Summer is the season of vacations, picnics, and best of all, running barefoot through the grass. Pictures of barefoot boys with fishing poles or lovely women picking pansies remind us of days when the living was easy.

Going barefoot is actually good for our feet.

Dr. Jim Main, podiatrist, said going barefoot is better for our feet than wearing shoes.

"The only problem with going barefoot is simply injuries," he said. Shoes are just for protective purposes. In cultures where people do not wear shoes, there are hardly any foot problems other than deformities. Shoes are the No. 1 cause of foot problems."

In shoeless tropical cultures, only 3 percent of the population has foot ailments. In more civilized countries, the number goes up to 80 percent.

Main said that among the problems caused by wearing shoes are blisters, corns, calluses and ingrown toenails. Problems with bunions and hammer toes (misshapen, contracted toes) are made worse by wearing improperly fitting shoes.

The key to having healthy feet is to buy shoes that fit. Most foot problems, other than deformities, result from friction and pressure caused by ill-fitting shoes. Make sure you buy shoes and boots with plenty of toe room by fitting your footwear to your longest toe, even if it is the second toe.

Shoes should be comfortable when you purchase them. It is unlikely that after they are broken in, they will become comfortable.

Inspect the insides of shoes for foreign objects, torn linings and rough spots. Avoid shoes with prominent seams that could pinch your toes.

Walking is one of the best things you can do to promote the overall health of your feet. Walking every day will keep blood flowing through your feet and circulating throughout your entire body. Make sure you wear walking shoes with plenty of support and cushion.

Main said that one should look for good walking or sport shoes that accommodate one's feet.

For diabetic patients, foot care is especially important. Twenty percent of diabetics who enter the hospital are admitted for foot problems. The two main causes of foot problems for these patients are poor circulation and nerve damage.

Diabetic patients with circulatory problems often experience peripheral vascular disease, blockage that prevents blood from traveling from the leg to the foot.

Nerve damage (neuropathy) can cause varying degrees of loss of feelings in the feet. The patient could cut his foot and feel nothing.

It is important people with these problems inspect their feet every day. If sores, discoloration or drainage are noticed, they should consult their physician. According to the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society, one in six Americans has foot complaints, and of those, most are women, who have 90 percent of the operations for bunions and other common conditions. The culprit is their shoes.

Main said women have more foot problems than men because of a combination of genetics and the shoes they wear.

High-heeled shoes can be very hard on the feet. Every inch of heel height increases the force on the ball of the foot by 25 percent. Shoes with high heels tilt the wearer's weight forward onto the ball of the foot causing the front half of the foot to flatten and spread under the added weight and pressure. Blisters, corns, calluses, bunions and ingrown toenails can result. Long-term use can result in a shortened Achilles' tendon, which could cause the arch to break down and knee and back problems could be the ultimate result.

Our feet contain 56 bones (almost 25 percent of the bones in our entire body), 14 toe bones in each foot, 62 tendons, 76 muscles, more than 100 ligaments and numerous nerves and blood vessels.

For one who weighs 130 pounds, these feet are pounded by 1,500 tons each day.

Feet are constructed to stand up to tremendous pressure. We should not take our feet for granted. If we take care of them and give them the attention they need, they will take us wherever we want to go, be they bare or shod.

FOOTCARE FINDINGS

DOs...

Keep feet clean. Wash daily with warm water.

After bathing, rub calluses with a pumice stone (not recommended for diabetics).

Use moisture-restoring lotions in small amongs.

Trim toenails straight across.

Wear shoes which cover and protect your feet.

Wear clean socks every day.

See your podiatric physician regularly.

DON'Ts...

Don't pull off loose pieces of skin.

Don't use lotion between your toes.

Never cut thick tonails, corns or calluses on your own.

Avoid strong chemicals for removal of corns or calluses.

Don't apply heating pads to feet without first consulting a podiatric physician.

Avoid ill-fitting schools.

Don't wear shoes without socks.

Don't wear socks with holes.

Don't pop blisters.