The foot consists of some twenty-six bones laced together with many layers of ligaments, tendons, and muscles. A remarkable piece of engineering that functions as a stable structure when we stand on it, yet adapts to any kind of terrain as we walk. The foot is built to absorb shock. Like a suspension bridge, the arching bones of the foot distribute weight from the heel bones toward the toes. The sole is designed for protection, it is thicker than other skin, and beneath it lies a thick pad of fat and fibrous tissue known as the plantar fascia.

Though much has been said about the punishment feet taken the course of a lifetime, feet are healthier with vigorous use than without it. Healthier feet are an indispensable asset, equipment for a healthy life and the basis of physical as well as mental well being.

Unfortunately, four out of five adults have painful feet, and accept it as a fact of life. Some medical conditions such as obesity, poor circulation, arthritis, or diabetes can cause or intensify foot problems, and some common foot abnormalities, such as flat feet, are inherited, as are many idiosyncrasies of gait and stance.

At the same time, much of the everyday agony people experience stems from ill-fitting shoes, socks, and stockings, or from footgear is not appropriate to activity it is being used for. This kind of foot pain in his preventable.

Shopping tips:

• Asked to have both feet measured and always put your full weight on the foot being measured. Try the size that fits the larger foot. Remember, sizes indicate very little. Size 8.5 C in one brand may be a 9 B in another. Imported shoes are likely to run small.

• When testing new shoes, stand on one foot at a time. Wiggle your toes. Stand on tiptoes. The shoe should bend where your foot bends.

• Never buy a shoe with the idea of breaking it in. Your foot may alter any uncomfortable shoe, but the shoe will not.

• Make sure the widest part of your foot, the metatarsal joint, fits comfortably in the widest part of the shoe.

• Try to shop for shoes in the middle of a normal day, not early in the morning, since your feet swell as the day progresses. Wear the kind of socks or stockings that you intend to wear with the shoes.