Your feet are trying to tell you something. Are you listening?

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Let’s start with a fact that might surprise you: foot pain is not normal.

It’s not a sign of aging, and it’s not something you should simply push through.

As a physical therapist, one of the most common things I hear from patients is that they assumed their foot pain was just part of life.

It isn’t, and in most cases, it’s completely preventable.

Your feet are remarkable structures. Each foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles, all working together to keep you upright and moving.

The average person walks around 100,000 miles in a lifetime, so when something is off, even slightly, you’re going to feel it.

I often describe the body as a building and the feet as its foundation. Your foot arches, much like arches in architecture are designed to bear significant weight. When those arches aren’t properly supported, the foundation begins to give way.

That collapse doesn’t stay in your feet. It travels up through your ankles, knees, hips and lower back.

Pain that patients attribute to aging or overuse frequently traces right back to what’s happening at ground level.

So what can you do?

Start with your shoes. Most people choose footwear based on style, which I understand, but the right shoe can make an enormous difference.

A good walking shoe should resist twisting, hold its shape when the heel is pinched and bend only at the toes, never at the arch. When shopping, have your feet measured both sitting and standing, shop in the afternoon when feet are at their largest, and always walk around the store in both shoes before committing.

And if the pain is already there, please don’t wait. Women experience nearly four times as many foot problems as men, often due to footwear choices, but regardless of the cause or the severity, most foot pain responds well to treatment. Physical therapy can address the root causes, not just the symptoms, and get you back to doing what you love.

Your feet carry you through life. It’s worth taking care of them.

To learn more about physical therapy and rehabilitation services at Olympic Medical Center, visit olympicmedical.org.

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Mitzi Hazard is director of Rehabilitation & Physical Therapy at Olympic Medical Center.