The Good Foot Book: A Guide for Men, Women, Children, Athletes, Seniors - Everyone

Great book for those of us that have feet that need pampering. Thanks to this book, I have learned to walk all over again and do massage therapy on my feet to help them recover from the normal abuse. Highly recommend it

Following is a sketch of the information presented: THEMES: -prevention -excess damage caused by running/exercising "through the pain." -injury from improperly fitting shoes, including higher heels. -diagnosis/misdiagnosis. -special precautions for diabetics. -thorough explanation of malfunctions - often it's biomechanical faults -effectiveness/ineffectiveness vs. risk, for treatments, drugs. -orthotics helping with ~51 foot problems. -running shoes (meeting ~10 criteria) best for walking. -hazards of cutting one's own feet - "bathroom surgery." -surgery as last resort. ANATOMY...19 illustrations of bones, joints, veins, pronation, bunion, corn, callus, heel, knee... Forefoot: from the tips of the toes to the base of the long metatarsal bones, ball of foot. Midfoot: cuneiform, cuboid and navicular bones, arch. Rearfoot, talus (ankle) and the calcaneus (heel) bones. BIOMECHANICS...: In biomechanical fault, an abnormal amount of weight is supported by a smaller part of foot instead of distributed across the foot. Foot naturally pronates (rolls from the outside of the heel forward, then toward the inside of the foot) when the foot is taking and bearing weight...abnormal pronation may cause most foot problems. Foot naturally supinates (rolls toward the outside of the foot) as the weight is being transferred to the other foot. BUNIONS...: A bunion is a turning inward of the great toe joint resulting from abnormal forces from a biomechanical foot fault. There will be wear and tear in the cartilage of the big toe joint. HAMMER TOES AND CORNS: A corn is a protrusion on the top or side of a toe, which has developed because of the formation of a hammertoe (toe pointing downward) condition which was caused by a biomechanical fault. Improperly fitting shoes cause/aggravate the corn. CALLUSES AND WARTS: Calluses are...a buildup of thick skin to protect a part of the body that is subject to undue stress. Warts have blackish pin dots (papillae) and are caused by a papilloma or verruca virus. There are no roots. PLANTAR FASCIITIS: The plantar fasciae are attached to the heel bone and to the five metatarsal bones in the forefoot. They support the longitudinal arch, and they also help prevent overpronation which can overstretch the fasciae so that they commence pulling the lining from the bone - periostitis. Cortisone and anti-inflammatories bring side effects and limited relief. Ultrasound and icing help a little. Prescription orthotics in running shoes comprise best treatment. PainTheory1-Bone lining partially reattaches overnight, then tears away again upon rising. PainTheory2-Fasciae contract overnight, then cause pain upon rising, until they're stretched. HEEL SPURS: HS are ridges, not spurs (as appearing on x-ray), and, being bone, they are not painful, but constitute a response to periostitis pain. When the plantar fasciae pull hard ... where they are attached to the heel bone, the bone eventually begins to grow in the direction of the pull, in