While it may seem a bit far-fetched, given the distance from your feet to other areas of your body, your foot health can without a doubt be an indication of your overall health.

For example, signs of stiffness may indicate arthritis, if you are experiencing tingling and/or numbness it could be a sign of diabetes and even swelling can indicate kidney problems, heart disease or high blood pressure.

Unhealthy foot conditions can also affect your knee, hip and back functions. For example, abnormal foot function can, and does, lead to knee pain. Excessive flattening of the feet causes the knee to turn unnaturally inward, causing the knee to be in a nearly constant abnormal state – leading to pain. Similarly, a foot that is continuously out of alignment will cause problems with the hips and back as well. Incorrect walking patterns can only make the condition worse.

While a small percent of the population are born with foot problems, most are preventable with proper foot care. Avoidance, neglect and even lack of awareness of proper foot care are what lead to problems, on the other hand, with proper foot care, you will experience increased mobility, reduce joint pain and enjoy a higher quality of life overall.

Your feet contain one-fourth of all of the bones in your body and if you stop to think about it, you’ll realize they take quite a beating. It’s really not a stretch to think that your feet can, and do affect your health. If you find that you are experiencing stiffness, swelling, trouble walking or other joint problems, the answer could lie in your feet. The first step? See your Edmonton podiatrist. Not only can they take care of your foot ailments, they can tell by the condition of your feet if there are any other serious health problems on the horizon.