Don't live with foot pain
13 October 2002
More than 60 per cent of Australians have suffered foot pain in their lifetime, over two-thirds of those in the past 12 months. Yet only 2 out of 5 people who suffered foot pain in the past 12 months sought professional treatment, according to research released by the Australasian Podiatry Council recently.
In their lifetime the average person will walk 128,000 kilometres — the equivalent of 3 times around the world, so it’s not surprising that so many people have sore feet, according to president of the Australasian Podiatry Council Kevan Wright.
‘Our feet are very complex structurally. They have 52 bones, which account for a quarter of all the bones in our bodies, as well as a network of muscles, ligaments and joints, and as there are over 200 identified foot conditions, they really do require expert treatment,’ he said.
There are many causes of foot pain, some of them serious, according to Mr Wright. For example foot pain can be a sign of systemic disease. Twenty per cent of rheumatoid arthritis cases and 35 per cent of stress fractures involve the feet. Stress fractures in the feet, particularly in the elderly, are associated with osteoporosis, and foot pain in older people is associated with falls, which can lead to serious injury.
The research, which surveyed 1200 people nationally, revealed that the older a person was the more likely he or she was to have experienced foot pain. Within the past 12 months more than half of people aged 50 and over had experienced foot pain as compared to 35 per cent of people aged 18 to 24.
‘People are living with foot pain on a day to day basis. At the time of the survey, 30 per cent of people had experienced foot pain within the past week. If your feet are killing you, you should see a podiatrist,’ Mr Wright said.
Last Reviewed: 11 October 2002
