For simplicity at Doctor Greene’s, we consider the foot or feet to include all structures from the ankle (lower shin) to the tip of the toes.

The foot is a structure of considerable complexity. It has 30 individual bones, which move through 33 joints, powered by numerous muscle-tendon units, that enable us to stand and walk.

As we take a step, each foot changes its internal structural relations, to first accept the weight of our body and then propel it forward.

Our feet have four roles:

Upright standing: our feet create a stable platform for us to stand upright.
Locomotion: our feet enable us to walk, run, jump and move in all sorts of ways.
Feeling & balance: our feet continuously sense and relay information about the terrain, so that we can adjust our body position accordingly.
Adornment & decoration: we express ourselves through our shoes; nails, tattoo art and jewellery.


Millions of steps in a lifetime

For the average adult, 2000 steps equates to a mile or 1.6km. On average, we walk 3,000-4,000 steps (1.5 to 2 miles or 2.4km to 3.2km) a day, which adds up to over 1.5 million steps per year!

When we stand still, our feet carry the weight of our body. When we walk, the force bearing down on our feet can increase to 1.5 times our body weight, which rises to as much as 3 times our body weight when we run.

This helps us to understand how much stress is placed on our feet if we do manage to complete the recommended 10,000 steps a day.



Your feet are unique to you

No two people place the same demand on their feet and no one’s feet react and behave in the exact same way as those of another person.

The size, shape, function, health and resilience of your feet is unique to you. All these factors are inherited. We can even inherit tendency to a particular ailment, for example bunions,.



Why foot mechanics matter

Think of your feet like the wheels on a bike or motorcar. They are one important part of a bigger machine, made up of multiple interdependent components. As tyre pressure and wheel tracking matter, so do the alignment of your back, hips and knees when it comes to the mechanics of the foot.

We service our bike or car, changing tyres that are worn and recalibrating the tracking and breaks. We need to think of our feet in exactly the same way.

The load we place on our feet matters, as does the footwear we choose. Caring for our feet means being aware of them, protecting them at all times, listening and noticing when they complain, and intervening early to prevent further injury.