When your feet hurt, you hurt all over because your feet are the base of your entire bone structure. Foot problems can cause pain in your knees and back and can lead to overall discomfort when standing or walking. Your feet do alot of hard work and take alot of punishment. The foot is a very complex part of your body. Your foot has 26 separate bones held in position by dozens of ligaments, tendons, and muscles. These bones and muscles form flexible arches that support the weight of your body. As you raise your foot to take a step, joints lock so that you have leverage to push your body forward. when you lower your foot to the ground, the joints unlock. This locking and unlocking of joints allows you to walk on any surface, whether it be a sandy beach, golf course or concrete footpaths. The foot is an amazing shock absorber, it protects the rest of the body from shock every time you take a step.

Fact: The average person takes 5000 to 8000 steps a day.

Your feet are the base of your entire support structure and your posture starts at your feet! If your feet don't hit the ground correctly your ankles, legs, knees, hips and back have to compensate. This affects the alignment of your body and can lead to aches and pains in much the same way as a poor wheel alignment can cause your car to grate and grind. One of the most common causes of foot and leg discomfort is a condition known as excess pronation. Normal pronation or 'rolling inward' of the foot is necessary as the foot adapts to the ground. With excess pronation however, the arch flattens abnormally or 'collapses', and soft tissues stretch. This causes the joint surfaces to function at unnatural angles to each other. The joints that should be stable become loose and too flexible. At first, excess pronation may cause fatigue of the feet and legs. As the problem gets worse, strain on the muscles, tendons and ligaments can cause permanent problems and deformities.