From Nina,
I couldn't do this job if I didn't think that our bodies are amazing, but I have a soft spot for our much neglected and often hated feet! I know many people really don't like feet - theirs or anyone else's and I used to feel like that too, until I started to learn about the fascinating and complex structures at the end of our legs. You know, the things we cram into ill-fitting shoes and hideaway from the world... Our feet are hugely complex with 26 bones, 33 joints and over a 100 muscles, ligaments and tendons, that's insane really. We evolved to walk, extremley effiecently, endurance walking for a hunter-gathterer lifeystyle. When you examine our feet they also give a clue that we have evolved to run, the medial arch in the foot is basically a spring (not needed for walking but for running) which acts inconjuction with the Achilles tendon, gluteous maximus and the 'nuchal' ligament; this works like a spring to keep the head steady as we run. Humans have adapted to not overheat, we can run and keep cool, something that prey in times gone by could not do. Persistance hunting was widespread amongst early humans, we ran and walked after prey, until it overheated and exhausted itself. When you walk each foot takes 1.5 times your body weight but when you run it is up to five times your weight and the most common foot ailment? A sprained ankle! Feet function the best in their bare or natural state, a little bit of barefoot time everyday does wonders for your foot health! Feet are worth looking after because if you walk 8000-10,000 steps a day in an average lifetime that will add up to more than 4 times round the world! A foot massage can improve your mood and overall feeling of well-being :-)