Choosing good walking shoes is first and foremost a matter of comfort. If the shoes do not fit comfortably, both at rest and when walking, you will never want to wear them. But shoes aren't just ornamental, they are also functional. If the tread...
You probably don’t pay much attention to your tibialis anterior--the muscle that dorsiflexes your foot, or lifts it up toward your shin, But it’s hard at work any time you're on the move, quietly lifting your toes as you walk, run or...
Manganese is an essential trace mineral that functions in several biological processes, including metabolism, maintaining bone health and wound healing. It is also cofactor for enzymes that play a role in reducing oxidative stress. The recommended...
Fifty-two percent of adults age 18 and older are regular drinkers according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the United States, more than 23,000 people die each year due to alcohol related illnesses. One of the more severe...
Most people have a natural arch in their foot, formed by bones, muscles and connective tissues. These arches help distribute the body's weight across the entire foot and throughout the leg, according to the Mayo Clinic. They also give the feet...
The groin muscles, or adductors, are located on the inside of the thighs and work to bring the thighs together. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, or AAOS, when muscles are overstretched, microtears occur in the muscle...
If your physician is concerned about the loss of range of motion in a joint, especially after surgery, he may prescribe a continuous passive motion machine or a dynamic splint. These devices move the affected joint through a prescribed range of...
Calluses are thickened, tough skin layers that form as protection against excessive pressure and friction. Calluses are common on the bottom of your foot because your foot frequently rubs against other surfaces. Although most calluses disappear...
Metabolic diseases are caused by genetic birth defects that interrupt the body's metabolism and affect close to one out of 4,000 people, report doctors at the Mayo Clinic. There are thousands of different metabolic disorders that cause a specific...
Each time you move your legs behind your body, you use the hip extensors. These muscles are used in every aspect of your daily routine, including walking and running. The gluteus maximus, hamstrings and adductor magnus are the primary muscles that...
Paralysis or weakness of the muscles used to lift the front of the foot causes the condition known as drop foot, or foot drop. Drop foot is a symptom of an injury or of a medical condition such as a nerve or muscular disorder. One treatment for...
Wearing the proper footwear is paramount for both runners and walkers. People's gaits are very individualized and can exacerbate injuries if not corrected with the proper shoes. Although running and walking sneakers share many common features,...
Most babies learn to walk when they are around 1 year old. As your baby learns to walk, she will be unsteady on her feet until she gains more strength and muscle control. It is completely normal for young babies to have awkward gaits and fall...
Out of convenience -- especially during the cold winter months -- many individuals turn to treadmills to stay in shape or shed a few extra pounds. As you run on a treadmill, you are exerting a force on your foot that is three to four times the...
Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption, and a person who is deficienct in this vitamin is at risk for a condition called osteomalacia, which is a weakening or softening of the bone. Often, osteomalacia is asymptomatic: a patient develops...
Cephalon markets the drug Provigil, also known as modafinil. Modafinil is a central nervous system stimulant and is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating sleep disorders. Parkinson's is a degenerative disease of the central...
While it may not exist, parents want perfection for their children when it comes to all aspects of growing up from physical development to learning to social interaction. When a child has a hip or joint abnormality, it can be a trying time for...
To cover more ground with each step while walking or running you need to lengthen your gait. Gait is the description of the biomechanics of how you walk and run. The state of your muscles, joints, connective tissues and sensory feedback determines...
Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological condition for which there is no cure. The symptoms include tremors, impaired balance, slowness and rigidity. According to the Better Health Channel, evidence suggests that exercise for Parkinson's...
Your feet are the first point of contact with the ground during walking or running, and therefore have to distribute the impact forces of some 180 steps per minute throughout the rest of the lower body. As a result, pain and injury are common woes...
Although your baby will not be walking until he is near his first birthday, the skills and development required begin shortly after birth. The development of walking is a gradual process that progresses as your baby increases his strength and...
You can derive functional, strength and aesthetic benefits from abductor muscle exercises. The hip abductors are primarily responsible for moving your thighs outward to the sides in a standing position with your legs straight, and when your hips...
Foot drop is a common term for a paralysis or weakness below your knee that leaves you unable to lift the front portion of your foot upward. Depending on the specifics of your situation, this condition has a number of potential anatomical,...
Gait exercises help develop or maintain a functional walking pattern. According to a May 2003 "Clinical Rehabilitation" study led by Hiroyuki Shimada, M.D., of the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, performing gait exercises improved...
Parkinson's disease is one of the most common neurological disorders to affect older people. In patients with Parkinson's, the nerve cells, or neurons, that produce the neurotransmitter called dopamine are destroyed, causing many different...
A stroke is a medical emergency characterized a blocked or ruptured brain artery that interrupts the flow of oxygenated blood and nutrients to the brain. Of the 700,000 Americans that suffer from strokes each year, two-thirds survive because they...
The development of corns and calluses is your skin's way of trying to guard itself from strain, weight and resistance. Corns commonly develop because of improperly fitting shoes. A seed corn, as the name implies, is a small, dry and stiff...
Alcohol affects many different organ systems. According to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," more than one or two drinks a day have a toxic effect. Some effects appear after only a few drinks, others after years of heavy drinking....
Congenital hip dislocation is a condition that affects approximately 1 in every 1,000 babies at birth, according to the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. Infants with this condition, which is also called developmental dysplasia of...