Why our health may rest in our feet

Have you ever thought of your feet as a barometer of your health?  Maybe not, but certain foot problems could reveal the condition of the rest of the body. 

Having healthy feet is vital as each day our feet have a load to bear by carrying the weight of our body whenever we stand or walk. Add to that load the type of shoes we wear, if we walk barefoot outdoors, if we run miles a day or ignore them completely.  It’s no wonder the expression “my feet are killing me” could partially be true if you’re not kind to your feet.

Our feet are amazingly constructed.  They contain a quarter of the body’s bones with each foot having 33 joints, 10 tendons, muscles, and ligaments.  Countless nerves and blood vessels also link their way from our feet to the heart, spine, and brain.

Because so much is resting on our feet, we need to pay attention to them and treat them with the respect they deserve.   Take notice if you have foot issues – they could be trying to alert you to a more serious problem. 

Here are some foot conditions that could be indicating health problems:

·         Foot cramping and spasms

Often called a charley horse, muscle spasms in the feet are uncomfortable and can also signal a sign of deficiencies in the body.  One possibility is dehydration.  When we are dehydrated oxygen to the muscles is reduced along with a lack of electrolytes and nutrients.  If you experience spasms while walking, it could be a circulatory problem. 

Another cause of spasms might be over exertion or not stretching enough when exercising. The shoes you are wearing may also be contributing to foot cramping and spasms.

·         Cold feet

If your feet are continually cold, it could indicate poor circulation, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and anemia.  A change in the color of your feet going from red to white to blue, may be a sign of Raynaud’s disease where the blood vessels narrow when nerves overreact to cold.

·         Swollen feet

Anytime your feet swell you need to take notice.  There are several possibilities for this such as poor circulation, heart, liver or kidney failure to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), lymphatic buildup and cellulitis. 

If your feet feel warm or look red or inflamed it could be an infection

 If you’ve recently hit or dropped something on your foot and it bruises or swells this could indicate a sprain or fracture. 

·         An enlarged big toe

If the big toe is red, hot, swollen and extremely painful it is most likely due to gout.  Gout is a common type of inflammatory arthritis particularly among men.  It happens when too much uric acid builds up in the tissues and fluids of the body.

The uric acid crystals tend to collect in the coolest part of the body – the big toe – which is where symptoms tend to occur first. 

People more at risk for gout are those who are overweight to obese, have poor circulation, eat a meat-rich diet and consume alcohol.

·         Spoon-shaped toenails

A toenail that is concave can be a sign of a systemic disease. Spoon-shaped toenails are often associated with nutritional deficiencies such as iron-deficiency anemia.  They can also be a sign of a genetic disorder, circulatory problems, autoimmune diseases, and musculoskeletal conditions. 

·         A pins and needles feeling

Having a tingling or numbness feeling in the feet can be a sign of circulatory issues or damage to the peripheral nervous system.  People with diabetes can develop diabetic neuropathy leading to the symptoms of tingling, numbness or burning.   One of the first signs of multiple sclerosis (MS) is a ‘pins and needles” sensation in the extremities according to the National MS Society.

·         Sores that take a long time to heal

This is another sign of diabetic neuropathy or damage to the nerves.  If a person with diabetes has this and they have a sore or blister on their foot, they may be unable to feel or notice it.  If the sore is taking a long time to heal or it gets worse, it could become infected leading to ulcers and gangrene and the need for amputation. 

If your feet are dry, cracked, have poor circulation and peeling skin, these could also be signs of diabetes.

·         Aching toe joints

A condition affecting the bones in joints is rheumatoid arthritis (RA).  RA affects the lining of the joints by causing them to become swollen and inflamed.  The ligaments and tissues of the joint are damaged which leads to reduced mobility.  The first signs of RA often occur in the hands and feet. 

Sometimes a person with RA may develop a deformity of a claw toe or hammer toe.  

Steroid injections can help symptoms in the early stages by reducing inflammation but surgery may be another necessity at some point.