The foot is a biological structure found in many animals that is used for locomotion.
Footwear
In many societies, it is customary to cover the foot in most social situations; particularly outside, in many cultures (including
North American,
European,
Japanese and others)
people wear protective clothing over the foot. Common types of
footwear include
sandals,
shoes, and
boots. Consistent wearing of footwear, particularly in hot climates or during exercise, can lead to
foot odor. If footwear is ill-fitting or badly designed, it can cause both short-term (
blisters, for example) and long-term foot problems. On the other hand, carefully designed orthopedic footwear is an effective treatment for many foot, leg, and back problems.
Customs
Customs about foot covering while indoors vary significantly from place to place. For example, in much of
Europe and
Canada, and in many homes in
New Zealand, it is customary to remove one's shoes or boots when entering a home, while in the
United States this is rare in most parts of the country. In
Japan, the custom is so widespread that floors are often made of materials that are too soft to survive being walked on by shoed feet. In some cultures, bare feet may be considered unsightly or offensive. In
Arab countries and in
Thailand, it is considered extremely offensive to show someone the sole of your foot, although the practice of not wearing shoes is common, due to various reasons including poverty and religion.
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