The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. The average person walks about 115,000 miles in a lifetime more than four times the circumference of the globe. At least two-thirds of foot troubles, affecting 175 million Americans, can be attributed to shoes. 6 Women have about 90 percent of the 795,000 annual surgeries for bunions, hammertoes, neuromas, and bunionettes the four most common problems linked to poorly designed and poorly fitting shoes. In clinical studies, symptoms from heel spur syndrome have been alleviated by the use of Birkenstock sandals.
Most orthopedic surgeons recommend that athletes wear semi-flexible orthotic inserts.
They say these will cushion their feet better than rigid orthotics .