How Your Genetics Determine Your Foot Health
Have you ever wondered why you’re prone to certain foot problems while your friend walks around pain-free? A lot of the answer is tucked right into your DNA. While shoes, lifestyle, and injuries play a big role, genetics provide the initial blueprint for us at New Jersey Podiatric Physicians & Surgeons Group to understand your feet and ankles.
Inheriting Your Foot Structure
The most significant way genetics influences your foot health is by determining your basic foot structure. You inherit the shape of your arch, the flexibility of your ligaments, and the bone alignment from your parents.
- Flat Feet (Pes Planus): If your parents have very flat feet, you have a high chance of inheriting this structure. A flat foot can lead to excessive inward rolling when you walk.
- High Arches: This structure is a poor shock absorber and raises your risk of metatarsalgia and stress fractures.
- Toe Shape: The length and shape of your toes are also genetic. For instance, having a second toe that is longer than your big toe can predispose you to forefoot pain.
Foot Deformities That Run in the Family
Beyond basic structure, specific foot deformities also run in the family (you can thank your grandmother’s bunion for that). Therefore, you may inherit the mechanical instability that allows these issues to develop:
- Bunions: While often blamed solely on high heels, you usually have to inherit a susceptible joint structure for a bunion to form. Shoes simply act as the trigger that pushes the joint out of alignment.
- Hammertoes: These crooked toes are frequently linked to a genetic predisposition toward muscle or ligament imbalances in the foot.
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: This inherited disorder affects your connective tissue. Hypermobility types often lead to extremely lax ligaments, which result in chronic ankle instability, frequent sprains, and severe flat feet.
The Foot’s Genetic Connection to Systemic Disease
Genetics doesn’t stop at the foot. Systemic, inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis have strong genetic components. All that swelling and joint deformity is for a reason, even if you don’t have enough wear and tear throughout your life to have the classic osteoarthritis.
Gout’s another one. The tendency to develop high levels of uric acid, which causes painful gout attacks, is highly genetic.
Not arthritis related, genetics can also make you more prone to Type 2 diabetes. This is the leading cause of foot complications like neuropathy and poor circulation.
That’s why, if your diet and lifestyle don’t necessarily align with those of a typical diabetic, we recommend getting checked by your doctor.
If you’re worried about your foot pain, come see the expert team at New Jersey Podiatric Physicians & Surgeons Group. With more than 30 locations, from Newark, NJ, to Cape May, NJ, we value convenience and excellent service for our patients. To schedule an appointment, first find a podiatrist in your area.
