Dr. Marc Lipton

If there’s a part of your foot that you don’t give much thought to until it hurts or is injured, chances are it’s your arch. It provides significant relief to your heel by supporting some of your body weight, and yet it’s usually taken for granted. That is, unless you’re one of the many millions of Americans who suffer from fallen arches (or flat feet) each year.

Did you know that you – and everyone else for that matter – were born with flat feet? As we grow and the tendons in our feet tighten, most people form arches while others do not. And still others have normal arches, but they start to flatten due to age, injury or illness.

If you’re experiencing foot pain – especially if it’s from gout – chances are you aren’t drinking enough water. But what does hydration have to do with foot pain? Plenty. When you’re dehydrated, your body responds in the form of pain. In fact, severe dehydration is often confused with other health issues.

With 33 joints, 26 bones, and more than 100 tendons, muscles, and ligaments, the human foot and ankle are vulnerable to any number of injuries and many more medical conditions.

The ankle is one of the most frequently injured joints in the body.