My earliest awareness of my feet came as a toddler: walking barefoot in the yard I was attacked—bitten? stung?—by something venomous. The culprit remains anonymous. But the result was a trip to the ER, and swelling, pain, and itching that seemed to go on forever.

The long-term result is a life-long sensitivity to any insect venom. A sweat bee sting near my eyebrow causes my eye to swell shut and that side of my face to swell painfully. I’m especially prone to mosquito bites on my feet and ankles. For some, the itching lasts as little as a few minutes; mine itch for days. I end up taking OTC allergy meds such as Benadryl.

Painful Feet

Pain in my feet started early. In elementary school I dropped a ten-gallon bucket, the bottom rim falling across my big toes. Thereafter I suffered ingrown toenails until well into adulthood when I had them surgically treated. Recently, I’ve noticed an in-growing tendency again. More surgery in my future?

It turns out I’m far from alone here. A recent survey of podiatrists reported that 88.6% performed nail surgery, mostly (54.3%) fewer than five a month. Indeed, ingrown toenails account for about 20% of foot problems.

My most recent foot problem is arthritis. Each foot includes 33 joints and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments (NLM , 2023), and arthritis can affect any of or all of them. According to the Cleveland Clinic, arthritis can be caused by natural wear and tear, health conditions, and injuries. In my case, it seems to be natural wear and tear. I’m not athletic, but even so my feet take significant abuse.

As with the case for everyone, my feet support up to 1.5x my body weight while walking. (YFC, 2019) The average person walks about 100,000 miles in a lifetime. (AWP, 2019) During running, feet absorb forces up to 4x one’s body weight. (CSBS, 2023) My conclusion: avoiding excess weight is a kindness to one’s feet!

About 8 in 10 Americans experience foot pain (KURU, 2025), and women are 40% more likely to experience foot pain than men. (JFAR, 2008) One in thirteen adults spends $250 or more monthly on foot pain-related care. (KURU, 2025) I’m comforted to be among the other 12! So far, I get along with a couple of Tylenol Arthritis per day.

A friend texted, “Having just finished ballet class, I am exquisitely and excruciatingly aware of my feet.” My heart goes out to her, and to everyone who’s activities frequently stress their feet. (Think dancers of all sorts, football kickers, runners, jumpers…)

Polite Feet

Feet have more sweat glands per inch than any other part of the body, (MNT, 2024), and awareness of foot odor was common in my family. Foot sweat, as with all human sweat, is odorless until bacteria have their effect. The feet host more bacteria than say, elbows.

• Each foot can produce up to half a pint of sweat per day. (SCFC, 2023)
• The foot deodorant industry was worth approximately $1.2 billion in 2025
• In many cultures, feet are considered either sacred or taboo. (MDPI, 2018) If you’re traveling internationally, it’s important to know the difference.
• Japan and India have strong customs around shoe removal.
• Upon entering the Blue Mosque, I (and everyone) left shoes outside on racks supplied for the purpose. Stealing shoes outside a mosque is a most disgusting crime.
• On the other hand, in some cultures, showing your sole is seen as disrespectful. (BusinessInsider, 2016)

Sensual Feet

I love the part of a pedicure when my feet are massaged; ditto for a body massage.

• The soles of one’s feet contain 8,000 nerves, making them ultra-sensitive. (FAFI, 2023)
• Foot massages can boost circulation and reduce stress, (KURU, 2023) not to mention just feeling good!

• At the risk of TMI: I’ve never felt more loved—more totally accepted—than when a lover kissed my feet and sucked my toes.
• Reflexology is based on the idea that points on the feet correspond with other areas of the body. I had reflexology in Taiwan once, ended up bruised and weeping. The belief was that the more it hurt, the more good it was doing. The same principle leads to pebbled walkways where one walks barefoot. I could take barely a few steps.

Pretty Feet

At age twelve, I was 5’7” tall and wore size nine shoes. At the time, I feared following in my Aunt Mary’s footsteps: she topped out at 6’5” and had to order her size twelve shoes from catalogues. But that turned out to be my full adult growth—at least as far as height goes.

• The size of feet can change due to weight gain during pregnancy, or aging. (KURU, 2024) My shoes are now a full size bigger than when I reached my adult height.
• Over the past century, foot length and width have increased. (NIH, 1997)
• Ancient Chinese beauty traditions included foot binding to signify beauty and status. (Britannica, 2025)
• As a general rule, for women, big feet are considered less attractive. Perhaps that’s why 88% of women wear shoes that are too small. (Ryortho, 2016)
• I am a fan of tattoos but have none on my feet, even though they are popular. For one thing, they can be more painful due to the lack of fat and abundance of bones. (Healthline, 2024) Add to that the abundance of nerves. And add to that the fact that they tend to need more maintenance because of the wear and tear on the feet.

Feet Need (Good) Shoes

For decades my shoe concerns were fashion and appropriate professional attire, including matching accessories. Now my focus is comfort and convenience, meaning Teva sandals in summer and Merrill slides during sock weather. No high heels!

Only about 1% of people have feet that are the same size. (SATRA, 2018) (My right foot is bigger than my left.) Therefore, always try on both shoes when shopping.

Feet can expand up to half a shoe size throughout the day (Brightwell Clinic, 2023), so buy shoes at the end of a shopping trip.

The Smithsonian Museum houses more than twenty pairs of famous shoes. The collection includes the world’s most famous pair of shoes, the Ruby Slippers of “The Wizard of Oz.” Their exhibits also include shoes worn by LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Willie Mays, Raven Beak, and Phyllis Diller, among others.

Or maybe shoes are sometimes optional. Abebe Bikila, an Ethiopian marathon runner, famously won the 1960 Olympic gold without shoes.

Fun Feet Facts

And a few fun (?) facts that have nothing to do with my feet.

• Toe wrestling is a competitive sport in the UK. (BBC, 2024) Really!
• Podophobia is the fear of feet—yes, it’s real! (Cleveland Clinic, 2022)
• Diabetes can lead to serious foot issues due to reduced circulation. (ADA, 2023)
• Foot health can reveal overall health issues, including heart and nerve conditions. (APMA, 2007)
• Each foot has 26 bones, totaling 52 bones in both feet—about 25% of all the bones in the body. (KURU, 2020) The foot has 33 joints and 100 muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

• The average American takes 3,000 to 4,000 steps per day—but recommendations say to take more. I count my steps daily, happy to get over 4K.
• Is your second toe longer than your big toe? This is called Morton’s toe. Not usually associated with health risks, it can increase the chances of foot calluses.
• Forensic investigators may use footprints, shoe prints, and gait clues to support identification.

Feet in Popular Parlance

• The phrase “put your foot in your mouth” is a useful phrase, though sadly not a useful life skill
• “Footsie” describes touching feet under a table, usually in a teasing or flirtatious way
• “Foot of the mountain” refers to the base (The word foot is often used to describe the lower part of something.)
• Footloose
• Foot the bill
• Two left feet
• Put one’s best foot forward
• Caught on the left foot or the back foot

• Stand on your own two feet
• To find your feet: to get used to a new situation; to get accustomed to it
• To get off on the right foot: to begin well
  • The opposite = to get off on the wrong foot: to begin poorly/negatively
• To get your feet wet: to start doing something slowly and in a simple way to get used to it
• To get your foot in the door: to take the first step towards a goal to make something happen (in a company or in a career field)
• To get back on one’s feet (recover)

Bottom Line: Pay attention to your feet.