Do you have a love / hate relationship with your feet? Our Stalybridge Chiropodist recently did a short survey to find out what people really think of their feet and we were surprised that the results were almost spilt 50/50. 50% liked their feet and the other 50% hated them. So why exactly do we feel like this? Our feet carry us everywhere and take a real pounding but some of us just hate them – why is this?
We looked further into the love / hate relationship with feet and found that there is actually a condition called podophobia which is a fear of feet.
Podophobia can cause physical and emotional distress to the sufferer. They cannot stand to have anyone touching their feet and sometimes cannot even bare to touch their own feet. Socks are often worn all the time with some even preferring to wear their shoes 24/7.
Many people do not understand phobias and can find it quite amusing but it’s certainly no laughing matter if you have one. Phobias can cause physical and / or emotional anxiety which can make your heart race and make it difficult to breath. Podophobia in particular can affect a person’s social, professional and personal life. Can you imagine being unable to go shopping for shoes, not being able to take your shoes off at the end of a long day or even enjoying a barefoot walk along the beach? These are things that most of us enjoy but someone suffering from Podophobia would be horrified by such a situation. Having a foot injury or a medical need to take off your shoes can have a doctor inspect your feet can cause a severe reaction from the sufferer.
Tips to learn to love your feet
Some tips and tricks to help you love your feet
Learning to love your feet is a huge step but can help you to overcome your phobia or least make it manageable. If the problem stems from thinking that your feet are unattractive you can spruce them up by adding a piece of jewellery such as a toe ring or an ankle chain. Your eyes will be drawn to the pretty jewellery rather than your feet. Paint your toenails or invest in a pair of stylish shoes that will make your feet look their best. Even if you think your feet are ugly and are worried what other people will think, be assured that no-one will be looking at your feet. It’s a known fact that people focus on either the eyes or the mouth when talking or looking at a person.
A therapy called systematic desensitization is a form of therapy that will very slowly introduce you to your fear, taking things one small step at a time as you slowly confront and overcome your phobia. This may be used in more severe or debilitating cases of podophobia. It may begin with simply looking at a picture of feet and gently progress to looking at your own feet. It can be a long process and doesn’t work for everyone.
We certainly have a lot to thank our feet for. After all they take us wherever we need to go and carry our full bodyweight for up to 10,000 steps a day. Not to forget, the health of your feet can reflect your general health. Conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, circulatory and nerve disorders can show initial symptoms in your feet. What better reason to love your feet!