You spend your day dancing, running, jumping, climbing, skipping, and walking. Your poor feet! With all of that punishment, they deserve a little attention. Pull off your shoes and socks. Are your feet long and slender? Or are they short and stubby? Take a few moments to examine your tootsies and bone up on the feet facts below.

1. Feel the bones in your foot. There are 26 of them. They are held together by tough bands called ligaments (LIG-uh-mints).

2. Wiggle your toes. Each foot has 33 muscles that help it move.

3. Examine the bottom of your foot. That thick layer of fatty tissue, along with the arch (the middle of the foot that curves up), acts like a shock absorber to absorb the pressure of your weight and the jolts from running and jumping.

4. Your feet help to keep you balanced when you stand, walk, run, and leap.

5. In your lifetime, your feet will take you a distance of about 70,000 miles! That would be like walking around the world nearly three times!

Tips for Happy Tootsies:
• Shop for shoes at the end of the day or within an hour after running. (Your feet swell a bit during the day.)
• Make sure new shoes feel comfortable the first time you put them on.
• Allow a half-inch space between your longest toe and the end of your shoes.
• Try on both shoes; your feet may not be exactly the same size.
• Bend and stretch tired, achy feet, or soak them in warm water.
• Massage your feet with lotion to help keep the skin soft.
• Trim your toenails straight across. Never tear them.