As that old song goes… “the toe bone’s connected to the foot bone… the foot bone’s connected to the heel bone” and so on. Eventually, it makes its way up to the head bone, and then back down to the feet and ankles. The anatomical accuracy of that song may be dubious, but the basic theme is dead-on; in the human body, everything’s connected. And everything begins and ends with the feet. Show
For overweight people, the feet and ankles end up bearing the brunt of the load. So it’s not surprising that overweight and obese people are at higher risk for conditions that cause foot and ankle problems. That extra weight can make standing and walking uncomfortable and even painful. It even stretches out and wears down the connective tissue and fat pads in the feet. Being overweight changes your gait and that can screw up your arches and the tendons in your feet. In other words, the more weight you carry, the more your feet and ankles are going to hurt. It’s not pretty. Even a few extra pounds can be very hard on your feetThere’s no doubt that many of us carry extra weight on our frames, so the number of people who are dealing with this is pretty huge. So we asked UFAI’s Dr. Bob Baravarian about this issue and he told us something that was downright sobering. “Many people don’t realize how being overweight can impact their feet. It only takes only one pound of extra weight to add 10 pounds of additional pressure on your feet and ankles. So if you could stand to lose 10 pounds off your waistline, can you imagine how much better your feet would feel!” Many common foot problems are made much worse by being overweightSurplus weight exerts extra pressure on your feet, and especially on the weight-bearing joints in your feet and ankles. This pressure leads to a variety of painful foot and ankle conditions such as:
Here at UFAI, we provide curative answers to each of the podiatric problems caused by obesity, starting with basic conservative remedies and including, when necessary, surgical relief. We are here to aid the obese patient in recovering as quickly as possible to decrease their morbidity and improve their quality of life. If you’re suffering from foot pain and complications, please don’t hesitate to make an appointment with UFAI. Our nationally recognized podiatrists offer the most advanced foot and ankle care together with the highest success rates in the nation. We are leaders in the field of research and treatment of all foot and ankle conditions. For more information or to schedule a consultation, please call (877) 736-6001 or visit us at www.footankleinstitute.com.
Dr. Jafary specializes in trauma, reconstructive surgery, charcot reconstruction, ilizarov external fixation and sports medicine. He is also a member of American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery and the American Board of Pediatric Medicine. When not tending to patients at University Foot and Ankle Institute, Dr. Jafary utilizes his surgical expertise assisting those less fortunate. As a member of the Yucatan Crippled Children Foundation, he has traveled to Mexico several times and performed hundreds of limb correction surgeries on children with disabling foot and ankle disorders. Dr. Jafary also participates in Podiatry Overseas, which takes him to underserved countries to treat patients with lower extremity deformities. How can I slim my wide feet?Often, there's not much you can do to make your foot appear slimmer. Wearing narrow, tight shoes will only worsen the problem. If you have flat arches, special insoles may make your foot appear thinner while giving you support. In some cases, losing weight or reducing swelling may also help your feet look narrower.
Do obese people have wider feet?Interpretation: Feet of obese adults differ from healthy and overweight individuals, notably they are wider. Data needs to avoid reliance upon discrete anatomical landmarks to describe foot morphology.
Do feet widen with weight gain?How weight affects the size of your feet. Most people gain weight as they get older — and those extra pounds press down on the ligaments and tendons that support your foot. As a result, your foot can widen or lengthen. “It adds up over time,” says Dr. Nicolosi.
|