We do not give them the attention they deserve - until they hurt.
During a typical day, a person spends about four hours on their feet and takes between 8,000 and 10,000 steps.
The foot contains 26 bones and 33 joints, with over 100 muscles, ligaments and tendons. And here's something few realise - a quarter of all the bones in the human body are in your feet.
They support your body weight, act as a shock absorber, help to maintain balance and serve as a lever to propel the leg forward.
However, neglect and poor footwear choices can bring on a host of problems ranging from heel pain to corns and calluses.
A 2006 survey conducted by the American Podiatric Medical Association found that more than half of the respondents (53 per cent) with foot ailments had pain so severe that it hampered their daily activities.
Podiatrists who spoke to Mind Your Body said that one of the most common foot problems they encounter in Singapore is heel pain.
"Most people will complain of pain at the bottom of the heel which is worst upon rising in the morning or after a period of sitting," said Ms Malia Ho, podiatrist at the Singapore Sports Medicine Centre.
The pain, which ranges from a dull ache to a sharp shooting pain, usually improves after starting activity, but returns the next day, she explained.
This results from injury to the band of tissue (plantar fascia) that connects the heel and the ball of the foot which can be caused by inappropriate footwear, such as shoes with little cushion on hard surfaces, standing for long hours or your foot structure.
Asian feet tend to be more prone to such heel pain because we have genetically flatter feet, observed Ms Helen Crawford of the Osteopathy and Podiatry Centre.
When feet are flat, they roll inwards excessively, causing the arch to collapse and the plantar fascia to overstretch.
You could avoid such pain by determining your foot type and matching that to your shoes, said Ms Ho. A podiatrist will also be able to prescribe activity modifications, footwear changes or advise you on foot exercises and massages.
Yet another common occurence here is toe pain, caused by bunions. This refers to an enlargement of bone or tissue around the joint at the base of the big toe. As the bump gets bigger, it causes the big toe to turn towards the second toe.
Mr Adriaan Erasmus, principal podiatrist at the National University Hospital's rehabilation centre, said that this arises from narrow-fitting footwear, high heels as well as genetics.
The Podiatry Centre's Mr Tye Lee Tze added that the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society reported the annual cost of foot ailments in the United States is US$3.5 billion (S$5.3 billion) with the main culprit being unsuitable fashion shoes. However, he has not come across any such statistic for Singapore.
"A big step in the right direction is not to wear unsuitable footwear such as high heels and shoes with pointed toes. These are the main causes of foot and ankle pain and deformity," said Mr Tye.
Other problems caused by such shoes include corns and calluses which could be equally painful.
"Corns are hard and dry and are like little stones stuck to the feet," explained Tan Tock Seng Hospital's senior podiatrist Melissa Phua.
Once they have developed, it is very unlikely that they will go away completely. Management is usually focused on pain relief rather than permanent cure, she added.
Proper removal of the corn and moisturising the skin can help. Wearing better cushioned shoes with certain modifications made by podiatrists is also a step in the right direction.
Ms Phua is also seeing an increasing number of patients with sports-related foot injuries here.
Achilles tendonitis, the inflammation of the tendon that connects the leg muscles to your foot, is one of them.
"Many Singaporeans who play sports for recreation tend to get a pair of cross trainers and use them for all sporting activities. This could put them at a higher risk of injury," she said.
Apparently, one size does not fit all when it comes to sports shoes. She said that it is just as important to choose the right shoe for the right sport as it is for selecting one that will fit your foot's needs.
Do not buy shoes solely on colour, brand, price, or what your friend is buying, said Mr Tye.
"Be kind to your feet, they outnumber people two to one."
High heel horrors
Ready to slip into your favourite pair of stilettos for that Christmas party you have been invited to? Think again.
The maximum pressure under the forefoot can increase by 110 per cent from a flat shoe to a shoe with a 3-inch heel, said podiatrist Tye Lee Tze of The Podiatry Centre.
Aside from causing common foot problems such as heel pain, bunions and corns and calluses, high heels also place unnatural stress on other parts of the body.
They change the way the foot, ankle, leg, knee and back function, thereby overworking the joints and muscle groups.
Principal podiatrist Adriaan Erasmus at the National University Hospital's rehabilitation centre explained that high heels alter one's walking patterns by decreasing the stride length, resulting in higher forces that need to be absorbed with each step.
If these forces are higher than what the ankle, knee and hip joints can endure, injury and joint damage will occur.
When you put on a pair of high heels, you shift your centre of gravity. Your pelvis is thrust forward and because of this, you would need to hold your shoulders back to prevent yourself from falling over, said podiatrist Malia Ho, of the Singapore Sports Medicine Centre.
This means that the joints and muscles of the limb are subjected to uneven weight and pressure distribution, causing strain and increased wear and tear in the joint.
With the foot in the flexed position due to the extra height, the calf muscles are also constantly tense, increasing the force on the knees due to unnatural muscle function, said Mr Erasmus.
That is why the constant use of high heels is a bad idea. It predisposes the frequent wearer to osteoarthritis of the knees, where the cartilage in joints wears down over time, he added.
Podiatrists like Tan Tock Seng Hospital's Ms Melissa Phua also warned of lower back pain that could occur in the long run.
The height of the heel and the shift in the position of the centre of gravity decrease the stability of the wearer and place increased strain on the back as it tries to stabilise the trunk, she said. The wearer could then suffer from premature lower back pain.
Aside from the aches and pains high heels can give you, they are also unstable and more likely to lead to falls and ankle sprains. A heel height of more than 1 inch can double your risk of falling.
Still, Ms Helen Crawford of the Osteopathy and Podiatry Centre admits that it is unreasonable to ask women not to wear high heels at all. She said: "High heels are okay for short periods of time preferably without too much standing or walking involved."
This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times on Dec 11, 2008.
