Harvard Health Letter Special Section Features the Body's Unsung Marvels: The Feet

Boston (Vocus) August 7, 2009

We ask a lot of our feet. They provide a steady base when we stand, serve as shock absorbers when we move, and help propel us forward -- and sometimes backward -- when we walk or run. It's no wonder that so many people develop foot-related problems.

A special four-page section in the August 2009 Harvard Health Letter focuses on the feet and their common ailments. Dr. James Ioli, chief of podiatry at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, served as guest editor.

In the special section, Dr. Ioli and the editors of the Harvard Health Letter cover these topics and questions:

• Three steps to healthier feet
• Causes and treatments of four common foot problems: bunions, metatarsalgia, plantar fasciitis, and posterior tibial tendon dysfunction. An animation of these conditions is available at Health.Harvard.edu/4foot.
• Products for the agonies of the feet: Do toe exercisers restore foot health, as they claim? How should you choose an orthotic? Do detoxifying foot pads do anything? And more.
• How bad are flip-flops? (Short answer: very bad when worn often.)
• Should I get a second bunion operation?
• Why would switching from heels to flats cause pain?

Read a section from this special issue: How Your Feet Work -- and Three Steps for Keeping Them Healthy

Also in this issue:

• All about shellfish
• Acetaminophen overdose

The Harvard Health Letter is available from Harvard Health Publications, the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, for $29 per year. Subscribe at Health.Harvard.edu/health or by calling 877-649-9457 (toll-free).

Media: Contact Raquel Schott at Raquel_Schott(at)hms(dot)harvard(dot)edu for a complimentary copy of the newsletter, or to receive our press releases directly.

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