Bottom of the foot anatomy

As shock absorbers, our feet cushion up to one million pounds of pressure during a single hour of strenuous exercise. They also support 1. If you wake up and suddenly feel pain in your feet, what is going on? Why do your feet hurt, and how can a physical therapist help treat your foot pain? Foot pain is a frequent reason why people visit their podiatrist or orthopedic physician. With over 26 bones, 33 joints, and five ligaments, there are many structures that can be injured in the foot.

The human foot is at once the most functional, the most intricate, and the most punished part of the anatomy. The intricate skeletal structure of the foot has been compared to the combined machinery and durability of a fine Swiss watch, a tool capable of propelling the body in any direction at high speed, while sustaining forces that are many times a person's body weight. As the structure that supports the body in every aspect of upright movement, the foot is exposed to constant physical stresses, some of which are exacerbated by conditions such as footwear and weather. As with many other components of the human anatomy that are functioning constantly, the foot is only noticed when it fails to function in its usual reliable fashion. The foot has evolved over the hundreds of thousands of years of human physiological development into a mechanism that is both a complex machine and a foundation piece for the body. Including the bones of the ankle, the foot comprises 26 separate bones, many of which are relatively small and delicately fashioned.

The foot is a very complex part of the body. It is made up of a great many bones, joints, muscles, nerves, and tendons. The foot has two important jobs to perform for the body.

Medically reviewed by Drugs. Last updated on Jan 22, Heel pain is a common symptom that has many possible causes.