Here at Uufey we believe the feet are the unsung heroes of our body. Being one of the most overworked but under-appreciated parts of the body, our feet are often taken granted. Here are some fun — and unusual — facts about feet.

1. Nearly 1/4 of all bones in our bodies are in our feet.

And what’s more – when these bones are out of alignment, the rest of the body is. Your foot posture determines how effectively your weight is distributed, and if unheeded can open the door to pain and discomfort in later life – which is why it’s so important to foster good posture and wear the right size shoes.

2. When standing and walking, the sole of your foot is the only part of your body in touch with the ground.

3. Only a small percentage of the population is born with foot problems.

Ill-fitting shoes and lack of proper foot care are normally the cause of most common foot problems.

4. The average person walks approximately 10,000 miles in a lifetime and 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. 

5. We have a whopping 8000 nerve endings in our feet.

All those nerve endings mean our soles are prime targets for tickling. Having ticklish feet is a sign of good health, as reduced sensitivity may indicate peripheral neuropathy (numbness in the feet caused by nerve damage).

6. Elvis foot’ or ‘Elvis legs’ is climbing jargon for when a climber’s foot trembles on the rock due to fatigue or panic.

7. During a typical day, your feet absorb the collective load of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

On average, your feet absorb a total force of 26,000 pounds. All the more reason to support your feet properly throughout the day! Click here to get our foot care kit.

8. The skin on the soles of our feet is much thicker than any skin in our body.

9. Did you know that when you’re walking, your toes are in touch with the ground around 75% of the time?

When the big toe makes contact with the ground, it signals to the body you are balanced and as you leave the floor, the big toe helps you spring off the floor. The big toes are the prime movers of your entire feet! The nerve endings in your toes help your feet to maintain balance and bear the weight of your body when you walk – without toes the entire mechanism of foot movement would fall apart.

10. When it comes to flirtation, our feet can reveal our true feelings.

According to research compiled on behalf of shoemakers Jeffery West, a woman who is feeling flirtatious will position their feet out and away from her body. If she’s not feeling the chemistry, she’ll cross her legs or tuck her feet beneath her. Interestingly, the same phenomenon wasn’t observed in men.

11. Did you know our feet can continue to grow as we age?

Even though your feet will generally settle at around age 20, their shape and size will continue to change over the rest of your life. Once you hit 40, your feet grow by as much as half a shoe size every 10 years! The reason for this is because feet flatten and elongate as we get older.

12. Over half of us wear the wrong shoe size.

For men in particular it could be as high as 80 percent! We’ve seen what damage the wrong shoe size can bring, so it’s really important to get your feet measured, and figure out what size works for you – including half sizes, which are often overlooked.

13. According to research from Washington University in St. Louis, humans started wearing shoes as early as 40,000 years ago.

Analysing foot bones from Neanderthals and early humans, Researcher Erik Trinkaus identified a point in human history where the size of toe bones began to shrink. Combining this data with knowledge of how shoes change the way people walk, it was reasoned that smaller toe bones meant people had started wearing shoes.

14. A person weighs more walking than standing.

Walking is dead weight plus push energy, which adds about 30 per cent to standing weight.

15. The Fear of Feet is Podophobia.

16. The first shoes date back to 3,500 BC.

Located in an Armenian cave, this old leather shoe somewhat resembles a modern shoe.

17. The bones of children are softer than those of adults and can be more easily harmed by ill-fitting shoes or socks.

Fast growing feet need to be professionally measured every three months.

18. On average, women experience about four times as many foot-related problems as men.

Heels are generally regarded as the culprit, because of the extreme strain they add to the arch and the unnatural pressure they place on the toe box. Swap the heels for a healthier alternative today.

19. Each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints and a network of more than 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments.

20. Did you know standing still is far more tiring than walking?

This is because you only use a few muscles when you’re still, whereas walking distributes the burden of movement over many more muscles and increases circulation.

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10 Tips For Plantar Fasciitis Relief: Home Remedies to Treat and Prevent Pain

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar Fasciitis is a dull to severe pain in your heel caused by a strain and inflammation of your plantar fascia, aka “foot tissue”. This particular tissue is a ligament attached at one side to the heel bone. At the other side, the tissue fans out to attach at the base of each of your five toes. Plantar Fasciitis is a condition that develops when that tissue becomes inflamed, and often occurs for runners and people who have flat feet, high arches, are overweight, or who are on their feet a lot. When the plantar fascia is excessively stretched, micro-tears can occur, causing this swelling and subsequent pain.

It can usually take between 6-12 months for your foot to get back to normal. To help speed up the recovery process, you can do these things at home to help  ease the pain:

1. Rest: Switching devices off before 10pm and getting adequate sleep (between 8-10 hours a night) is important to keep weight off your foot until inflammation decreases.

2. Ice: This is an easy way to treat inflammation, and there are a few ways you can use it. To make an ice pack, wrap a towel around a plastic bag filled with crushed ice or around a package of frozen corn or peas. Put it on your heel 3 to 4 times a day for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.

3. Pain relievers: Did you know the herbs in your kitchen can help to reduce inflammation? Natural painkillers such as turmeric, ginger and lavender can ease the pain of plantar fasciitis. Certain nutrients have also been proposed to help build strong tendons and ligaments by being building blocks for proteins and the immune system. These include magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), and fish oils with omega-3 fatty acids.

4. Stretching and exercise: Stretch your calves, Achilles tendon, and the bottom of your foot. Do exercises that make your lower leg and foot muscles stronger. This can help stabilise your ankle, ease pain, and keep plantar fasciitis from coming back.

5. Athletic tape: Tape can support your foot and keep you from moving it in a way that makes plantar fasciitis worse.

6. Shoe inserts: Also called insoles, arch supports, or orthotics, they can give you extra cushion and added support. You can get them over-the-counter (OTC) or have them custom made. Typically, your results will be just as good, and cheaper, with OTC inserts. When you choose one, firmer is better — and make sure it has good arch support.

7. Spikey Ball: For optimum pain relief, the Plantar Fascia Massage Ball facilitates a deep tissue massage by rolling away those deep muscle knots. Its ergonomic design helps increase blood circulation in the heel and arch area, soothing sore muscles and relieving foot pain.

It is recommended to use the spikey ball when you wake up first thing in the morning. Swivel round and place the ball on the floor under your affected heel and roll the ball under your heel and from your toes to your heel, for 1-2 minutes to get a stretch of the plantar fascia. Then stand onto the ball and roll it under your body weight for 1-2 minutes before getting on with your day. Do the same after getting up from a chair and before going to bed at night.

8. Weight Loss: Losing excess weight can really help reduce the stresses on the plantar fascia. Exercises that improve heart rate such as cycling, swimming and pilates can help with both prevention and management of plantar fasciitis.

9. Physiotherapy: Physiotherapy is extremely important to treat plantar fasciitis. Exercises to stretch any tight heel cords (which must be with a straight knee), as well as work on your core-stability, and assessment of your walking and running patterns are really essential in the treatment of plantar fasciitis to get you back to walking and running pain-free.

10. Plantar fasciitis foot arch support sleeves provide fast relief of pain and provide instant arch support that will help with heel pain. They also feature gradual compression, compressing the plantar fascia ligament and relieving pain. The orthotics feature Shock Guard Technology for immediate and all-day relief from plantar fasciitis and the full-length insole cushions protect the entire foot.

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