Research shows an increase in the number of geriatric diseases in aging populations around the globe. Specifically, there are more older people getting diagnosed with ADS. While scoliosis can be diagnosed as idiopathic, some research suggests that it is also due to hormonal changes during puberty, perimenopause/menopause.

An interesting find from a nurse out of Lurie’s Children’s Hospital in Chicago who went into business for herself specializing in bracing children and infants ~ Research findings at Lurie’s Children’s Hospital are suggesting it’s an autoimmune disorder. That research, however, is still being examined and investigated.

Some facts –

80% of females are affected by scoliosis vs 20% of men. Research also shows that neuromuscular diseases, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia increase the risk of getting adult degenerative scoliosis.

The causes of scoliosis – genetic utero, developed at puberty or menopause, or is secondary to a neuromuscular disease.

If you are starting to see the following:

• Your height changes aggressively in a short period
• You start leaning forward a lot or rounding your shoulder/back
• You notice one hip sticks out further than the other
• Your noticing leg length discrepancies
• Your lung capacity has decreased
• You feel like the bottom of your rib cage is hitting the top of your pelvis when you sit
• You can’t get comfortable and your spinal column hurts (or at least a portion of it)
• Because your shoulders and/or hips are asymmetrical, your clothes stop fitting properly •         You often lose your balance

And if you notice any of this, schedule an Orthopedic doctor’s appointment. Within the Chicago market, Dr. Christopher DeWalk with Rush and Dr. David Manning with Northwestern (Head of Ortho @ Northwestern, will refer you out to the correct specialist within his practice) are highly recommended by my client base ~ I hear their names over and over. If you don’t live within the Chicagoland area, call these two resources, talk to the doctor’s nurse, and ask her who he would recommend in your area. You can also call Mayo Clinic’s Orth Div and ask for a referral.

Pls note: take heed with making sure the Ortho doc’s focused specialty is in fact scoliosis – this is definitely an expertise within itself. POV – don’t go to a shoulder Ortho or a Hip Ortho or even a knee Ortho – go to the big dog within the practice whose specialty is scoliosis. He/she will understand all the nuances involved in the changes going on within your structure.

Once you find an Ortho Specialist for Scoliosis, I highly recommend you insist on scheduling a full spinal scan – from the cervical spine through the tailbone. Often enough my client’s doctor only orders an x-ray of where the curvature seems most prevalent. But here’s the thing – what’s happening with your cervical spine (is your head tipped?) Your pelvis? Is one ASIS higher than the other? Why is one leg shorter (or seems to be) than the other? Does one hip swing out more than the other? When the pelvis is uneven and one femur is setting into the pelvis more securely than the other, the X-ray will give you this information. What about your tailbone? What is its shape?

Be your own advocate and insist on this and now you have a thorough depth of knowledge knowing what’s going on inside your physical structure. Pardon me – I can’t tell you how strongly I suggest a full body x-ray – cervical through the tailbone.

The medical testing diagnosis of scoliosis includes:

• X-ray imaging
• Cobb Angle Measurement: 20 degrees is considered mild; 20-50 degrees is considered; moderate. Above 50 degrees is considered severe scoliosis and fusion surgery is usually recommended.

What exactly is Scoliosis?

A disorder of the spine causing:

• Lateral shifting of the spine
• A rotation of the vertebrae and ribs “s” or “c” shaped curve

There are two types of curves:

• Structural curve: misalignment of the bones (which can be managed and strengthened)

2-3% of the population have Structural Scoliosis, and an estimated 7-9 million in the US, or 1/10 persons are structural. With Structural Scoliosis, 75-85% are idiopathic, 10-15% are congenital scoliosis, and 10% secondary to a neuromuscular disease

• Functional curve: imbalance of the muscles (can be fully corrected permanently) 80-90% of the population have Functional. Functional scoliosis is a muscle imbalance and can be corrected. It is an imbalance of the bilateral muscle functioning of the back, without altering the bony structure. What’s its cause – repetitive habits that cause a lateral shift of the spine
  • Holding a child on one hip, carrying a heavy bag on one side, poor postural habits, etc.
  • Leg length discrepancy
  • Can be reversed with yoga, Pilates, or other modalities

Let’s define vertebrae and the four natural curves

Your vertebrae are the small bones that make up your spinal column. These vertebrae stack on top of each other, separated by intervertebral discs. These bones protect your delicate spinal cord, which sends and receives information from your brain to the rest of your body. Your spine consists of 4 curves (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral/coccyx) and 33 vertebrae – 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 9 sacrum/coccyx – the sacrum/coccyx fuse at about the age of 26 to support the weight and structure of shoulders and hips.

Scoliosis will cause your vertebrae to move against each other more than they should. This can stretch and pinch your surrounding nerves, ligaments, and muscles, causing pain.

Muscles affected by the curvature(s)

• All Bilateral muscles in the body
• Intercostal muscles
• Diaphragm
• Erector Spinae muscles
• Latissimus Dorsi
• Trapezius muscle
• Rhomboid muscles
• Quadratus Lumborum muscles
• Iliopsoas muscles
• Core musculature

The characteristics of Scoliosis that no one probably ever told you (but now this makes sense)…

• Central Nervous system is overactive ~ sympathetic nervous system/fight or flight. Fun fact – the sympathetic nervous system lies in the thoracic spine. If your curvature is anywhere in the thoracic spine, your sympathetic nervous system is impacted. Why? Because the spine is trying to bring your head back to center so that it will sit correctly on the axis of the skull.
• Your balance is off
• Core/leg strength are highly affected
• Lung capacity is greatly affected, and breadth is shallow and uneven in the diaphragm/intercostal muscles
• You don’t know their center
• You tend to spasm easily – the spasming will be in the concavity.
• Prescription eyesight is different

Loren Fishman, MD is the medical director of Manhattan Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in New York City, the author of eight books, and the author or editor of more than 70 academic articles. His research studies prove that yoga for scoliosis is an instrumental aid to those with scoliosis in utilizing the modality of yoga. The Serial Case Reporting Yoga for idiopathic and degenerative scoliosis is a very thorough research article he authored. And of course, I love his research on Yoga poses to reduce the curves in degenerative and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

At Dayton Children’s Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, Pilates for Scoliosis is part of the medical treatment plan for eligible patients with scoliosis.

I talk to new clients all the time who say to me “My doctor told me there is nothing I can do for my scoliosis. That can’t be further from the truth. My mission within this article is to improve, as much as possible, the lives of people living with scoliosis and raise advocacy and awareness.

A daily 10-minute (no less) Shivasan is imperative. My YouTube channel has over 50 free videos for you to refer to as a resource choice and learning of lengthening, derotating, and strengthening your curvatures. No matter what the curve in your back looks like, it’s imperative to focus on building strength and improving your posture through the modalities of Yoga for Scoliosis and Pilates for

Scoliosis. After all, we always feel better when we come move more freely and be out of pain.

What should your overall weekly practice consist of – it has to be this formula to see positive changes:

1. myofascial release – you can’t move the bones into their proper structure unless this is practiced. A massage would do the same thing.
2. joint mobility (the muscle can only strengthen fully if the joint is mobile and in alignment).
3. understanding the learning of hugging the curvature into the midline, lengthening out of the concavities, and derotating the curve pattern(s) thru ScolioYoga and then keeping all of this correction within the structure,
4. to strengthen the muscle group just lengthened thru Pilates for Scoliosis or Reformer for Scoliosis
5. encompass a practice of rewiring the brain in specific pranayams and shivasans.

The challenge is that – you have to do the work. If you don’t have a home discipline, nothing will decrease (or at least halt) your curvature. It could be as simple as 5 minutes daily plus a 10-minute Shivasan daily. Why is the shavasana imperative? It rewires the brain AND calms the sympathetic nervous system. An added bonus to this is from staying in the posture for a 10-minute segment, in a short period of time, you will find your shoulders and pelvis more square. Many of my clients state that this simple posture has totally relieved their lower back pain because their pelvis becomes more symmetric.

About the author ~

Linda Benton is a Certified Yoga Therapist and Certified Scoliosis and Back Care specialist and President of ScolioYoga, LLC. She holds over 20 years of experience in teaching Yoga and Pilates. As a Certified Yoga Therapist for Scoliosis, Advanced Pilates for Scoliosis and Reformer Certified, she customizes 1:1 sessions (virtual or in studio) to teach you a home practice to make you Scoliosis STRONG thru, therapeutic movements and techniques utilizing the modalities of Yoga and Pilates for Scoliosis.

• Scoliosis
• Slipped Disk
• Herniated Disk
• Kyphosis
• Hyper Lordosis
• Cervical Spondylosis
• Osteoarthritis
• Spinal Stenosis
• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Osteoporosis
• Osteopenia
• Sciatica

When you are in pain the “fight or flight” of your central nervous system is heightened. By this being heightened, your pain is that much worse. Pain will cause high blood pressure, it affects your posture which in turn affects the health of your organs and the entire digestive track. Often in pain it even hurts to breath. Shallow breathing will lessen the health of organs and slow the digestive track.

The human skeleton is the internal framework of the human body. It is composed of around 270 bones at birth – this total decreases to around 206 bones by adulthood after some bones get fused together. The bone mass in the skeleton reaches maximum density around age 26.

The spine is only happy when it’s four natural curves are present (and not over or under developed) in our body in standing, sitting and supine positions for the spine to remain healthy. There are 33 vertebrae in the spine – 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar and 9 sacrum/coccyx (which fuse about the age of 26).

Back pain ensues when there is compression on vertebrae or twisting of the vertebrae. Where the transverse process of the vertebrae start to rotate is the most common pain point (even if it’s a minimal rotation) – so please don’t think you’re being a baby if you have pain. It’s real and substantiated!

Fun facts on spinal development:

• Babies are born with a C-shaped spine
• The spine first develops a “S” shape when the baby starts to raise their head – the cervical spine is now being formed
• The lumbar curve develops last and develops during crawling when the weight of the baby’s belly pulls the lumbar curve down
• Spinal development curves finish between 12 – 18 months when baby starts walking upright
• The sacrum and coccyx fuse at about 26 yrs of age. They fuse to securely hold the weight of the shoulders and pelvis on a mature adult body.

Let me add, it is important for the young people (under the age of 26) to understand that the spine is not fully solid until the age of 26. I caution you to this important information for those of you that are weight lifters – the heavy squats using sizeable weight, the dead lifts with heavy weights…. be aware the result of this (if under the age of 26) is compression of the disks and after a while they just give out = bulged disks in the lumbar spine or worse yet herniation.

To understand the anatomy of a rib in a spine with scoliosis means this –

• the rib push laterally and anteriorly on the concave side.
• The lamina is thinner and vertebral canal narrower on the convex side.
• The spinous process deviates to the concave side.
• The vertebral body is distorted toward the convex side.
• On the convex side (curve side) the rib is pushed posteriorly and the thoracic cage is narrowed.

Pinched nerves and compressed disks are looking for relief. Are you safely tractioning your spine for relief of compression of nerves and disks? ScolioYoga utilizes traction to help relieve the pain of these compressions and bring alignment back to center.

Note: It is important to see a doctor if your back pain is severe (5-10 on a scale of 10), has not lessened over several weeks, you have a fever, become incontinent, pain radiates out to the fingers or toes, you cannot move, or you have a severe injury or fracture. A diagnosis is helpful for treatment, and also points you in a specific direction for that treatment. It is also important to get clearance from a doctor to take a ScolioYoga or ScolioPilates class after seeking a diagnosis, in order to begin or return to these modalities.

He who follows this will live.  He who acts against it will die.

~ Zhou Dynasty stone inscription

Because the quality of your breathing is so intimately related to the state of your overall health and well-being, balancing your breath will help you feel calmer and more able to face stress.  When the breath flows normally and rhythmically, it distributes energy through pathways (72,000 nadis or channels – the left/Ida, the right/Pingala and the central/Sushumna), which releases blockages and allows energy to flow with the ability to stretch out and distribute energies further into the body.  Each inhaled breath provides us with new energy and each exhale releases old, stagnant energy ~ releasing tension, stress and calming the “flight or flight” portion of our autonomic nervous system. 

The nervous system is made up of two components 1) the sympathetic nervous system – “fight or flight” (reacting to fear, danger, stress) and the 2) parasympathetic nervous system – “rest or digest” (keeps us calm, happy, clear headed).  Breathing is the structure that can help regulate the nervous system. 

So now…

let’s explore this simple breath exercise.  The body naturally lets the air come into the body.  But the exhalation for most humans is far less of a count than the inhalation ~ let’s investigate that…..

Take a few minutes sitting comfortably or lying in Savasan to observe your breath.  Just breath normally – don’t change anything and be sure to relax.  After a minute or two while keeping relaxed (really important to keep relaxed, without changing the breath), count the length of you inhalations.  Now stay with the count of the inhales for maybe 10 breath cycles – remember that count.  Relax again, take a moment or two, and once again, without changing the breath, let’s now focus on the count of just your natural exhalations for maybe 10 breaths – remember don’t change a thing – breathe naturally and stay relaxed.

What was the count of your natural inbreath to your natural outbreath?

In the book “Breath ~ The New Science of a Lost Art” by James Nestor, he references that scientists discovered that our capacity to breathe has changed throughout the long processes of human evolution (and not in a good way), and that the way we breathe has gotten markedly worse since the dawn of the Industrial Age.  Theses scientists discovered that 90% of us is breathing incorrectly and that this failure is either causing or aggravating a list of chronic diseases including asthma, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, psoriasis and more.

It takes 3.3 seconds for the average person to inhale and exhale.  That’s 24k breaths a day, taking approximately 670 million breaths in your lifetime. 

The Anatomy of Blood Circulation and the Diaphragm

How the blood circulates ~ once a minute through our arteries and veins – an average of 2,000 gallons of blood a day.  This is essential to delivering fresh oxygenated blood to cells and removing waste. 

The diaphragm is the muscle that sits beneath the lungs in the shape of an umbrella and acts as the pump to this circulation.  As we inhale, negative pressure draws blood into the heart; as we exhale, blood shoots back out into the body and lungs and then recirculates.  The diaphragm lifts during exhalations (which deflates the lungs), then drops back down to expand them during inhalations – 50,000 times a day.  The diaphragm triggers the nervous system = sympathetic/parasympathetic. 

A typical adult engages as little as 10% of the range of this diaphragm when breathing, which overburdens the heart, elevates blood pressure and causes a rash of circulatory problems.  Extending breaths to 50-70% of the diaphragm’s capacity will ease cardiovascular stress, aid in the health of organs and allow the body to work more efficiently.  The inhale will be a normal response in the body but the full exhalation will harness a power of health and well-being. 

And besides this recirculation, what else is the breath charged with?

~ Distributes energy (prana) throughout the body.  When this energy is low we feel tired/wired/pain/stressed

~ Aids in digestion

~ 95% of the body’s serotonin stockpile is in the gut – to move this out of the gut, we have to learn to breathe efficiently.  Most disease starts in the gut when the gut becomes toxic.

~ Strengthens bones and the vertebrae in the spine

~ Influences your happiness

~ A shorter exhalation feeds the “bad wolf” aka the amygdala in the brain which promotes the clutch of grief

~ Breath is the most effective tool when working with anxiety and depression – it may be the only tool

~ Lowers stress and anxiety

~ Improves coping skills

~ Helps people deal with substance abuse

~ Improves self esteem

~ Controls our immune response and restores our health

~ Helps people deal with problems such as panic disorders, heart disease and lung disease

~ Breath affects the size and function of our lungs. Emphysema for example is a disease of exhalation

~ As you draw navel to spine, this action activates the vagus nerve to the internal organs.  This in turn, stimulates blood flow to the organs to keep them healthy.

In the book “How God Changes Your Brain” by Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman, they explain that “deeper breathing triggers a different neurological response and initially decreases activity in the frontal lobes.  It lowers the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood, which in turn lowers blood flow in other parts of the brain and reduces cognitive activity.  Simply put, it helps to calm your mind, so if you have trouble turning down your thoughts, deepen your breathing.”

How does our breathing affect our health?  Whenever oxygen falls below 90%, the blood can’t carry enough of it to support body tissues. This can lead to heart failure (the health of the heart starts with gut health), depression, memory problems and early death if this goes on too long.  In stressful times, we typically breathe too rapidly. This leads to a buildup of oxygen in the bloodstream and a corresponding decrease in the relative amount of carbon dioxide, which in turn upsets the ideal acid-alkaline balance—the pH level—of the blood. This condition, (respiratory alkalosis), can result in muscle twitching, nausea, irritability, lightheadedness, confusion, and anxiety.  In contrast, slowing the breath raises the carbon dioxide level in the blood, which nudges the pH level back to a less alkaline state. As the blood’s pH changes, the parasympathetic nervous system calms us in a variety of ways, including telling the vagus nerve to secrete acetylcholine, a substance that lowers the heart rate.

Changing how we breathe will have a direct impact on our health and help us live longer.  Researchers have found that the missing pillar in health is breath.

Slow, long, smooth focused breathing triggers the body’s parasympathetic nervous systems response to “rest and digest”.  It also increases dopamine levels in different parts of the brain during meditation. 

Muscles, anxiety, stress and grief release on the exhale.

So now…..

that we know all this, let’s start again. 

We’ll use a Ujjayi breath which means nostril breathing, lips together but jaw relaxed (the top teeth will not touch the bottom teeth) – relax your pallet.  This is very calming for the nervous system.  AND think of what the sound of “ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh” is for both the inhalation and the exhalation ~ but the breath will be silent – no noise.  Gently pulling the breath in on inhalation and gently pushing the breath out on exhalation against this resistance creates a well-modulated and soothing sound—something like the sound of ocean waves rolling in and out.  It is important to remember that the key to Ujjayi breathing is relaxation; the action of Ujjayi naturally lengthens the breath.

With this in mind, take a few minutes sitting comfortably or lying in Savasana to observe your breath with an “ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh” on the inhalation AND “ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh” on the exhalation.  Note:  if this cause any anxiety, return to your normal breath and then maybe try it again.

Once relaxed and experiencing the “ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh” of an Ujjayi breath, see if you can match the count of the inhalation of the breath to the same count on the exhalation of the “ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh” of the breath.  If you feel comfortable, with no anxiety or stress over this breathing pattern, see if you can lengthen the count of the inbreath to maybe four or more (stay relaxed) and the outbreath match that same count – 5, 6, 7.  Stay with it (no anxiety) – stay with it for a minute or two.  Slow, long and smooth ~ there is a transformative power of a full exhalation.  Be fully absorbed in the sound of your own breath let yourself be more relaxed and peaceful with each breath.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh……  inhale; ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh….. exhale.  And now allow your body to breathe itself and drop in deeper, let go even more. 

In your own time, return to a natural and relaxed breath.  Take some time to sit up before standing – in a seated position, pause, feel and scan the body – slowly, smoothly from head to toe AND from toe back up to head.  And now, in your own time, come back to your day.

As you ensue throughout your day, set reminders/sticky notes around your house or work and make sure the breath is focused on exhalation.  Where’s your breath?  The inhalation will be free, gentle and natural.  But both inhalations and exhalations will be slow, long and smooth.  Again I remind you, if this causes any anxiety, return to your normal breathing pattern. 

One brief word of caution before you begin: always check with your doctor.  Gain your doctors permission to practice this type of breath work before entering into this daily practice. Never, overdo it in any breathing exercise. If you begin to feel uncomfortable, go back to your natural everyday breath. Never force your breath to do anything it doesn’t want to do.  Believe it or not, your breath possesses an innate intelligence, honed over millions of years of evolution. Learn to trust its messages. 

Peace, love & dogs,

Linda Benton

The most likely reason most of our loved ones will die is heart disease. It’s up to each of us to make our own decisions about what to eat and how to live, but we should make these choices consciously by educating ourselves about the predictable consequences of our actions.

Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, begins in childhood. The arteries of nearly all kids raised on the standard American diet already have fatty streaks marking the first stage of the disease—by the time they are ten years old. After that, the plaques start forming in our 20s, get worse in our 30s, and then can start killing us off. In our heart, it’s called a heart attack, and in our brain, it can manifest as a stroke. So for anyone reading this who is older than ten years old, the choice isn’t whether or not to eat healthfully to prevent heart disease—it’s whether or not you want to reverse the heart disease you likely already have.

Is that even possible? When researchers took people with heart disease and put them on the kind of plant-based diet followed by populations who did not get epidemic heart disease, their hope was that it might slow down the disease process or maybe even stop it. Instead, something miraculous happened. The disease actually started to reverse. It started to get better. As I show in my video How Not to Die from Heart Disease, as soon as patients stopped eating artery-clogging diets, their bodies were able to start dissolving away some of the plaque, opening up arteries without drugs and without surgery, suggesting their bodies wanted to heal all along but just were never given the chance. That improvement in blood flow to the heart muscle itself was after only three weeks of eating healthfully.

Let me share with you what’s been called the best-kept secret in medicine: Sometimes, given the right conditions, the body can heal itself. Take, for instance, what happens when you accidentally whack your shin really hard on a coffee table. It gets red, hot, painful, swollen, and inflamed, but it’ll heal naturally if you just stand back and let your body work its magic. What would happen, though, if you kept whacking your shin in the same place, day after day, or three times a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)? It would never heal! You might turn to your doctor, complaining of shin pain, and would probably limp out of the office with a prescription for painkillers. You’d still be whacking your shin three times a day, but the pain would be a little duller, thanks to those pills you’d be popping.

It’s similar to people taking nitroglycerine for crushing chest pain. They may get tremendous relief, but they’re not doing anything to treat the underlying cause. Our body wants to come back to health if we let it, but if we keep re-damaging ourselves three times a day, we may never heal.

One of the most amazing things I learned in all my medical training was that within about 15 years after you stop smoking, your lung cancer risk approaches that of a lifelong nonsmoker. Isn’t that amazing? Your lungs can clear out all that tar, and, eventually, it’s almost as if you never smoked at all. Just think, every morning of your smoking life, your body started on that path to healing, until…wham!…you inhaled on that first cigarette of the day, reinjuring your lungs with every puff. In the same way, we can reinjure our arteries with every bite. But, all we have to do all along—the miracle cure—is just stand back, get out of the way, stop re-damaging ourselves, and let our body’s natural healing processes bring us back towards health. The human body is a self-healing machine.
Sure, you could choose moderation and hit yourself with a smaller hammer, but why beat yourself up at all? I don’t tell my smoking patients to cut down to half-a-pack a day. I tell them to quit. Sure, smoking a half pack is better than two packs, but we should try to put only healthy things into our mouths.

We’ve known about this for decades. Take the case of Mr. F.W., for example, as published in 1977 in the American Heart Journal. He had such bad heart disease he couldn’t even make it to the mailbox without crushing chest pain. But he started eating strictly plant-based and a few months later he was climbing mountains without pain.

There are fancy new anti-angina drugs out now. They cost thousands of dollars a year, but at the highest dose, they may only be able to prolong exercise duration for as long as… 33.5 seconds. It doesn’t seem as though patients choosing the drug route will be climbing mountains anytime soon.
Plant-based diets aren’t just safer and cheaper. They can work better because they let us treat the actual cause of the disease.

04.19

In addition to boosting fitness and easing stress, yoga may also help you embrace a healthier lifestyle.

Many people think of yoga mainly as an activity that promotes flexibility and balance. But this ancient tradition also includes breathing exercises, relaxation, and meditation. Together, these practices can lead to measurable improvements in factors connected with cardiovascular health, such as lower blood pressure, better sleep, and less artery-damaging inflammation.

“There are four distinct but interconnected areas in which yoga has specific benefits, not just for heart disease but any disease,”

Says yoga researcher and neuroscientist Dr. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Following are summaries of the four areas.

Read the full article from Harvard Medical School by clicking the link below…

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/how-yoga-may-enhance-heart-health?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WR20190419-Yoga&utm_id=131951

Over time, natural changes in your feet can make it more likely that you will experience pain. Below are some of the changes you might see in your feet through the decades. For more detailed information on this topic and for other tips on how to care for your feet, see the Harvard Special Health Report Healthy Feet: Preventing and treating common foot problems (www.health.harvard.edu/fcb).

In your 30s. At this stage of life, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your foot may start to weaken or lose resilience.

In your 40s. This is the time when many people start to experience foot pain and problems caused by the weakening of foot structures that began in your 30s. Many people in this age group start to notice their feet are sore at the end of a long day and often begin to experience foot problems. Common conditions include bunions, which are caused by a misalignment of the foot bone that causes a bony bump to jut out at the base of your big toe; or hammertoes, toes that permanently curl downward; and nail fungus.

In your 50s, 60s, and beyond. The fat pads in the bottom of your feet become thinner. By the time people reach their 50s typically half of the fatty padding in the soles of their feet is gone. A loss of estrogen after menopause may lead to lower bone density in the feet and consequently a higher risk of stress fractures in the foot. People in this age group are also more prone to calluses and corns. Foot problems related to chronic conditions are also more common in this age group.

A widespread problem
A 2018 survey of nearly 1,300 adults conducted by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) found that as many as 75% of those surveyed had some issue with their feet, ranging from the troublesome (such as excess sweating, odor, or nail problems) to the painful (such as bunions or stress fractures). And half of those surveyed said they have foot problems that are severe enough to limit their activity in some way.

“I think the biggest problem when it comes to foot pain is that no one knows what to do or who to talk to about it,” says Marian T. Hannan, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and co-director of the Musculoskeletal Research Center at the Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife. Doctors don’t typically receive specific training on foot problems in medical school, says Hannan. “And most people don’t think to go to a podiatrist unless they have diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis,” says Hannan.

While women surveyed by the AMPA reported taking better care of their feet than men, fewer than half of the people who participated in the survey did anything more than clip their nails when it came to foot care. And women were more likely than men to have pain — not surprising when you consider that the APMA found that high heels are the No. 1 cause of foot pain.

But taking some simple steps to protect your feet can help you avoid pain and other problems. Below are some strategies you should follow.

Pay attention to your footwear. Many instances of foot pain are caused by shoes that are too pointy, too tight, or too high in the heel. So, changing them makes sense, says Hannan. Look for shoes that fit well, provide enough cushioning, and are comfortable. Also, don’t wear the same shoes every day. It’s healthy to swap shoes and avoid keeping the same pair on all the time, says Hannan. As for high heels, you may want to rethink them. But that’s often easier said than done. The APMA survey found that even though people said high heels hurt their feet, users still reported owning more than six pairs.

Give your feet a good soak. Keeping feet clean and soaking them regularly reduces problems caused by harmful bacteria and can ward off fungal infections such as athlete’s foot, says Hannan. “Foot baths are really helpful,” says Hannan. If you have shoes that are rubbing your feet the wrong way, a good foot bath can soften up calloused skin and help keep feet smooth. Make sure you dry your feet thoroughly after washing, especially between your toes. Bacteria and fungi can thrive in a wet environment.

Don’t forget to exercise. You can prevent problems by doing exercises that stretch and strengthen your feet. (See sample stretches.)

​Maintain a healthy weight. Weight gain and foot pain are often linked. In the APMA survey, 74% of individuals who were overweight and 81% of people with obesity reported foot problems. People with obesity were more likely to experience heel pain and plantar fasciitis (inflammation of a band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot). Their feet were also more likely to have tendinitis (inflammation of the tendons), bone spurs (abnormal bony growths), and stress fractures (cracks in the bones caused by repetitive pressure).

Moisturize and soften. Smoothing skin with lotion or a podiatric cream keeps your feet moisturized and keeps skin from drying and cracking, says Hannan. But avoid the area between your toes, where moisture can collect and cause problems.

Change your socks. Wearing clean socks every day can also cut down on bacteria. Take your socks off periodically to let your feet air out, says Hannan.

Trim your toenails correctly. Cutting your toenails straight across, instead of rounding them at the edges, can help prevent ingrown toenails, a condition in which the nail digs in and grows into the adjacent skin.

Pay a visit to the pros. An occasional pedicure can help keep feet in top shape, particularly if you have trouble reaching your feet — for instance, if you are older or pregnant, says Hannan. But be certain to pick a nail salon that is clean and follows stringent sterilization practices to avoid infection, or the service could end up doing more harm than good.
Nix the bad habits. Smoking or excess alcohol consumption affects not only your overall health, but your feet as well.
Look for signs of trouble. Examine your feet regularly for worrisome changes. This is particularly important if you have diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis. Things to look for are red spots, bruises, calluses, or patches of thickened yellow skin, called corns.

Seek out an expert. If you are experiencing foot pain that is persistent or severe, it’s best not to try to treat it yourself, but rather to turn to an expert such as a podiatrist, orthopedist, or physical therapist to diagnose and treat the problem, says Hannan. For example, some cases of foot pain may be caused by gait problems. Tight ligaments or arthritis in the hip may cause an unsteady walk that puts uneven pressure on your feet. Orthotic inserts for your shoes or physical therapy could help, says Hannan. Pain that affects your daily life shouldn’t be tolerated. If you’ve given up your daily walk because your foot hurts, it’s time to see a doctor. “Pain isn’t normal. It’s a signal to pay attention,” says Hannan.

Consider surgery. If your foot hurts because of a more serious problem, such as a bunion, you might want to consider a surgical solution to relieve the pain.

I offer a holistic approach to foot care

Most women get their teeth cleaned at least once a year, keep tabs on their heart, and may even have an annual eye exam. While they might clip and paint their toenails on a regular basis, women often neglect the health of their feet.

That lack of attention can lead to pain and other foot problems, which are common and — for some people — life-altering.