Help for foot problems from Harvard Medical

Our feet 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 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.

- 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 (https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Health_Letter/2009/August/Special-section-Feet-How-your-feet-work---and-three-steps-for-keeping-them-healthy?utm_source=health&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=health0809)