Americans are on their feet a lot during an average day. We typically rise early and get to bed late. Some of us workout sometime during the day and get a lot of steps in. That’s a lot of wear and tear on your feet, so much so that it’s estimated that 75% of Americans will encounter some sort of foot health problem at some point of their lives. And there are a lot of little muscles, joints, ligaments and bones in our feet that can cause us some pain if over used or strained.
In fact, our feet have 33 joints, 26 bones, 100 tendons, and a slew of different muscles and ligaments, all of which can get sore or damaged at some point, especially around the ankle area. Why the ankle area? Ankle joints are one of the most vulnerable areas that might lead to orthopedic surgery because people tend to carry about four to six time their body weight across their ankle joints, primarily when they’re walking up stairs or any other kind of incline. And because many women regularly wear high heels, their four times more likely to experience foot pain and foot problems than men.
But foot pain isn’t the only type of chronic pain Americans are likely to experience during their lifetimes that a consultation with general orthopedics could take care of. In fact, a lot of people routinely complain to their doctors about chronic back or hip pain. Perhaps it’s from all the time people spend sitting at a computer desk instead of being active and regularly exercising, but whatever the cause, it’s leading about half of all Americans to admit to experiencing symptoms of back pain every year. More and more people are begging diagnosed with some type of arthritis, goat, lupus, or fibromyalgia every year, and one in four people are likely to develop arthritis in their hips during their lifetime.
To alleviate chronic pain associated with back problems, arthritis, or foot problems, more people are beginning to consider non-surgical treatments or orthopedic surgery, and rightly so. Those working in the orthopedics industry strive to meet the needs of patients with a gentle hand, walking patients through non-surgical options before considering orthopedic surgery. Many chronic pain ailments can be alleviated to some extent with non-surgical treatments, saving patients money and stress.
How do you know when to consult an orthopedist? If you are experiencing some time of chronic pain, it’s best to consult with an orthopedist or orthopedic surgeon or, if you’re an athlete, someone in sports medicine, to discuss your options.
