TORONTO, April 26, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - According to a recent poll conducted by Vision Critical for the Ontario Podiatric Medical Association (OPMA), 77 per cent of Ontarians have experienced at least one foot problem. The poll was launched to help spread awareness to Ontarians about the importance of taking care of your feet.
Close to half (46%) of Ontarians with foot problems said that it affected their normal activities.
...12 per cent said that it caused them to reduce their work
...30 per cent said that it caused them to reduce their daily activities
....36 per cent said that it caused them to reduce their daily exercises
Alarmingly, only 28 per cent of Ontarians with foot problems have visited a foot specialist for treatment. "This is an unfortunate statistic because it tells us that there are many people suffering with foot pain when they don't have to," says Bruce Ramsden, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M.) and President of the OPMA. "It is important that people see a foot specialist to determine the cause of the problem and obtain the best treatment."
Although the OPMA advises those with foot problems to seek out a foot specialist, a large concern falls under prevention. The poll shows that only 7 per cent of Ontarians visited a foot specialist before they turned 20, with only 2 per cent visiting a foot specialist before the age of 10.
"It is very important for children to have their feet examined by a foot specialist," says Ramsden. "Many children walk with a foot imbalance. Although they are not in pain, they may be damaging their feet which can lead to painful problems as they get older."
The month of May is recognized internationally as Foot Health Awareness Month. Ontarians can find the closest Podiatrist to them by visiting the OPMA website. For more information on the poll and additional foot health tips, please visit www.opma.ca.
About the Ontario Podiatric Medical Association
First established in 1965, the Ontario Podiatric Medical Association (OPMA) represents podiatrists across Ontario. The OPMA strives to raise awareness to Ontarians on podiatry and the importance of foot care. For more information, please visit our website.
About the Poll
From March 15, 2011 to March 16, 2011, Vision Critical conducted an online survey among 808 randomly selected Ontarian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.5%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Ontario. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
