During your lifetime, you log thousands of miles on your feet. In fact, the average 80-year-old has taken more than 216 million steps—equal to five times around the Earth’s equator.
Every step puts your entire body weight on each foot and uses 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments. Over time, it all adds up to a lot of wear and tear.
Given how much you rely on your feet and ankles, it’s no wonder so many foot and ankle problems can slow you down. Corns, bunions, ingrown toenails, too-high arches, achy Achilles tendons—they all make walking and running painful. In addition, your feet are often among the first areas of your body to show signs of arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and other medical conditions.
In the Sutter Health network, podiatrists—medical doctors who specialize in foot and ankle care—can help you with all of your foot and ankle problems, from simple callus and corn removals to complex diabetic foot care and complete ankle replacement. We’ll work with you to find the best ways to treat your feet, whether it’s simple changes in the shoes you wear, medications, custom-made corrective devices, physical therapy or surgery, to enable your speedy return to your favorite activities.
