8P0yqau7y64vL6XeYU3LFJ-RpqacVDz2Q8Qln7xBQ&user=hrO-baMAAAAJ">I’ve been studying ants for 30 years</a>, and their climbing abilities never cease to amaze me. </p>
<p>Worker ants – <a href="https://theconversation.com/six-amazing-facts-you-need-to-know-about-ants-100478">who are all female</a> – have an impressive <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-006-0194-y">toolbox of claws, spines, hairs</a> and sticky pads on their feet that enable them to scale almost any surface.</p>
<h2>Human hands vs. ant feet</h2>
<p>To understand ant feet, it helps to compare them with human hands. Your hand has one broad segment, the palm. Sprouting from your palm are four fingers and an opposable thumb. Each finger has three segments, while your thumb has only two segments. A hard nail grows from the tips of your fingers and thumb.</p>
<p>Humans have two hands – ants have six feet. Ant feet are similar to your hands but are more complex, with an additional set of weird-looking parts that enhance them. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479207/original/file-20220815-14662-uvsojl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A microscopic view of an ant's foot, with segments numbered. Labeled are claw, thick spine, thin spine and hairs." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479207/original/file-20220815-14662-uvsojl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479207/original/file-20220815-14662-uvsojl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479207/original/file-20220815-14662-uvsojl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479207/original/file-20220815-14662-uvsojl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479207/original/file-20220815-14662-uvsojl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479207/original/file-20220815-14662-uvsojl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479207/original/file-20220815-14662-uvsojl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A closeup view of one multisegmented ant foot. Each foot is lined with spiky tools that help grip almost any surface.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Deby Cassill</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Ant feet have five jointed segments, with the end segment sporting a pair of claws. The claws are shaped like a cat’s and can grip irregularities on walls. Each foot segment also has thick and thin spines and hairs that provide additional traction by sticking into microscopic pits on textured surfaces like bark. Claws and spines have the added benefit of protecting ant feet from hot pavement and sharp objects, just as your feet are protected by shoes. </p>
<p>But the feature that truly separates human hands from ant feet are inflatable sticky pads, called arolia.</p>
<h2>Sticky feet</h2>
<p><a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2011/sm/c1sm06269g">Arolia are located between the claws at the tip of every ant foot</a>. These balloonlike pads allow ants to defy gravity and crawl on ceilings or ultrahard surfaces like glass.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/478782/original/file-20220811-27-lrnm6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A microscopic view of a fire ant's foot. The end shows two retracted claws revealing an inflated pillow like structure." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/478782/original/file-20220811-27-lrnm6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/478782/original/file-20220811-27-lrnm6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/478782/original/file-20220811-27-lrnm6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/478782/original/file-20220811-27-lrnm6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/478782/original/file-20220811-27-lrnm6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/478782/original/file-20220811-27-lrnm6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/478782/original/file-20220811-27-lrnm6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Inflatable sticky pads bring the cling.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Deby Cassill</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When an ant walks up a wall or across a ceiling, gravity causes its claws to swing wide and pull back. At the same time, its leg muscles pump fluids into the pads at the end of its feet, causing them to inflate. This <a href="https://bugunderglass.com/do-insects-have-blood/">body fluid is called hemolymph</a>, which is a sticky fluid similar to your blood that circulates throughout an ant’s body. </p>
<p>After the hemolymph pumps up the pad, some of it leaks outside the pad, which is how ants can stick to a wall or a ceiling. But when an ant picks up its foot, its leg muscles contract and suck most of the fluid back into the pad and then back up the leg. This way an ant’s blood is reused over and over – pumped from the leg into the pad, then sucked back up the leg – so none is left behind. </p>
<figure>
<img src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/2250/ezgif.com-gif-maker.gif?1660317974">
<figcaption><span class="Ant feet in action on glass. Courtesy of Deby Cassill.">Ant feet in action on glass. Courtesy of Deby Cassill.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Ants are feather-light, so six sticky pads are enough to hold them against the pull of gravity on any surface. In fact, at home in their underground chambers, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-006-0194-y">ants use their sticky pads to sleep on the ceiling</a>. By sleeping on the ceiling, ants avoid the rush-hour traffic of other ants on the chamber floors.</p>
<h2>A unique gait</h2>
<p>When you walk, your left and right feet alternate so one is on the ground while the other is in the air, moving forward. Ants also alternate their feet, with three on the surface and three in the air at a time. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lduoLbm0_IU?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A computer simulation showing an ant’s special walk. Created by Shihui Guo.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The walking pattern of ants is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.156.1.215">unique among six-legged insects</a>. In ants, the front and back left feet are on the ground with the middle right foot, while the front and back right feet and the middle left foot are in the air. Then they switch. It’s fun to try to copy this triangular pattern using three fingers on each hand. </p>
<p>The next time you see an ant crawling up a wall, look closely and you might witness some of these fascinating features at work.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com</a>. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.</em></p>
<p><em>And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/188559/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Deby Cassill does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Ant feet are equipped with an array of tools – from retractable sticky pads to claws to special spines and hairs – enabling them to defy gravity and grip virtually any surface.
Deby Cassill, Associate Professor of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/184561
2022-08-17T04:09:20Z
2022-08-17T04:09:20Z
Why do my feet smell? And what can I do about it?
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479559/original/file-20220817-20-7olb0l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1000%2C666&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>“Smelly” might be the first word that comes to mind when you think of feet.</p>
<p>Why do some people’s feet have no smell, yet other feet are so pungent they could almost <a href="https://youtu.be/jAT4zNSB838">knock you out</a>? </p>
<p>Let’s go through what causes smelly feet, what you can do about it, and when to seek professional advice.</p>
<h2>Sweaty feet</h2>
<p>Sweaty feet can lead to smelly feet.</p>
<p>Feet can become sweaty in hot weather, especially if we wear a closed-in shoe or boot and the sweat doesn’t evaporate.</p>
<p>Anxiety and emotional stress also increase the <a href="https://psychcentral.com/anxiety/anxiety-sweat#link">activity</a> of sweat glands due to the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline, causing sweaty hands and feet. </p>
<p>Sweaty feet are common, but some people have an excessive sweating condition called “<a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2013/may/hyperhidrosis-and-bromhidrosis">hyperhidrosis</a>”. It’s very distressing and can lead to social awkwardness, reduced self-confidence and poor mental health. </p>
<p>But sweat usually doesn’t have a smell by itself. It’s the bacteria that feast on sweat that cause the bad smell.</p>
<h2>Bacteria and sweat</h2>
<p>Humans have around 1,000 species of <a href="https://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/men/sweating-odor/bacteria-cause-body-odor.htm">bacteria</a> living on our skin. Bacteria thrive in moist environments such as our armpits, groin and also in between our toes. The bacteria living on our skin are mostly harmless (and some are even good for us), but they can also cause odour when they interact with sweat.</p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16699586/">Foot odour</a> is associated with several types of bacteria. When these bacteria eat the sugars and fats in sweat, they produce chemicals with a <a href="https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=why+does+my+body+smell+you+tube&view=detail&mid=A840EA2AFFA0616EB2F5A840EA2AFFA0616EB2F5&FORM=VIRE">noxious smell</a>. </p>
<p>The most common chemical compounds are:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>“isovaleric acid”, which has a distinctive cheesy, sweaty feet <a href="https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/bacteria-give-feet-4-distinct-odors">odour</a></p></li>
<li><p>“propionic acid”, which <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/feet-smell-like-vinegar#:%7E:text=Foot%20sweat%20on%20some%20people,odor%20that%20smells%20like%20vinegar.">smells sour</a>. </p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-my-armpits-smell-and-would-using-glycolic-acid-on-them-really-work-183354">Why do my armpits smell? And would using glycolic acid on them really work?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>A type of bacteria called “<a href="https://thecheesewanker.com/cheese-science/why-some-cheeses-smell-like-feet/#:%7E:text=Brevibacterium%20linens%3A%20The%20bacteria%20behind%20it%20all%20The,a%20harmless%20bacterium%20that%20lives%20on%20our%20skin.">brevibacteria</a>” also cause foot odour. They eat dead skin on our feet, producing a gas which has a distinctive sour smell.</p>
<p><a href="https://thecheesewanker.com/cheese-science/why-some-cheeses-smell-like-feet/#:%7E:text=Brevibacterium%20linens%3A%20The%20bacteria%20behind%20it%20all%20The,a%20harmless%20bacterium%20that%20lives%20on%20our%20skin.">Cheesemakers</a> will often add this bacteria to the surface of cheese to develop texture and flavour. This explains why many cheeses smell like feet, and feet smell like cheese!</p>
<p>Biologist Bart Knols received an “Ig Nobel” Prize (for unusual scientific achivements) in 2006 for demonstrating that a type of mosquito known for transmitting malaria has an equal preference for <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(05)65812-6/fulltext">Limburger cheese</a> and the smell of human feet.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman smells man's smelly feet" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479087/original/file-20220815-20-73f28m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479087/original/file-20220815-20-73f28m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479087/original/file-20220815-20-73f28m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479087/original/file-20220815-20-73f28m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479087/original/file-20220815-20-73f28m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479087/original/file-20220815-20-73f28m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/479087/original/file-20220815-20-73f28m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">There’s a reason feet sometimes smell like cheese.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What else can cause smelly feet?</h2>
<p>Foot odour is made worse by socks and shoes that don’t allow sweat to evaporate from the skin. When sweat can’t evaporate from the skin, the temperature and relative humidity rise inside footwear, particularly in shoes such as <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303487588_THE_MICROCLIMATE_IN_PROTECTIVE_FIRE_FIGHTER_FOOTWEAR_FOOT_TEMPERATURE_AND_AIR_TEMPERATURE_AND_RELATIVE_HUMIDITY">work boots</a>.
Bacteria prefer a warm, damp environment.</p>
<p>A bacterial skin infection called “<a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/pitted-keratolysis">pitted keratolysis</a>” may also cause bad foot odour. It typically affects the soles of the feet and in between toes, and makes the skin white and soggy, often with clusters of small punched-out craters or “pits”. These pits are caused by bacteria digesting the skin and producing sulphur compounds. </p>
<p>It’s more common in men than women and is associated with sweaty feet, poor foot hygiene, diabetes and <a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/immunodeficiency">immunodeficiency</a>. Pitted keratolysis will respond to <a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/pitted-keratolysis">treatment</a> with antiseptic agents and topical antibiotics.</p>
<p>Foot odour can also be caused by tinea, a fungal skin infection often called athlete’s foot, which a podiatrist will be able to diagnose. It can be treated with an anti-fungal cream or lotion. </p>
<h2>What you can do to manage sweaty and smelly feet</h2>
<p>The first things to consider if you have smelly feet are foot hygiene and footwear. </p>
<p>Feet don’t wash themselves in the shower. In fact, bacteria from the rest of your body are washed down to your feet. So, it’s important to wash your feet with soap – including between your toes!</p>
<p>Drying your feet thoroughly after bathing is also important to prevent the build-up of sweat and bacteria.</p>
<p>It’s ideal to alternate your footwear so that shoes and boots have a chance to dry out before you wear them again. Damp footwear is the perfect place for bacteria to thrive and create those smelly chemicals.</p>
<p>Regular washing and drying of anything your wear on your feet will remove bacteria and stale sweat.</p>
<p>Bamboo has a natural antimicrobial effect (meaning it may have some ability to slow bacteria or mould growing), and socks made from this fibre <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00405000.2011.614742">may be helpful</a>, but it’s <a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/bamboo-fabrics">unclear</a> whether the benefits <a href="http://mistrafuturefashion.com/bamboo-fibers-anti-bacterial-quality-a-misconception/">translate to bamboo clothing products</a>.</p>
<p>There’s <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/9781003141426-4/axillary-odour-formation-retention-role-textiles-fibers-fabric-structure-rathinamoorthy-thilagavathi">conflicting</a> <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110016818301327">views</a> <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342480090_Influence_of_Moisture_Management_Properties_on_Socks_Made_from_Recycled_Polyester_Virgin_Cotton_and_its_Blends_FIBRES_TEXTILES_in_Eastern">on</a> the best material for shoes and socks to improve smelly feet, so more research is needed. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1519552835553468416"}"></div></p>
<h2>Treatments for sweaty and smelly feet</h2>
<p>If your feet are stubbornly sweaty and smelly even with good foot hygiene and attention to footwear, you may need to consider some other options.</p>
<p>An expert opinion from a podiatrist will help you make an appropriate treatment choice and ensure more serious issues aren’t missed.</p>
<p>Most of the available treatments for body odour target sweat production:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>a strong <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2013/may/hyperhidrosis-and-bromhidrosis">antiperspirant</a> containing aluminium chloride hexhydrate, which can be purchased from a pharmacy without a prescription and applied directly to your feet </p></li>
<li><p>“<a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/iontophoresis">iontophoresis</a>” is a procedure offered at specialist clinics to reduce sweating in the hands and feet. A mild electrical current is passed through skin soaked in tap water. <a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/iontophoresis">One study</a> found around 75–80% of participants had reduced foot sweating after 20 days of this treatment</p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2013/may/hyperhidrosis-and-bromhidrosis">Botox</a> treatments are highly effective in reducing foot sweating. Botox works by blocking the nerves that activate sweat glands. However, injections into the sole of your foot can be very uncomfortable</p></li>
<li><p>a topical cream containing a small amount of “glycopyrronium bromide” <a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/anticholinergic-medications">can help</a> to control excessive sweating.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p><em>Caroline Robinson would like to thank Anna Horn from Charles Sturt podiatry, for her contribution to researching this article.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184561/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Caroline Robinson is affiliated with the Australasian Council of Podiatry Deans and the Australian Podiatry Association.
She'd like to thank Anna Horn from Charles Sturt podiatry, for her contribution to researching this article.</span></em></p>
Fresh sweat doesn’t have a smell. It’s the bacteria that feast on sweat that cause the bad smell.
Caroline Robinson, Associate Professor Podiatry, Charles Sturt University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/182129
2022-06-15T03:16:47Z
2022-06-15T03:16:47Z
What did COVID do to my feet? How to fit back into shoes after wearing ugg boots at home and piling on the kilos
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/460506/original/file-20220429-24-7onmgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=2%2C0%2C995%2C667&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/men-shoes-fashion-wedding-231404761">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you’ve been spending a lot of time at home in ugg boots, not doing so much exercise and stacking on the coronakilos over the past two years or so, you may have noticed something strange going on with your feet.</p>
<p>They may not fit back into leather shoes. Or if you do manage to squeeze them in, your shoes feel really stiff and look set to give you blisters.</p>
<p>What’s going on? Have your feet expanded? Is this permanent? Do you need to buy new shoes?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-toe-jam-from-harmless-gunk-to-a-feast-for-bugs-177454">What is toe jam? From harmless gunk to a feast for bugs</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Can your feet really widen?</h2>
<p>Our feet are flexible structures and adapt over time to our footwear – or lack of shoes. </p>
<p>That’s what happened during COVID lockdowns and long periods of being at home, when many people swapped regular shoes for comfortable options such as thongs, slides and ugg boots. Our feet responded by spreading out and becoming wider.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465418/original/file-20220526-19-exrty3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Row of ugg boots in different colours" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465418/original/file-20220526-19-exrty3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465418/original/file-20220526-19-exrty3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465418/original/file-20220526-19-exrty3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465418/original/file-20220526-19-exrty3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465418/original/file-20220526-19-exrty3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465418/original/file-20220526-19-exrty3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465418/original/file-20220526-19-exrty3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Still wearing ugg boots?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/warm-fuzzy-sheepskin-australian-boots-many-257592871">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>That wasn’t a big surprise for podiatrists like us, health professionals who specialise in looking after people’s feet.</p>
<p>We’ve long known that people who walk barefoot – or wear wide shoes that give the foot plenty of room to spread out – have a <a href="https://jfootankleres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1757-1146-6-28">much wider</a>
front of the foot (forefoot) than people who wear narrow shoes.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/466528/original/file-20220601-48874-mecx69.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Bones of the feet, showing metatarsals" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/466528/original/file-20220601-48874-mecx69.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/466528/original/file-20220601-48874-mecx69.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466528/original/file-20220601-48874-mecx69.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466528/original/file-20220601-48874-mecx69.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466528/original/file-20220601-48874-mecx69.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466528/original/file-20220601-48874-mecx69.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466528/original/file-20220601-48874-mecx69.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Your metatarsals (in red) have freedom to align normally when you go barefoot or wear ugg boots.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/metatarsal-bones-metatarsus-group-five-long-2135243299">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>That’s because the lack of pressure from shoes allows the five, long <a href="https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/metatarsal-bones">metatarsal bones</a> in each of your feet to align normally; each metatarsal head (end of the metatarsal bone) takes the load as you walk. </p>
<p>Once your forefoot becomes wider, it stays like this unless you force it <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5342900/">to adapt</a> by wearing narrow shoes.</p>
<p>How much wider a foot becomes, if given the space, depends on how elastic your ligaments are. Some people are “<a href="https://www.hypermobilityconnect.com/">hypermobile</a>” and have very “loose” joints because their ligaments are more stretchy. </p>
<p>Some people have described this as “<a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Flintstone%20feet">Flintstone feet</a>” or “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-05/are-feet-copping-it-while-working-from-home-in-slippers/12314970">ugg boot foot</a>”.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1382659198983548930"}"></div></p>
<h2>What else is going on?</h2>
<p>Being less physically active and leading a more sedentary lifestyle while at home for long periods may have also led to weaker core muscles. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3806175/">Core muscles</a> are the ones around our buttocks, hips, abdomen and lower back. They are particularly important in controlling the position and function of our legs and feet.</p>
<p>If you lose core fitness, your legs can rotate internally (your knees face each other), causing your feet to roll in (or pronate).</p>
<p>As this happens, your feet can become <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwX4_G6JZ_0">flatter</a>, changing their shape to become longer and wider.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/core-strength-why-is-it-important-and-how-do-you-maintain-it-160358">Core strength: why is it important and how do you maintain it?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How about the coronakilos?</h2>
<p>Many of us have also put on coronakilos (also known as COVID kilos or quarantine kilos) during the pandemic. In fact, one in three Australians <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/one-in-three-australians-have-gained-weight-during">gained weight</a> during this time.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1517789108134813697"}"></div></p>
<p>An increase in body weight creates more force on the feet. If your feet have a normal or low arch, your feet will become flatter (will pronate more), creating <a href="https://jfootankleres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13047-017-0214-5">increased pressure</a>, particularly under the mid-foot. </p>
<p>So if you put on weight, your feet can become longer and wider.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-kilos-why-now-is-the-best-time-to-shed-them-171933">COVID kilos: why now is the best time to shed them</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Why won’t my work shoes or boots fit?</h2>
<p>We’ve seen how, over time, our feet adapt to our shoes (or lack of shoes). But shoes can also adapt to our feet. This depends on what the shoes are made of.</p>
<p>Leather shoes are flexible and gradually mould to the shape of your feet. That’s because they absorb sweat from our feet and soften. But when we take a break from wearing them, the leather gradually dries and they harden.</p>
<p>So if you haven’t worn leather shoes or boots for a while, you need to “wear them in” again to soften them and avoid blisters.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1423550410942468098"}"></div></p>
<p>If you’ve been storing your shoes in a hot, dry environment, the leather will also gradually dry out and your shoes will feel much tighter when you next wear them.</p>
<p>Shoes made from <a href="https://www.comunitymade.com/blogs/posts/what-are-the-best-materials-for-shoes">synthetic materials and textiles</a> or <a href="https://www.peta.org/living/personal-care-fashion/what-is-vegan-leather/">vegan leather</a> made from polyurethane, recycled plastic, cactus or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/dec/02/californian-firm-touts-mushroom-leather-as-sustainability-gamechanger">mushrooms</a> tend to keep their shape, even when you don’t wearing them for some time. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/vegan-leather-made-from-mushrooms-could-mould-the-future-of-sustainable-fashion-143988">Vegan leather made from mushrooms could mould the future of sustainable fashion</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Any tips for my feet?</h2>
<p>Getting back into your work shoes might take a bit of time, particularly if your feet have changed shape during the past two years. </p>
<p>It’s unlikely you’ll need new shoes unless they are damaged from drying out, you have put on a significant amount of weight, or your shoes were very narrow or a size too small pre-pandemic.</p>
<p>Here are some suggestions to build foot strength and ensure your shoes don’t damage your feet:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>make time to exercise your feet and ankles. You can try this <a href="https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/recovery/foot-and-ankle-conditioning-program/">conditioning program</a> or watch these <a href="https://freedompah.com.au/foot-strengthening">videos</a> of foot strengthening exercises </p></li>
<li><p>focus on your core strength to improve your posture when sitting, standing and walking. Here’s a ten-minute <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q-crQuxME0">workout</a> for beginners</p></li>
<li><p>visit a shoe store to measure your feet accurately. Some <a href="https://jfootankleres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13047-018-0284-z">63-72%</a> of the population are wearing shoes the wrong length or width</p></li>
<li><p>invest in a pair of good quality shoes, runners or work boots and look after them well, rather than buying lots of cheap footwear that <a href="https://www.podiatry.org.au/foot-health-resources/incorrectly-fitted-shoes/incorrectly-fitted-shoes">might cause</a> foot deformity and a lifetime of <a href="https://jfootankleres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13047-018-0284-z">pain</a>.</p></li>
</ul><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/182129/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Caroline Robinson is affiliated with the Australasian Council of Podiatry Deans and the Australian Podiatry Association.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emma Baker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
No, you’re not imagining it. Your feet may be wider or longer and your shoes stiffer.
Caroline Robinson, Associate Professor Podiatry, Charles Sturt University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/177454
2022-04-22T01:35:23Z
2022-04-22T01:35:23Z
What is toe jam? From harmless gunk to a feast for bugs
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/456809/original/file-20220407-14-flir0u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1000%2C664&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-girls-toes-healthy-beautiful-wellgroomed-1371423317">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/all-about-toe-jam">Toe jam</a> can be a source of fascination, disgust or barely noticed. It can be a sign you need to wash your feet or rethink your choice of footwear. It can also lead to major health issues.</p>
<p>Toe jam, the gunk and debris between your toes, has even made it to a Beatles song.</p>
<p>But it was unlikely John Lennon was thinking about foot hygiene when he wrote the lyrics to the second verse of <a href="https://genius.com/The-beatles-come-together-lyrics">Come Together</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>He wear no shoeshine, he got toe-jam football</p>
<p>He got monkey finger, he shoot Coca-Cola</p>
<p>He say, ‘I know you, you know me’</p>
<p>One thing I can tell you is you got to be free.</p>
</blockquote>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uSM5MpKSnqE?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Yes, The Beatles really mentioned toe jam in Come Together (YouTube).</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What is toe jam, actually?</h2>
<p>Toe jam isn’t a medical term. There is no formal medical term to describe the dead skin cells, sweat, sock lint and dirt that combine in the small and often cramped spaces between our toes.</p>
<p>Toe jam can have the consistency of soft cheese or cake crumbs. It can smell or be odourless. And its colour can range from white to grey-brown.</p>
<p>You’re more likely to create toe jam if you wear closed-in shoes when it’s hot, or gumboots that don’t allow sweat to evaporate.</p>
<p>Poor foot hygiene will certainly make it more likely you’ll develop toe jam. That’s because sweaty debris accumulates in between the toes if you don’t pay attention to cleaning these areas in the shower or bath.</p>
<p>Toe jam may also be more likely if your feet sweat a lot for other reasons. For instance, we know <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2009/september/sweaty-smelly-hands-and-feet">sweaty feet</a> can be a problem for children and adolescents, who have more active sweat glands. And some people have a serious medical condition called <a href="https://www.sweathelp.org/index.php">hyperhidrosis</a>, where they sweat excessively.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/anhidrosis-why-some-people-apparently-like-prince-andrew-just-cant-sweat-127280">Anhidrosis: why some people – apparently like Prince Andrew – just can't sweat</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Is toe jam like athlete’s foot?</h2>
<p>The collection of sweat and dead skin between toes provides bacteria living naturally on our skin the chance to thrive. </p>
<p>These bacteria, which include ones in the genus <em>Brevibacterium</em>, feed on sweat, releasing molecules that give the characteristic “cheesy” <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-feet-stink-by-the-end-of-the-day-125037">smell of sweaty feet</a>. Brevibacterium is also used to ripen some cheeses.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457034/original/file-20220408-19484-ox4ymj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Soft cheese, cut in slices" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457034/original/file-20220408-19484-ox4ymj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457034/original/file-20220408-19484-ox4ymj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457034/original/file-20220408-19484-ox4ymj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457034/original/file-20220408-19484-ox4ymj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457034/original/file-20220408-19484-ox4ymj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=547&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457034/original/file-20220408-19484-ox4ymj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=547&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457034/original/file-20220408-19484-ox4ymj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=547&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">No wonder your feet smell cheesy if you don’t wash them properly.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cheeseboard-sliced-yellow-limburger-cheese-top-1343151806">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This warm and damp environment is also a perfect site for <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/tinea">tinea pedis</a>, a fungal skin infection you might know as athlete’s foot. </p>
<p>Signs of tinea might be soggy white skin between your toes, which can be itchy, and red areas, a sign of skin damage. <a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/athletes-foot">Damaged skin</a> between toes might develop small fluid-filled blisters and may also bleed if the weak skin is torn.</p>
<p>So while toe jam isn’t the same as tinea, it might provide the perfect conditions for the fungus to grow.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-feet-stink-by-the-end-of-the-day-125037">Why do feet stink by the end of the day?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How serious is toe jam?</h2>
<p>Generally, toe jam is a minor health problem. You can <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/getattachment/233c1fdf-8802-471e-9828-f792110c30d1/Sweaty-smelly-hands-and-feet.aspx">manage it</a> with good foot hygiene. And if you develop tinea, you can use a short course of an anti-fungal treatment you can buy from a pharmacy (see below).</p>
<p>It is quite a different prospect, however, for a person living with a chronic disease such as diabetes, someone who has poor vision (so can’t see toe jam or its complications developing), or who may be unable to reach their feet due to limited mobility.</p>
<p>Diabetes not well controlled with diet and exercise, or drugs, increases the <a href="https://www.diabetesfeetaustralia.org/">risk</a> of a person having reduced blood flow (peripheral arterial disease) and reduced feeling in their feet (sensory neuropathy). </p>
<p>Broken skin between the toes caused by tinea can become infected rapidly, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3248359/">increasing the risk</a> of:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>infection spreading to the foot and leg (cellulitis)</p></li>
<li><p>infection of the bone (osteomyelitis)</p></li>
<li><p>gangrene (dead tissue caused by lack of blood flow)</p></li>
<li><p>amputation of a toe, part of the foot or leg. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>So early identification of tinea in a vulnerable person is especially important to prevent complications.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/life-on-us-a-close-up-look-at-the-bugs-that-call-us-home-25754">Life on Us: a close-up look at the bugs that call us home</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>4 ways to avoid problems</h2>
<p>Here are our four tips to avoid problems with toe jam, including developing tinea and its complications:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>wash the spaces between your toes and dry them carefully after a shower or bath, and after swimming. Gyms and swimming pools are a common place to pick up a fungal infection on your feet so it’s a good idea to wear thongs to reduce the risk of tinea</p></li>
<li><p>if possible, avoid wearing footwear that doesn’t allow sweat to evaporate (such as closed-in shoes made of synthetic material and gumboots). Going barefoot, when there is no risk of injury, will also allow sweat to evaporate</p></li>
<li><p>treat sweaty feet by using an <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2009/september/sweaty-smelly-hands-and-feet">anti-perspirant</a> containing aluminium chloride. More severe cases of hyperhidrosis may be managed using drugs, such as <a href="https://www.dermcoll.edu.au/atoz/plantar-hyperhidrosis/">Botox</a> injections to the feet. Fungal infections (<a href="https://dermnetnz.org/topics/tinea-pedis">tinea</a>) should be treated using over-the-counter antifungal creams such a terbinafine or clotrimazole. Resistant infections might require a course of prescribed antifungal medicines</p></li>
<li><p>pay attention to <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/all-about-toe-jam#when-to-see-a-doctor">signs</a> indicating an infection is spreading from the foot. These could be pain and swelling in the toes, or red streaks along the foot and up the leg. This requires an urgent visit to a podiatrist or doctor.</p></li>
</ol>
<h2>Footnote</h2>
<p>Lennon mentions a “walrus gumboot” in verse three of Come Together. The final line of verse two says “you got to be free”. The cover of The Beatles album Abbey Road shows Paul McCartney walking barefoot (second from the left).</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457039/original/file-20220408-18-vvxes4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Beatles album Abbey Road propped up behind turntable playing a record" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457039/original/file-20220408-18-vvxes4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/457039/original/file-20220408-18-vvxes4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457039/original/file-20220408-18-vvxes4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457039/original/file-20220408-18-vvxes4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457039/original/file-20220408-18-vvxes4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457039/original/file-20220408-18-vvxes4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/457039/original/file-20220408-18-vvxes4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Maybe The Beatles were onto something.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/naples-italy-10032019-fabulous-beatles-depicted-1334880947">Imma Gambardella/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Maybe the Beatles did know a thing or two about toe jam and foot health.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/beatles-abbey-road-at-50-is-a-marker-of-how-pop-music-grew-up-in-the-1960s-124433">Beatles: Abbey Road at 50 is a marker of how pop music grew up in the 1960s</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/177454/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Caroline Robinson is affiliated with the Australasian Council of Podiatry Deans and the Australian Podiatry Association.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Luke Donnan is affiliated with the Australasian Council of Podiatry Deans and the Australian Podiatry Association.</span></em></p>
Toe jam was mentioned in a song by The Beatles. Maybe they knew a thing or two about foot hygiene.
Caroline Robinson, Associate Professor Podiatry, Charles Sturt University
Luke Donnan, Lecturer in Podiatry, Charles Sturt University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/176673
2022-02-23T03:24:40Z
2022-02-23T03:24:40Z
Best evidence suggests most children’s flat feet will be fine
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/447234/original/file-20220218-13-4dtamk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5760%2C3837&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>A recent article in The Conversation <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-children-dont-magically-grow-out-of-flat-feet-treatment-is-key-to-avoid-long-term-pain-176026">raised unnecessary alarm</a> about children’s flat feet.</p>
<p>The article isn’t supported by the best evidence and may have worried parents.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30987983/">most</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29604617/">recent</a> <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006311.pub4/full">evidence</a> confirms it’s normal for young, healthy and active children to have flexible flat feet, and these flat feet will get less flat over time. </p>
<p>Flat feet require assessment if they hurt, look different left and right, or if they occur in older children, with few requiring treatment.</p>
<h2>Children’s flat feet reduce as they grow</h2>
<p>Approximately <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006311.pub4/full">15-20%</a> of healthy children have flexible flat feet.</p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18822155/">Studies</a> have consistently shown a higher prevalence of flat feet in younger children, fewer flat feet in older children, and a return towards flatter feet in older adults.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30987983/">2019 study</a> looked at over 3,000 children’s feet. It found the normal foot posture across childhood is flat (also known as “pronated”) and children’s flat feet tend to get less flat as they get older.</p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29604617/">Another study</a> published in 2018 followed more than 1,000 healthy children for three years. It shows foot posture does “straighten” with time, so there are fewer flat feet in older children.</p>
<p>This study also found high arch feet (the opposite of flat feet) are unusual. So, children with high arch feet are the ones to watch.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Child flat feet" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/447950/original/file-20220223-25-19foz6f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/447950/original/file-20220223-25-19foz6f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447950/original/file-20220223-25-19foz6f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447950/original/file-20220223-25-19foz6f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447950/original/file-20220223-25-19foz6f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447950/original/file-20220223-25-19foz6f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447950/original/file-20220223-25-19foz6f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children’s flat feet get less flat as they get older.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>When to investigate flat feet</h2>
<p>Flat feet that are likely to become problematic can now be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33956150/">better identified</a> in children.</p>
<p>It’s worth having your child assessed <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29148191/">if they have</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>foot pain </p></li>
<li><p>differences between the left and right feet</p></li>
<li><p>feet getting flatter with age</p></li>
<li><p>or if they’re not walking by 18 months.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Normally, children with flat feet have no pain and have two feet that look similar and are flexible. The magnitude of flatness also generally reduces with time. </p>
<p>Children’s gait development should not be impeded by flat feet, nor should flat feet delay meeting expected milestones. Unexplained difficulty with walking, running and sports should be checked. </p>
<p>Keep family history in mind. If a child’s parents, grandparents or siblings have painful flat feet, it’s reasonable to raise suspicion and monitor foot development and gait over time.</p>
<h2>How do you treat problem flat feet?</h2>
<p>Any treatment requires sound justification, and is usually quite simple.</p>
<p>Footwear is always the first thing to get right. Well-selected shoes alone <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21244647/">make a difference</a> and can be the only “treatment” required.</p>
<p>Other treatments may include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>exercises, such as muscle stretches and strengthening</p></li>
<li><p>foot orthotics (shoe inserts) </p></li>
<li><p>specific physical activity, like hopping, swimming and balancing.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>In terms of foot orthotics, the good news is low-cost, off-the-shelf orthotics are usually sufficient. In the absence of pain, there’s <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006311.pub4/full">no evidence</a> to support the use of more expensive, customised foot orthotics.</p>
<p>It’s very unlikely for healthy children with flexible flat feet to need surgical treatment. All surgery carries risk, and generally will only even be considered when good non-surgical care fails. Rigid flat feet are very unusual in children, and usually associated with other diagnoses, such as cerebral palsy.</p>
<p>In this era of <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j3879">over-medicalisation</a>, it’s important to avoid unnecessary treatment which is not evidence-based.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Doctor with patient trying foot orthotics" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/447947/original/file-20220222-21-jmj87q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/447947/original/file-20220222-21-jmj87q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447947/original/file-20220222-21-jmj87q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447947/original/file-20220222-21-jmj87q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447947/original/file-20220222-21-jmj87q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447947/original/file-20220222-21-jmj87q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/447947/original/file-20220222-21-jmj87q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Off-the-shelf foot orthotics are usually enough, which are cheaper than custom made versions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>We need to rely on the best evidence</h2>
<p>Confusion about flat feet has occupied the community for decades. There has been a misleading mix of fact and folklore.</p>
<p><a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/266180">One study</a> often quoted was written over 70 years ago. At the time, the study’s author observed many army recruits with foot pain had flat feet, and suggested flat feet caused pain. </p>
<p>However, what was also observed at the time, and since overlooked, was that many soldiers with flat feet had no pain.</p>
<p>So, by omission, flat feet became overly associated with pain. We know some adults with foot pain do also have flat feet, while many others function pain-free.</p>
<p>We need to ensure we’re relying on the best scientific evidence on this issue. The best evidence comes from systematic reviews, and the weakest from untested opinions.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-this-study-legit-5-questions-to-ask-when-reading-news-stories-of-medical-research-117836">Is this study legit? 5 questions to ask when reading news stories of medical research</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Children aren’t mini-adults. They’re growing and developing, and expected to have flexible flat feet that do not hurt and that reduce as they grow up.</p>
<p>Remember, probability is on your side. Most healthy children with flexible flat feet will be fine.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/176673/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Angela Evans is affiliated with Walk for Life Clubfoot in Bangladesh, Director of Australian Podiatry Association.
Angela Evans is an author of Cochrane library reviews (2010, updated 2022) pertaining to intervention for paediatric flat feet.</span></em></p>
Recent evidence suggests it’s normal for young, healthy and active children to have flexible flat feet. And these flat feet will get less flat over time.
Angela Evans, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, La Trobe University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/164655
2021-09-13T12:14:14Z
2021-09-13T12:14:14Z
What happens when your foot falls asleep?
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417576/original/file-20210824-17-1ma6ikr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=494%2C1005%2C4994%2C2982&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">That pins-and-needles feeling can come from sitting in the same position for a while.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/legs-of-a-girl-wearing-dotted-socks-royalty-free-image/1195442823">Westend61 via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/curious-kids-us-74795">Curious Kids</a> is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">curiouskidsus@theconversation.com</a>.</em></p>
<hr>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>What happens when your foot falls asleep? – Helen E., age 8, Somerville, Massachusetts</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p>Imagine you’ve just sat down to watch your favorite TV show. You decide to snuggle in with your legs crisscrossed because you find it more comfortable that way.</p>
<p>When the episode ends, you try to stand up and suddenly your right foot isn’t working. At first you just can’t move it, then it feels like it has pins and needles all over it. For a minute or two it feels uncomfortable and weird, but soon enough you are able to stand up and walk around normally.</p>
<p>What just happened?</p>
<p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=gn8ZiLMAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">I’m an exercise physiologist</a> – a scientist who studies what happens to our bodies when we move and exercise. The goal of much of my research has been to understand how the brain talks to and controls the different parts of our bodies. When your foot falls asleep, there is something wrong with the communication between your brain and the muscles in that area.</p>
<p>Every time you decide to move your body, whether it’s standing up, walking around or playing sports, your brain sends signals to your muscles to make sure they move correctly. When the brain is unable to talk with a muscle or groups of muscles, some weird things can happen – including that part of your body getting that weird falling-asleep sensation.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L6w0_j6mWbo?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">An animation explains how the nervous system works.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It usually starts with a sense of numbness or tingling in that area. This sensation, which people often also call “pins and needles,” is technically known as <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2015/march/paraesthesia-and-peripheral-neuropathy/">paresthesia</a>.</p>
<p>Some people mistakenly think a lack of blood flow causes this feeling. They imagine the “asleep” feeling happens when your blood, which carries nutrients all over your body, is unable to get to your foot. But that’s not right.</p>
<p>When your foot falls asleep, it’s actually because the <a href="https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200232060-00003">nerves that connect the brain to the foot</a> are getting squished thanks to the position you’re sitting in. Remember, it’s these nerves that carry messages back and forth to let your brain and your foot communicate with each other. If the nerves have been compressed for a little while, you won’t have much feeling in your foot because it can’t get its normal messages through to your brain about how it feels or if it’s moving.</p>
<p>Once you start to move around again, the pressure on the nerves is released. They “wake up” and you’ll start to notice a “pins and needles” feeling. Don’t worry, that feeling will only last for a few minutes and then everything will feel normal again.</p>
<p>Now comes the important question: Is this dangerous? Most of the time, when your foot, or any other body part, falls asleep, it is temporary and nothing to worry about. In fact, since it lasts for only a minute or two, you may not even remember it happened by the end of the day.</p>
<p>Even though it’s not causing any permanent damage, you might still want to avoid the uncomfortable feeling that comes when your foot falls asleep. Here are a couple of tips that may help:</p>
<ul>
<li>Switch your position often.</li>
<li>Don’t cross your legs for very long.</li>
<li>When you are sitting for a long time, try standing up every so often.</li>
</ul>
<p>You probably can’t 100% prevent your foot from ever falling asleep. So don’t worry when it happens every once in a while. It’ll go away pretty quickly – and maybe it can remind you of all the important brain messages your nerves are usually transmitting without your even noticing.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com</a>. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.</em></p>
<p><em>And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/164655/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Zachary Gillen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
An exercise physiologist explains how it’s a problem of communication between your brain and your body.
Zachary Gillen, Assistant Professor of Exercise Physiology, Mississippi State University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/123282
2019-09-11T11:37:22Z
2019-09-11T11:37:22Z
These artists paint with their feet – scans show how unique their brains are
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291964/original/file-20190911-190002-12bik1r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Peter Longstaff, one of the participants in the study.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">© Peter Longstaff</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Your brain contains a highly organised map of your body. Not a normal kind of map – this one <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2636901/">will vary ever so slightly</a> because of the particular way you use your body. What you do for a living might affect this, for example – your <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24014446">brain’s hand map</a> might show subtle clues that you are a <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8917171_Superior_tactile_performance_and_learning_in_professional_pianists_Evidence_for_meta-plasticity_in_musicians">pianist</a> or a surgeon. Or reflect that you rock climb or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15677703">write a lot</a>.</p>
<p>We’ve known subtle details of the brain’s body map can change as a result of our daily life experiences for a while. But <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/pdfExtended/S2211-1247(19)31061-7">new research</a> by myself and colleagues has now demonstrated how powerfully experience can affect the brain. </p>
<p>We used ultra high-res brain scanning to reveal clear maps of individual toes in two <a href="https://www.mfpa.uk/">foot painters</a>, born without either arm. While these organised toe maps are not found in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811917304901">typically developed humans</a>, they are found <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00429-014-0913-7">in monkeys</a> – who, like the foot painters, use their toes in skilled ways.</p>
<p>This suggests that all humans could have the potential for toe maps, but modern life in shoes prevents them by limiting individual movement of our toes.</p>
<h2>The body in the brain</h2>
<p>These maps were found in the somatosensory cortex of the brain, which contains a map of our whole body. All body parts are represented by an individual section of brain, and these sections are laid out in the brain as they are on the body. In <a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/content/32/45/15815/tab-figures-data">the brain’s hand map</a>, for instance, there are small sections representing each of the five fingers – with the thumb next to the index finger, which is next to the middle finger, and so on.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291807/original/file-20190910-190012-179d9d9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291807/original/file-20190910-190012-179d9d9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291807/original/file-20190910-190012-179d9d9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291807/original/file-20190910-190012-179d9d9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291807/original/file-20190910-190012-179d9d9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291807/original/file-20190910-190012-179d9d9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291807/original/file-20190910-190012-179d9d9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Mapping toes in the brain.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Cell</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It is because of this beautiful and clear organisation that this area is of big interest to scientists studying how the brain changes in response to experience – known as <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-brain-remembers-amputated-limbs-and-continues-to-control-them-111216">brain plasticity</a>. If we know how the body map normally looks, we can easily document any changes caused by how we use our body.</p>
<p>As an example, it has <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7569982">been shown</a> that learning a musical instrument leads to increases in the size of finger maps for those fingers highly used to play. In a more extreme case, when two fingers are fused together with surgery, the brain maps of the two fused fingers also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1753275">combine into one</a>.</p>
<h2>The foot map</h2>
<p>Until very recently, it was generally assumed that the typical foot map should have clear sections to represent individual toes, like the hand map has fingers. Only recently did we find out that this, surprisingly, is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811917304901">not the case</a>. In fact, most people don’t have a sections for each of the five toes. And, those they do have are scattered all over the foot area, in <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/pdfExtended/S2211-1247(19)31061-7">no clear order</a>.</p>
<p>This lead my colleagues and I to wonder whether this is how the human foot map is naturally. Or, could it result from the fact that modern humans don’t really use their toes separately?</p>
<p>To help solve this mystery, we approached two incredible individuals for help. These two people were <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4737249/">born without either arm</a>, and subsequently had to learn to use their toes to perform all tasks of daily life. This includes <a href="https://www.cell.com/cms/10.1016/j.celrep.2019.08.027/attachment/3d08d5bd-1eff-417c-a5f8-69fa70b1c46d/mmc1.pdf">almost any typical-hand task</a> most of us can do: including typing on a keyboard, answering the phone, putting on clothes (in one case, including doing buttons) and feeding themselves with a fork or spoon.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291935/original/file-20190911-190061-10y225g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291935/original/file-20190911-190061-10y225g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=427&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291935/original/file-20190911-190061-10y225g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=427&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291935/original/file-20190911-190061-10y225g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=427&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291935/original/file-20190911-190061-10y225g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=536&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291935/original/file-20190911-190061-10y225g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=536&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291935/original/file-20190911-190061-10y225g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=536&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Abstract diagonal lines by Tom Yendell, one of the painters in the study.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.mfpa.uk/artwork-collection/?p=0&pgSize=219">Reproduced with kind permission by the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It also includes some tasks that most two-handers would struggle with, like administering injections to animals with a syringe (one was a farmer), and – my favourite – one would apply nail varnish to his wife’s nails for her.</p>
<p>This skill with a brush made total sense because both individuals were actually sufficiently skilled with their toes so as to support their profession as <a href="https://www.mfpa.uk/the-artists/peter-longstaff/">foot artists</a>: they <a href="https://www.mfpa.uk/the-artists/tom-yendell/">make art with their feet</a> better than most people do with their hands.</p>
<h2>Looking in the brain</h2>
<p>We put these two artists in an ultra high-field fMRI scanner and stimulated each of their toes, one at a time. When we looked in the foot area of the artists’ brains, we found that they had individual, organised toe maps – just like the hand maps of you and I. We compared this to a group of two-handed people, who showed no such organised toe maps – replicating previous findings.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291919/original/file-20190911-190012-1dcnwey.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291919/original/file-20190911-190012-1dcnwey.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=199&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291919/original/file-20190911-190012-1dcnwey.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=199&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291919/original/file-20190911-190012-1dcnwey.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=199&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291919/original/file-20190911-190012-1dcnwey.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=250&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291919/original/file-20190911-190012-1dcnwey.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=250&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/291919/original/file-20190911-190012-1dcnwey.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=250&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The foot artists showed clear maps of individual toes in the foot area of the brain.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Reproduced with authors' permission</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Using <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/neuro.06.004.2008/full?utm_source=FWEB&utm_medium=NBLOG&utm_campaign=ECO_10YA_top-research">new analysis methods</a>, we showed the pattern of brain activity in the foot area resulting from touching the artists’ toes was highly similar to a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24014446">typical hand pattern</a>. That is, the pattern generated by touching the fingers of two-handed people, in their brain’s hand area.</p>
<p>We next moved from looking in the foot area of the brain, to see what was happening in their (missing) hand area when we touched the artists’ toes. This could provide more extreme examples of brain plasticity. We found that the pattern of activity in the hand area was also “hand-like” in the artists. This might indicate the artists are recruiting some of the “unused” hand area to support their skilled toe movement.</p>
<p>All in all, our results suggest that using your toes in a hand-like manner causes hand-like activity in the brain.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YrPA0K4ykcU?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<h2>Losing toe maps</h2>
<p>Our results make sense from a brain plasticity perspective – if you don’t use your toes separately in action, your brain does not need to represent each toe separately. The results also make sense given our primate cousins have <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/cne.901920402">organised toe maps</a>, in a similar brain position and orientation to the artists.</p>
<p>This could indicate one of two things. One, either all primates (human and non-human) have the genetic potential for toe maps, but typical humans don’t develop them because we don’t use our toes individually. Or, it could mean that we are born with toe maps as babies, but lose them over time if we don’t use our toes the right way.</p>
<p>Whether toe maps fail to develop or fail to persist remains to be determined. But looking at the toe maps of babies – or even populations who live without shoes – could be the key to unlocking this mystery of brain plasticity.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/123282/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Harriet Dempsey-Jones does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Ultra-clear maps of individual toes were found in the brains of two foot painters – these are not found in typically developed humans.
Harriet Dempsey-Jones, Postdoctoral Researcher in Cognitive Neurosciences, UCL
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/111326
2019-02-14T10:56:38Z
2019-02-14T10:56:38Z
Swelling and painful feet: how to solve the most common foot problems when you’re pregnant
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258756/original/file-20190213-181623-1sulu7w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Swollen and sore feet are a common pregnancy problem.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/foot-pain-leg-cramps-during-pregnancy-1018332124?src=nZ1EFT_Pt-kfOZ1OuvJ7Dw-1-3">Comzeal images/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Along with the rest of the body, being pregnant can have a huge impact on feet. More than half of expectant mothers experience <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1067251610002735">some form of foot problem during pregnancy</a>. But foot issues are often neglected, with other medical aspects of pregnancy given more attention. The good news is, however, that many of these conditions can be effectively and safely treated without medication. </p>
<p>Listed below are the four most common pregnancy-related foot problems along with simple and effective advice on how to manage them. Nine months is a long time to be uncomfortable, but by making simple changes expectant mothers can be back on their feet in no time.</p>
<h2>1. Collapsed arches</h2>
<p>Gaining weight quickly, particularly during the first few months of pregnancy, can have an impact on foot structure, and cause the arch to collapse. The body also releases a <a href="http://www.yourhormones.info/hormones/relaxin/">hormone called relaxin</a> during pregnancy, which allows the pelvis to open for delivery. But this can have the effect of relaxing ligaments in the feet and ankles too, making them more flexible, and contributing to the appearance of flat feet. This can be painful as tendons, ligaments and muscles in the feet and legs all have to work harder to help support the foot and may become damaged due to overuse.</p>
<p>To relieve the effects of collapsed arches, wear comfortable footwear, ideally with a firm heel, a cushioned innersole and either a strap, laces, or Velcro. This will keep the foot stable and help to support the arch. It may be necessary to support the arch with insoles that fit inside your shoes – a podiatrist will be able to advise you on these. They may be temporary but can give a great deal of relief.</p>
<h2>2. Swelling</h2>
<p>It’s <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/swollen-ankles-feet-pregnant/">normal to get some swelling</a> in pregnancy, particularly in your ankles and feet. It is often worse at the end of the day or if you have been standing or sitting for long periods. <a href="https://www.babycentre.co.uk/a230/swelling-oedema-in-pregnancy">One reason for swelling</a> is that as the baby grows, the uterus can put pressure on veins in the pelvis, slowing down the return of blood to the heart. This can lead to blood accumulating in the small vessels of the foot, and fluid leaking into the surrounding tissues causing swelling (known as oedema). </p>
<p>To reduce swelling pregnant women should try not to sit or stand for long periods of time, keep feet elevated whenever possible, and avoid crossing the legs. Staying active with regular exercise such as walking and swimming helps too. These low impact activities keep the blood circulating around the body. </p>
<p>Expectant mothers may also find that they will need to wear a shoe size bigger than they are used to. As a rule, there should be a one centimetre gap between the longest toe and the end of the shoe. Feet tend to swell during the day, so if buying new shoes, do it later in the afternoon when your feet are at their largest. </p>
<h2>3. Foot pain</h2>
<p>Common sites of pain include the heel and around the arch of the foot (in the plantar fascia, a band of connective tissue that helps support the arch of the foot), where a condition known as <a href="http://www.nwbh.nhs.uk/plantar-fasciitis">plantar fasciitis</a> may be diagnosed when the tissue becomes irritated. There is also a risk that areas of high pressure can result in corns and calluses developing. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258828/original/file-20190213-181597-1w4m63f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258828/original/file-20190213-181597-1w4m63f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258828/original/file-20190213-181597-1w4m63f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258828/original/file-20190213-181597-1w4m63f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258828/original/file-20190213-181597-1w4m63f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258828/original/file-20190213-181597-1w4m63f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258828/original/file-20190213-181597-1w4m63f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Different exercises can relieve pregnancy foot pain.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/exercises-edema-during-pregnancy-young-pregnant-1298732872?src=PgQL4DYLDk7fo968tTGlJA-1-8">UvGroup/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Along with correct footwear, daily stretching of the plantar fascia can also help relieve pain. To do this, place a towel on the pad right under your toes, pull back and hold for 20-30 seconds. Alternatively, you can roll a cold can of drink under the arch of your foot. Stretching the calf muscle with a wall stretch can also help too. Place two hands on a wall, bend your right knee, push your left heel into the ground and hold for 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.</p>
<h2>4. Dry and cracked heels</h2>
<p>Hormonal changes cause your skin to <a href="https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/whose-body/skin-dry.aspx">lose elasticity and moisture</a> as it stretches and tightens, which can result in dry skin and cracking around the heels. Maintaining a good daily skin care regime which includes applying a moisturising cream once a day can reduce moisture loss from the skin. For particularly dry skin around the heels using a moisturiser that contains urea may be more effective to soften the skin. If you are finding it difficult to reach your feet to apply the cream, try applying a little of the cream onto a sponge, placing it on the floor and then rubbing your heel into it. This method works the cream deep into the skin too. </p>
<p>Pregnancy and pending motherhood should be a joyous experience, without painful foot issues. If your foot problems persist, healthcare professionals such as a podiatrists can advise you on potential treatments such as physical therapy and insoles, as well as give advice on footwear. They can also treat corns, calluses and carry out minor ingrowing toenail procedures. Ultimately though if you have any pregnancy-related concerns please seek advice from your GP or midwife.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/111326/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Craig Gwynne does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Nine months is a long time to have sore feet but these easy remedies can ease the pain.
Craig Gwynne, Lecturer in Podiatry, Cardiff Metropolitan University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/100289
2018-08-02T10:43:11Z
2018-08-02T10:43:11Z
Children should spend more time barefoot to encourage a healthier foot structure
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/230231/original/file-20180801-136652-qcpgci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=25%2C74%2C973%2C552&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/confirm/1112093552?src=sutxeCn1jO4u3xRr4V8Khg-1-15&size=medium_jpg">berez_ka/Shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Humans have gone unshod for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22257937">millions of years</a>; it is only in the last few centuries that people have started wearing shoes. However, a recent <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28808276">survey</a> shows that shoe wearing among young boys isn’t universal. German children and teenagers spend most of their day in shoes, while about 90% of their South African counterparts go barefoot.</p>
<p>Aside from the obvious climate differences, it is tempting to think that South Africa’s <a href="https://www.gfmag.com/global-data/economic-data/worlds-richest-and-poorest-countries">lower economic ranking</a>, compared with Germany’s, is the main reason for the absence of footwear. But this reasoning has been challenged by results from our recent <a href="https://jfootankleres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13047-018-0285-y">survey</a>. </p>
<p>We gathered information on the footwear habits of 714 boys attending a secondary school in a wealthy part of Auckland, New Zealand. Almost half of the students (45%) spent most of their time barefoot. Many of the students in this study were even willing to run distances of 100 to 3,000 metres on a hard track surface without shoes.</p>
<h2>Foot structure</h2>
<p>Differences in foot structure between those who have never worn shoes and those who are usually in shoes have been described for over a century. In one seminal <a href="https://www.tuhykorinek.cz/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1905hoffman.pdf">1905 study</a>, Phil Hoffman, warned how putting the fashionable desires of customers over the health of their feet had led to shoe design “that more or less crowds the front of the foot”.</p>
<p>The main developmental result of growing up in shoes appears to be a <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0057209">narrower foot</a> and a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1624509">lower arch</a>. The result of this is more <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0057209">concentrated pressure</a> at the heel and the ball of the foot during movement. </p>
<p>By contrast, those who grow up barefoot have <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19424280903386411">wider feet</a> and have a more <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0057209">even distribution of pressure</a> towards the outside edge of the foot and across the toes. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/230235/original/file-20180801-136649-nfd19m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/230235/original/file-20180801-136649-nfd19m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=300&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/230235/original/file-20180801-136649-nfd19m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=300&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/230235/original/file-20180801-136649-nfd19m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=300&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/230235/original/file-20180801-136649-nfd19m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/230235/original/file-20180801-136649-nfd19m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/230235/original/file-20180801-136649-nfd19m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/confirm/667255279?src=xWdImHuLt8xMqz59Um2VSQ-1-18&size=huge_jpg">Sakurra/Shutterstock.com</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Running as nature intended</h2>
<p>We don’t know what effect growing up in shoes has on the development of movement skills, or the risk of injury in sport, but logic suggests that growing up barefoot is a good thing. </p>
<p>The heel of the foot is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8406251">highly sensitive to pain</a>, meaning that when people run barefoot they tend to avoid landing on their heel and instead defer the pressure to the mid and forefoot. This allows a broader surface area to absorb force. </p>
<p>In order to avoid a heel strike, the foot must never be too far in front of the body. As a result, barefoot runners tend to have a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=A+Comparison+of+Stride+Length+and+Lower+Extremity+Kinematics+during+Barefoot+and+Shod+Running+in+Well+Trained+Distance+Runners">shorter stride</a>. A shorter stride needs less leg extension, which is why barefoot runners have greater <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=A+Comparison+of+Stride+Length+and+Lower+Extremity+Kinematics+during+Barefoot+and+Shod+Running+in+Well+Trained+Distance+Runners">bend at the knee</a> and a more pointed foot toward the floor. These joint positions allow muscles around the knee to help control landing and allow the ankle to behave in a more spring-like fashion. </p>
<h2>The problem with shoes</h2>
<p>Covering the heel of the foot reduces the sensation it experiences when coming into contact with the ground. The running shoe, containing a cushioned heel, allows the runner to land on the heel of the foot with an extended leg. This is perhaps why <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17685722">about 75%</a> of runners nowadays are heel strikers. </p>
<p>Running using an extended limb (overstriding) results in force being absorbed through the heel, bony structures and joints, with less assistance from muscle. This may be one of the reasons most <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22827721">running injuries</a> are to structures that are not designed to absorb force (shins, feet and knees). Interestingly, when people remove their shoes, most <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28728130">revert to middle and forefoot</a> striking.</p>
<p>Children and teenagers who grow up mostly barefoot appear strong enough to run quickly and for long distances without shoes. The prevalence of leg pain in the New Zealand students we studied was at the lower end of that reported <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-essr/Citation/1997/00250/14_Physical_Activity,_Adolescence,_and_Health__An.16.aspx">globally</a> in students of a similar age. This finding, combined with an absence of evidence for the role of shoes in the prevention of injury, makes it seem reasonable to suggest that children should spend as much time as possible barefoot. </p>
<p>Social acceptability is a barrier to barefoot activities in many Western countries, as a result, adults who did not grow up mostly barefoot may not have the same foot structure and leg strength to transition to barefoot activities quickly. </p>
<p>Gradually building time spent walking and running in bare feet is key for people who are new to barefoot activities. The increasing availability of shoes that mimic the structure of the foot (minimalist shoes) and have little cushioning other than to cover the foot, may help people transition to being barefoot. The improving design of these shoes may also help to tackle the issue of social acceptability.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/100289/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Francis does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Many children in New Zealand grow up barefoot. Should all children follow this model?
Peter Francis, Director of the Musculoskeletal Science Research Group, Leeds Beckett University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/71921
2017-01-30T13:45:20Z
2017-01-30T13:45:20Z
How discriminatory dress codes at work are digging their heels in
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/154701/original/image-20170130-7659-1a4m9l7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Discriminatory dress codes are still widespread in British workplaces according to <a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmpetitions/291/291.pdf">a recent report</a> by MPs. Women, they found, are held to a far more exacting standard than men and a change in the law that governs dress codes has been called for as a result. Unfortunately, the law alone will not be enough to change things.</p>
<p>The debate <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/25/piers-morgan-others-weigh-dress-code-argument-should-women-have/">that ensued</a> over whether or not high heels should legitimately form part of a dress code for women is a case in point. Women’s shoes remain an important part of popular culture, whether in the form of the red stiletto used by companies like Virgin Atlantic in their award-winning <a href="http://www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk/industries/advertising/advertising-case-studies/advertising-case-virgin-atlantic">Still Red Hot campaign</a> or in fairy tales such as the delicate glass slipper that was Cinderella’s route out of sweeping cold fireplaces. </p>
<p>This is not only a Western issue. For centuries, Chinese women endured a more extreme version of foot crippling fashion. Described as “lotus feet”, it was the cultural custom for women to have their feet tightly bound into a disabling shape – because it was deemed beautiful. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/154702/original/image-20170130-7685-y635pw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/154702/original/image-20170130-7685-y635pw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=426&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/154702/original/image-20170130-7685-y635pw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=426&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/154702/original/image-20170130-7685-y635pw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=426&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/154702/original/image-20170130-7685-y635pw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=536&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/154702/original/image-20170130-7685-y635pw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=536&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/154702/original/image-20170130-7685-y635pw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=536&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A lotus shoe for bound feet. The ideal length for a bound foot was about 10cm.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_binding#/media/File:Chaussure_chinoise_Saverne_02_05_2012_1.jpg">Vassil/wikimedia</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As anthropologist Jo Farrell documented in an <a href="http://www.livinghistory.photography">extraordinary photographic project</a> on some of the last Chinese women living with bound feet, culture dictated that bound feet were a prerequisite for marriage. One woman, Su Xi, told Farrell that if she tried to unbind her feet as a young woman, her grandmother would cut a slice of skin off her toes to punish her. And this was in the 1940s, decades after foot binding became illegal in China.</p>
<h2>Pain and long-term damage</h2>
<p>Fast-forward to December 2015 and Nicola Thorp, a woman working as a temporary receptionist at financial services company PwC in London, is sent home without pay <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/may/11/receptionist-sent-home-pwc-not-wearing-high-heels-pwc-nicola-thorp">for refusing to wear high heels</a>. Thorp was told that the smart, flat shoes she was wearing did not comply with her employer’s specific requirement for women to wear shoes with a two to four inch high heel. </p>
<p>As a result of her experience, Thorp <a href="https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/129823">started a petition</a> calling for it to be made “illegal for a company to require women to wear high heels at work”. It was signed by more than 150,000 people, prompting the <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/petitions-committee/inquiries/parliament-2015/high-heels-workplace-dress-codes-inquiry-16-17/">recent parliamentary inquiry</a>. </p>
<p>The inquiry involved hundreds of women and expert witnesses from trade unions, political groups and professional bodies, including podiatrists, who provided evidence of the <a href="http://www.thespinehealthinstitute.com/news-room/health-blog/how-high-heels-affect-your-body">pain and long-term damage</a> caused by wearing high-heeled shoes for long periods of time. But it became clear during the inquiry that the problem was by no means confined to shoes. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/154705/original/image-20170130-7656-40ozwf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/154705/original/image-20170130-7656-40ozwf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=330&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/154705/original/image-20170130-7656-40ozwf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=330&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/154705/original/image-20170130-7656-40ozwf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=330&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/154705/original/image-20170130-7656-40ozwf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/154705/original/image-20170130-7656-40ozwf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/154705/original/image-20170130-7656-40ozwf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Equal?</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">shutterstock.com</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Women also reported being told to dye their hair a particular colour, to wear revealing clothing, and to regularly reapply a minimum amount of makeup. No men came forward to say that the same rules, or even informal pressures, applied to them – they too have office dress codes but they are generally less punishing.</p>
<p>Nor, as also became evident in the report, is legislation the only answer. </p>
<p>As the report acknowledges, legislation is already in place (in the form of the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance">Equality Act 2010</a> which prohibits discrimination on the basis of characteristics like gender (as well as disability and race). So either the existing law is unclear, or it is not widely understood – or it is simply being ignored. Certainly, the continuation of such discrimination has many potential advantages for employers. </p>
<p>The Fawcett Society, a women’s rights charity, emphasised this in their contribution to the inquiry. It <a href="http://www.itv.com/news/2017-01-25/women-face-sexist-dress-codes-at-work-report-finds/">highlighted</a> the extent to which sexualised dress codes, which tell a woman that how she looks is more important that what she says or does, are a good way to justify paying her less and demeaning her career achievements.</p>
<h2>Reinforcing stereotypes</h2>
<p>By perpetuating a very narrow ideal of what it means to look like a woman, such codes reinforce persistent stereotypes. These might serve to further marginalise LGBT people, older and disabled workers, as well as people from ethnic minority groups in the labour market.</p>
<p>Yet while this is about so much more than shoes, we should not trivialise the significance of shoes in this discussion and the issues they raise.</p>
<p>As management professor Emma Bell <a href="https://theconversation.com/wearing-heels-to-work-is-a-game-women-have-been-losing-for-decades-59337">has written</a> high heels are powerful, fetishised symbols in our society, signifying the seductive power attributed to women, particularly in the media. They are “a marker of high status, despite their impracticality and physical strain that they put on a woman’s body”. It is precisely this double-bind that makes high heels arguably today’s lotus shoes. </p>
<p>By wearing heels, women evoke a seductive power, respect and admiration through a form that ironically, and painfully, undermines their capacity to meaningfully experience any of these. </p>
<p>If the goal of getting and keeping a husband was what foot binding was about, today’s women are told that wearing heels (or the right hair colour, clothing or makeup) is their route to securing a job. Both are a form of economic security. The target may have changed but the means have not, as women’s bodies continue to be manipulated and reduced to aesthetic objects in the labour market. </p>
<p>So while the enforcement of relevant legislation and proposed fines for noncompliant employers is an important step forwards, on its own it will never be enough to tackle the wider aesthetic ideals and processes of objectification that underpin discriminatory dress codes in the workplace.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/71921/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Forcing women to wear high heels at work is discriminatory, but it will take more than the law to change dress codes.
Melissa Tyler, Professor in Work and Organisation Studies, University of Essex
Philip Hancock, Professor of Work and Organisation, University of Essex
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/67297
2016-12-22T03:47:47Z
2016-12-22T03:47:47Z
Should I worry if my child is pigeon-toed or duck-footed?
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/147700/original/image-20161128-22735-10hdkuj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">There are many treatments recommended for rotational deformities, but do they work and are they necessary? </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com.au</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Babies regularly have their feet, legs and hips checked by their doctor in hospital, or at maternal and child-health nurse visits. </p>
<p>As children grow, parents are often concerned about their feet pointing inwards when they walk (also called in-toe or pigeon-toed walking) or outwards (also called out-toe walking or duck-footed).</p>
<p>These walking positions, commonly called “rotational deformities”, often cause parents to seek the opinion of an orthopaedic surgeon, physiotherapist or podiatrist for more specialised assessment.</p>
<h2>Rotational deformities</h2>
<p>When the leg or foot faces inwards or outwards during walking, it may be from a number of typical changes in the leg or foot. </p>
<p>When a baby is born they often have bowed or curved legs. This is thought to be because of the position of the baby <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/fetal-development/art-20045997?pg=2">in the womb</a>. </p>
<p>This position can remain and seem more obvious when the child begins to walk. It may appear as if the feet face inwards. Sometimes children may appear to trip or fall over their own feet. </p>
<p>In-toe walking may come from a curved foot (metatarsus adductus) or an inwards twist in the leg bones (tibial or femoral torsion). </p>
<p>Similarly, out-toe walking may appear from the foot or leg. A foot that is very rolled in or “<a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/flatfeet/basics/causes/con-20023429">pronated</a>” may appear as if it is pointing outwards. A leg may also turn outwards from the leg bones or the hip. </p>
<p>The flexibility of a child’s joints or the way they use their muscles could also cause in-toeing or out-toeing. A twist in their bones is one possible contributing factor to in-toe or out-toe walking.</p>
<h2>Curved feet</h2>
<p>Metatarsus adductus is the most common foot deformity in infants. In metatarsus adductus, the foot has a curved or banana-shaped appearance. In <a href="http://journals.lww.com/pedorthopaedics/Abstract/1997/01000/Foot_Deformities_at_Birth__A_Longitudinal.7.aspx">95% of cases</a>, the foot corrects itself with no treatment. </p>
<p>In the past, it was recommended to put shoes on the wrong feet. This is no longer recommended as it may cause further foot deformity. </p>
<p><a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jpc.12219/full">Sometimes treatment is needed</a>. Plaster casting or splinting may be required to help the foot straighten if it doesn’t on its <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24248551">own</a>. </p>
<p>Parents should see a health professional if their child’s foot is curved, stiff and unable to be straightened, or isn’t straightening as their child gets older. </p>
<h2>Twisted shin bones</h2>
<p>Tibial torsion is where the lower leg or tibia turns in or outwards. An inward-turned tibia is common in children under the age of three. It usually straightens after this age and sometimes even slightly turns outward with no treatment. These changes occur in <a href="http://journals.lww.com/jpo-b/Abstract/2014/01000/Normative_reference_values_for_lower_limb_joint.3.aspx">children up to the age of eight</a>. </p>
<p>Health professionals will sometimes recommend children with in-toe walking wear a type of orthotic called gait plates. While gait plates may provide some cosmetic effect when worn, there is no evidence they will result in long-term change.</p>
<p>Parents should be cautious about claims these devices will fix in-toe walking. They need to consider if the expense is worth it for something that will naturally get better on its own. There is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22328828">no good evidence</a> stretches or footwear will change this type of walking.</p>
<h2>Turning inwards or outwards at the hip</h2>
<p>Femoral torsion is where the upper leg bone (femur) or hip is turned in or outwards. Children may appear to walk with their feet inwards or outward. It also looks like their knees point inwards or outwards. </p>
<p>The femur goes through <a href="http://journals.lww.com/jpo-b/Abstract/2014/01000/Normative_reference_values_for_lower_limb_joint.3.aspx">many changes up to the age of 12</a> and an inward turn at the hip is more commonly seen in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18383647">girls</a>. Rotational changes at the top of the leg are also a very normal part of growth.</p>
<p>Walking changes from the top of the leg and hip sometimes appear more common in children who frequently W-sit. This sitting position is with their bottom on the ground and legs folded outwards. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/147715/original/image-20161128-22732-qp6jmu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/147715/original/image-20161128-22732-qp6jmu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=627&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/147715/original/image-20161128-22732-qp6jmu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=627&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/147715/original/image-20161128-22732-qp6jmu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=627&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/147715/original/image-20161128-22732-qp6jmu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=788&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/147715/original/image-20161128-22732-qp6jmu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=788&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/147715/original/image-20161128-22732-qp6jmu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=788&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">W-sitting isn’t necessarily harmful, but can affect a child’s walking.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author Provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There is no research proving sitting like this is harmful, but therapists often observe hip muscle tightness in children who sit this way and it may affect the child’s walking. As harm is unknown, it might be best to get children to sit or play in other positions. </p>
<p>There are no shoes, orthotics, garments, taping or stretches that have evidence supporting them being used to change walking associated with these rotational changes. Parents should seek medical attention quickly if there is pain at the hip or pain extends into the groin while walking at any age.</p>
<p>Children walk in-toe and out-toe for many reasons. Parents should see a health professional if their child is tripping from their leg position when their child is school-aged, if one leg turns substantially more inwards or outwards than the other, seems longer or looks very different compared to the other. </p>
<p>For the majority of children, in-toe or out-toe walking is just part of growth.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/67297/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cylie Williams consults in private practice and for an education company providing paediatric podiatry education. In the past, Cylie has received funding from the Australian Podiatry Education and Research Foundation for research into children's gait.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Verity Pacey receives funding from The Menzies Foundation, Arthritis Australia, Osteogenesis Imperfecta Society of Australia, Rheumatology Health Professionals Association and The Ian Potter Foundation.</span></em></p>
For the majority of children, in-toe or out-toe walking is just part of growth.
Cylie Williams, Adjunct Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Monash University
Verity Pacey, Senior Physiotherapist, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, and Lecturer in Physiotherapy, Macquarie University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/69395
2016-12-05T19:06:48Z
2016-12-05T19:06:48Z
Listen up: running sounds contain clues for injury prevention
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/148187/original/image-20161130-16399-cspk3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Landing your feet quietly may help prevent running injuries. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/128271516@N07/15496931977/in/photolist-pBpPYn-pBouWY-doj3nq-oX3TRQ-pRJL4f-pwirCT-pRGecQ-pBrDEf-pBpDjB-pBnpqa-pBmnrT-pBpfbJ-oX37bG-pRJxPf-pwi3Ej-oX3rtE-pTLK8R-pBuBAj-pRFVt3-pTY4zA-pRJLDd-pRGx6q-pBpi3q-pTP1z8-pRH8zL-oX3GFT-pBsW8d-pBpR6x-pBoy8t-pTMyA6-oX5Rbe-pTW2xy-pBocwZ-pTBQ8V-oX37eM-pRHYXU-pBrpAd-pTCevM-oX2Cwd-pBuFPj-oX3exq-pNKekM-pZR693-pZXnAP-qhkot3-esqH4L-pZQ8f7-pTEk8p-pTXccw-pBnHcc">Franck AUDEBRAND/flickr </a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The number of Australians who run for exercise has <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/lookup/4177.0Media%20Release12011-12">doubled since the mid-2000s</a>. Preventing and managing injuries are common concerns, and can present an ongoing health burden and high cost if not addressed appropriately. </p>
<p>But what if listening to the sound of running could help prevent injuries?</p>
<p>We recently conducted the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2016.1227466">first study</a> to relate running technique with the sound of feet hitting the ground. Listening could prove a simple and effective feedback mechanism for runners, coaches and clinicians to understand how runners land their feet and the potential for certain injuries. </p>
<h2>Your running injury comes from your running style</h2>
<p>Running is most commonly associated with two areas of injury: the knee and the ankle. These two locations account for <a href="bjsm.bmj.com/content/41/8/469">around two thirds</a> of running related lower limb injuries. </p>
<p>The location and type of injury a runner is most at risk of enduring <a href="http://www.runresearchjunkie.com/foot-strike-pattern-and-injury-rates/">appears to be linked</a> with their <a href="http://www.smexe.com.br/artigos/forefoot-strikers-exhibit-lower-running-induced-knee-loading-than-rearfoot-strikers/">foot strike technique</a>, that is, which part of their foot hits the ground first as they stride. A rearfoot strike is the most <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17685722">common running technique</a>, and involves initial ground contact made by the heel. This style of running is associated with knee injuries. A forefoot strike, where the initial contact is made by the ball of the foot, is associated with injuries to the ankle (such as Achilles tendonitis). </p>
<p>Knowing how you run is not straight-forward. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4886803/">recent study</a> suggests that more than 50% of people are unable to correctly identify their own running technique. </p>
<h2>Cinematic techniques to record running style</h2>
<p>We investigated whether the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2016.1227466">sounds of foot strike</a> relate to foot strike technique, and if these are linked to impact forces on the body. </p>
<p>A highly sensitive microphone was used to measure the sound of the foot contacting the ground.</p>
<p><audio preload="metadata" controls="controls" data-duration="3" data-image="" data-title="Rearfoot strike running sounds." data-size="32124" data-source="Leo Ng" data-source-url="" data-license="Author provided" data-license-url="">
<source src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/601/rfs-1-4.m4a" type="audio/mp4">
</audio>
<div class="audio-player-caption">
Rearfoot strike running sounds.
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leo Ng</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span><span class="download"><span>31.4 KB</span> <a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/601/rfs-1-4.m4a">(download)</a></span></span>
</div></p>
<p><audio preload="metadata" controls="controls" data-duration="3" data-image="" data-title="Forefoot strike running sounds." data-size="33207" data-source="Leo Ng" data-source-url="" data-license="Author provided" data-license-url="">
<source src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/602/ffs-3-1.m4a" type="audio/mp4">
</audio>
<div class="audio-player-caption">
Forefoot strike running sounds.
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leo Ng</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span><span class="download"><span>32.4 KB</span> <a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/602/ffs-3-1.m4a">(download)</a></span></span>
</div></p>
<p>We used an 18 camera three dimensional motion analysis system to capture running technique. The system was similar to that used to make the movie <a href="http://avatarblog.typepad.com/avatar-blog/2010/05/behind-the-scenes-look-at-the-motion-capture-technology-used-in-avatar.html">Avatar</a>: it creates a stick figure of the person running, then accurately calculates the angles of the ankle, knee and hip joints. Force plates were also used to measure how much impact the runners exerted on the ground. This is illustrated by the red arrow which extends upwards into the body as the foot lands on the grey plate in the video below. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FBlslJ8sOaA?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Force is transferred from the foot to the body during running.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Changing from a noisy to a quiet runner</h2>
<p>We found that when runners were asked to run “quietly”, the sound of their foot impacting the ground was reduced, which was not surprising. However, the maximum forces exerted on the ground, and how quickly these forces were absorbed by the runners (loading rate), were also reduced in quiet running. Runners may be at <a href="http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/14/887">greater risk</a> of injuries such as shin splints if forces are absorbed too quickly. It is therefore possible that running “quietly” may reduce your risk of shin splints. </p>
<p>Interestingly, while individual runners were able to reduce their forces by running quietly, across all data there was no overall link between the sound of running and peak forces or force absorption rate. This means that “loud” runners are not necessarily at greater risk of injury than “quiet” runners. However, it does suggest that at an individual level and regardless of your running style, if you aim to lower the sound of your running you may reduce your risk of injury.</p>
<p>Perhaps the most surprising result of the study was that more than three quarters of the runners changed their running foot strike when they were asked to run “quietly”. When running “normally”, around 85% of runners in our study used a rearfoot strike technique, but when asked to run “quietly” the majority of these changed to a midfoot or forefoot strike. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=458&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=458&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=458&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=575&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=575&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/148221/original/image-20161201-17795-64xjkp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=575&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sound waves from runners landing with forefoot and rearfoot strike techniques.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leo Ng</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How can I run to avoid injury?</h2>
<p>There are two ways this study may prove useful to the amateur runner. Firstly, runners wishing to reduce the forces going through their joints may be able to achieve this simply by reducing the sound of their foot strike. Secondly, runners who have been professionally advised to change their running foot strike technique may be able to use the sound of their landing as a feedback mechanism. </p>
<p>However, it must be noted that previous research has not shown any <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24500531">mechanical</a> or <a href="http://jap.physiology.org/content/115/2/194">performance</a> advantage of one foot strike technique over the other. There are also no apparent differences in the <a href="http://www.runresearchjunkie.com/foot-strike-pattern-and-injury-rates/">rates of occurrence of injury</a> between the two techniques: it is purely the injury location that changes due to varied force distribution. </p>
<p>Ours is the first research to indicate a relationship between sound, running technique and forces. While it has answered some questions, it has raised many more. For example, we’re interested in whether the sound of running varies between different footwear, and what the effect of speed, gender and running surface are on the sound of running. Further research is needed to answer these questions.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/69395/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Do you land on your heel or forefoot when running? Listening to your technique might give you a clue and reduce your chances of injury.
Leo Ng, Senior Lecturer (Physiotherapy), Curtin University
Sarah Stearne, Lecturer, Curtin University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/42982
2015-07-08T09:52:19Z
2015-07-08T09:52:19Z
Are your beach feet ready?
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/84738/original/image-20150611-11406-11t17x1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Best foot forward.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-143175415/stock-photo-beautiful-female-a-foot-and-a-heel-on-a-white-background.html?src=2XWLhfzNPE1sC29UnYpDmA-1-0">Pieds by Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The summer sun sees us strip off. And from a podiatrist’s perspective, that’s means the arrival of new footwear, as people ditch boots and trainers for sandals and flip flops. For the past several months, our feet have been hidden away, and in some cases, neglected, but now, most of us want our feet looking and feeling good for summer. </p>
<p>So as an expert in feet, here are my top tips for things you can do to get your feet ready for the summer. </p>
<h2>General foot care</h2>
<p>When it comes to toe nails, cut straight across – avoid cutting down the sides of the nails as you run the risk of an ingrowing toe nail. </p>
<p>During the winter months our feet can become dry, cracked and form hard skin called callus. A useful approach to combat this is to soak your feet in warm water for about ten minutes and then use a pumice stone or foot file to lightly take the dry skin off. This should be followed by a moisturiser cream applied daily. For those who have particularly dry and callus feet, a cream with the ingredient urea (which can hydrate and regenerate the skin, soothe irritations and soften the top layer of the skin) can be very useful. </p>
<p>If your feet are very dry, you may wish to put on a pair of socks after the application of the cream to increase absorbency. And if you do suffer with callus that is not responding to self-care, or you have corns – concentrated hard areas of skin that occur on the joints of the toes or on the bottom of your forefoot – then you will need to see a registered podiatrist.</p>
<p>If your feet are dry, with a scaly-type of rash or the skin is itchy you may have Athlete’s foot which is a fungal infection. Likewise, if you have thickened and discoloured nails that crumble on cutting, it may also be due to a fungal infection known as onychomycosis. While it is tempting to cover them up with nail varnish don’t – this will only make the problem worse. Again a registered podiatrist can help and there are a number of over-the-counter fungal topical products that a pharmacist can advise you about. </p>
<h2>Summer footwear</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/86975/original/image-20150701-31882-14whutk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/86975/original/image-20150701-31882-14whutk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/86975/original/image-20150701-31882-14whutk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/86975/original/image-20150701-31882-14whutk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/86975/original/image-20150701-31882-14whutk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/86975/original/image-20150701-31882-14whutk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/86975/original/image-20150701-31882-14whutk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Flip-flopping footwear.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/easymakesmehappy/5638202204/in/photolist-9Aeg5Q-5dU9h8-5dYoj7-9AegkW-bVcpa1-daZiKy-2dVNHL-9kXrff-5dU9yn-6zXUXs-4tRiYV-4Ew9Ca-8C9FAU-2j22Pj-6ng116-9Abjvv-P2KLM-9Abjr2-P2frS-2uwEpG-4oiPWL-eHqHDo-4VESWy-5dU2RK-9Abj4Z-5dU2j8-55KKMZ-8vAfRk-FvV95-9Abh9t-73irWq-8iHycV-48s4XX-eRPkFi-7oXuau-axqNv9-7PAZQx-4EwaqK-g23jV-7CAbuT-bAhHuS-babBbr-6bpdtR-nDzmK6-nGZBg-aonKPK-5xLYZQ-7CE2o3-PvEYa-7EEiRH">Tara</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The less-is-more approach to footwear in the summer has many of us donning sandals and flip flops, the latter of which in particular offers minimal protection and support to the foot and lower limb. Changes to footwear styles and an increase in activity – summer walks in parks and along the beach, for example – can increase the chance of injury to the foot. In the case of flip flops, the separator between the first and second toes can cause all of the toes to claw (curl) during “toe-off” as we walk to keep the flip flop on, since there is little support across the top of the foot. This can increase the stress and forces within the forefoot area and for some individuals, the separator between the first and second toes can cause irritation of the skin resulting in blistering during the early stages of wear. </p>
<p>We advise that individuals stage the use of less supportive footwear such as flip flops and sandals with more supportive footwear – trainers, lace ups. </p>
<p>In addition, where possible, for those who wear sandals, it is advised that a style which incorporates a strap mechanism across the top of the foot be worn. By adopting a staged approach to summer footwear, it can allow the feet to adapt and minimise the risk of problems that could occur within your foot, ankle and lower limb – this can include forefoot pain, heel pain (tendinitis), fractures, strains and sprains. </p>
<p>It is important to note that if you have poor circulation, diabetes and/or a loss of sensation of your feet (neuropathy) you will need to be extra cautious. Remember, everyone needs to protect and care for their feet – looks are important, but pain-free walking in the summer sun is even more essential.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/42982/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sarah Curran does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
If you’re thinking about getting your thongs out – no, not your bikini – then here’s the best way to make sure your feet are at their best.
Sarah Curran, Reader of Podiatry, Cardiff Metropolitan University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/42203
2015-05-21T17:41:36Z
2015-05-21T17:41:36Z
Cannes tries to bring women to heel – but high shoes are a menace to the body
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82557/original/image-20150521-989-urntfn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">High heel parkour.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-202758577/stock-photo-woman-wearing-black-leather-pants-and-red-high-heel-shoes-in-old-town.html?src=5qTF1AJjJ9dGK5IDx-VN-g-1-0">Heels by Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Cannes festival organisers recently sparked controversy after a group of women, some of whom had medical conditions, was reportedly turned away from a gala screening <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/may/19/cannes-backlash-high-heels-emily-blunt-flat-shoes">for failing to wear high-heeled shoes</a>. While it is unclear what the fashion police had the most problem with, the lack of heels or the idea of flat shoes with rhinestones, the incident does raise some important questions about wearing footwear that isn’t very good for you.</p>
<p>Wearing high shoes regularly and for long periods of time can change the way you walk and lead to long-term bone and joint problems. Not to mention the usual problems that come with corns <a href="http://www.patient.co.uk/health/bunions">and bunions</a> that come with toes rubbing or being pushed into particular positions (“hammertoe” anyone?). </p>
<h2>What happens when you wear heels</h2>
<p>The first thing that most women will notice when they put on a pair of high heeled shoes is that their body weight is shifted forward, away from the heel towards the front of the foot. This shift has a profound effect on the functioning of the foot, making it more rigid and less to able to absorb the shock associated with ground contact. The shift also increases the likelihood of pressure ulcers forming under the ball of the foot.</p>
<p>These ulcers can be very dangerous for people who suffer with diabetes as, if left untreated, can lead to serious foot complications, and in some cases foot amputation. One of the women turned away in Cannes was wearing flat shoes because <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/cannes-festival/emily-blunt-cannes-heel-row/">part of her left foot had been amputated</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82561/original/image-20150521-1020-33lobi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82561/original/image-20150521-1020-33lobi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82561/original/image-20150521-1020-33lobi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82561/original/image-20150521-1020-33lobi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82561/original/image-20150521-1020-33lobi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82561/original/image-20150521-1020-33lobi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82561/original/image-20150521-1020-33lobi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Toes for balance.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/pulguita/2681824287/in/photolist-55Z3VM-F2c8D-F2cms-F2cd9-F2ckE-F2caA-F2bY2-F2c6L-F2cff-db5S8-8g1gy6-6tVqDJ-mgJyBJ-d5k9Th-mgJyXJ-hjNBDx-mgJzqY-4AGKEW-edDaA-qhhvN-qhhrq-fUPv32-Jf1Y2-8m5GMY-a8fH1d-8g1gok-5cCm2v-JdAKt-8g1gJ8-5zDzcC-8g4wkh-8g1fLP-8g1hcF-8g4w7s-8g4x19-8g1hnk-8g4x9W-5JaWSk-F2cdx-F2cpN-6sp6YL-5pK2kA-qhhyq-qhhtY-eA3cdK-cjuD9o-cjuA8Q-Ajd9W-dGf14b-hu1eqL">Paula Rey</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When we walk we use our big toes for balance in order to stop us falling forwards. The big toe becomes even more important in high heel when there is an increase in the load over the forefoot. This means that anyone without a functioning big toe would put themselves at high risk of a fall if they tried to walk in high heels.</p>
<p>As well as increasing the likelihood of a fall or an ankle sprain, habitual wearing of high heels can lead to long term adaptations in the muscles and tendons around the ankle joint. For example, women who regularly wear high heels <a href="http://jeb.biologists.org/content/213/15/2582">can expect</a> shortened calf muscles, a stiffer Achilles tendon and reduced ankle flexibility. These changes will result in a less efficient walking pattern that then leads to problems when they change to flat shoes, especially if they participate in sports.</p>
<h2>Lower back issues</h2>
<p>Human walking is a fine balancing act in which we have to maintain our centre of gravity within relatively tight constraints to avoid falling and keep moving forward. So relatively small changes in the position of our foot can have consequences all the way up the body. Typical effects higher up include an increase in the <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3206568/">curvature of the lower back</a>, a change in the way the pelvis moves, or an increased backward lean. All these changes have the potential to over-strain the low back and possibly lead to back pain.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82576/original/image-20150521-982-1ovpfov.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/82576/original/image-20150521-982-1ovpfov.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82576/original/image-20150521-982-1ovpfov.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82576/original/image-20150521-982-1ovpfov.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82576/original/image-20150521-982-1ovpfov.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1006&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82576/original/image-20150521-982-1ovpfov.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1006&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/82576/original/image-20150521-982-1ovpfov.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1006&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bunion foot.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Many women will find themselves feeling tired after prolonged periods of wearing high heels shoes. This is partly because high heels put the body into an awkward position and, as a result, our muscles have to work harder to move us forward. </p>
<p>This has been proved scientifically <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0037390">using EMG-based studies</a> which have shown that the low back, knee, hip, calf and foot muscles all have to work harder with a high heeled shoe.</p>
<p>Is the answer to wear flat shoes? Well probably, but we still have to be careful. Many women’s flat shoes have a pointed toe box, the front part of the shoe, which is not really big enough to accommodate the foot. </p>
<p>The main effect of this is that the big toe is forced outwards and this can restrict the motion of the toes and lead to toe deformity and bunions. Not surprisingly, <a href="http://beapartoftheshift.com/?p=791">more than 90% of operations</a> performed to correct these problems are carried out on women. </p>
<p>So, even if you do decide to opt for flat shoes, make sure you consider how well the shoes fit you feet.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/42203/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Steve Preece does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
High heeled shoes may lift you up and look fabulous, but your body tells a different story.
Steve Preece, Research Fellow, University of Salford
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.