The foot is a biological structure found in many animals that is used for locomotion.

Footwear

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In many societies, it is customary to cover the foot in most social situations; particularly outside, in many cultures (including North American, European, Japanese and others) people wear protective clothing over the foot. Common types of footwear include sandals, shoes, and boots. Consistent wearing of footwear, particularly in hot climates or during exercise, can lead to foot odor. If footwear is ill-fitting or badly designed, it can cause both short-term (blisters, for example) and long-term foot problems. On the other hand, carefully designed orthopedic footwear is an effective treatment for many foot, leg, and back problems.

Customs

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Customs about foot covering while indoors vary significantly from place to place. For example, in much of Europe and Canada, and in many homes in New Zealand, it is customary to remove one's shoes or boots when entering a home, while in the United States this is rare in most parts of the country. In Japan, the custom is so widespread that floors are often made of materials that are too soft to survive being walked on by shoed feet. In some cultures, bare feet may be considered unsightly or offensive. In Arab countries and in Thailand, it is considered extremely offensive to show someone the sole of your foot, although the practice of not wearing shoes is common, due to various reasons including poverty and religion.

Kicking

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Certain martial arts, such as Savate, emphasise using the foot as a striking surface in kicking, reasoning that the foot is the only part of the body regularly covered by protective clothing. Other combative sports such as Muay Thai, do not use the foot as a striking surface, but rather the shin. On the other hand, some martial arts (including Karate, Judo) are customarily trained in bare feet, as well as beach sports (for example beach volleyball). Many sports, including football (in all its forms, including soccer), and rugby, involve kicking a ball or other object with the foot.

Measurement

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The foot provides a convenient way to measure short distances on the ground, by placing one foot directly in front of the other; this led to the adoption of the foot as a unit of length.

Parts of the foot

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Parts of the foot

• Heel
• Instep
• Sole
• Ball
• Five toes: big, pointer, middle, ring, pinky toes
• Toenails

Disorders of the feet

• Athlete's foot
• Bunion
• Callus
• Flat feet
• Wart

See also

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• Barefoot
• Foot binding
• Foot fetishism
• Footwear
• Hosiery
• Paw
• Podiatry
• Reflexology
• Toes
• Hallux
• Toe ring

External links

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• Podiatry 7 News
• American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
• American Podiatric Medical Association
• American Board of Podiatric Surgery
• American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine
• American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society
• http://www.podiatrytoday.com/podtd/
• http://www.epodiatry.com/foot_problems.htm
• http://www.barefooters.org/
• http://www.unshod.org/pfbc/
• http://www.foothealthcare.com/html/articles/allabout.htm
• http://www.sxc.hu/photo/475162
• Italian Podiatrist Community

Foot | Troed | Fod | Fuß | Pie (anatomía) | Piedo | Pied (anatomie) | Piede (anatomia) | Voet (anatomie) | 足 | Foot | Pé | Стопа | Foot | Jalka | Fötter | 脚