Complexity of the Foot that Needs to be Loved

 The Complexity of the Foot Need to be Loved

The foot is complex, exciting, puzzling, informative, painful at times—physically and to try to understand—and demands our respect. Twenty-eight little bones per foot, over one hundred ligaments, and a bunch of muscles and tendons make this an area the whole profession of podiatry was formed to help. Countless sports, like ballet,  have foot injuries as the number one area involved. Yet, most of the problems can be treated simply, which does not mean treatment without thought. The complex thought comes from the vast array of problems podiatrists deal with whose treatment has to be individualized to the patient’s uniqueness. And it can take a while to understand each patient and their goals, pain level, activity levels, and demands of work and day-to-day activities. Ninety-eight percent of the problems seen by specialists in feet are conservatively treated. Sometimes I wish I could only see problems that had to be fixed instantly (as with surgery) to rest my tired brain. But, I am a shadow dweller, a subtlety finder, an explorer, an investigator, and an artist more than anything. The complexity of the foot is a good match for someone like me, and there are many more podiatrists like me. Just look for members of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine (AAPSM), www.aapsm.org, and you will find us loving the 4 major and 1 minor articulation of the cuboid bone as a small example of this dedication.

This is a excerpt from my book: Secrets to Keep Moving