Take Charge of Your Health - Start Off On the Right Foot
start off on the right foot
Your feet never take a day off, so take care of them
It is easy to forget to take care of our feet…until something goes wrong. With 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments, our feet are complex and play a BIG role in our stability, balance, and mobility. When healthy, our feet enable us to stand, walk, and exercise – comfortably; but when neglected, our feet can affect our back, hips, knees, ankles, and posture as well as cause muscle damage. Our feet also help us identify health problems. As examples, pain, tingling, and numbness in the feet can be signs of neuropathy, diabetes, or arthritis and swollen feet can warn us of high blood pressure or kidney disease.
Foot challenges include the following:
Heel/Arch Pain
Plantar Fasciitis: inflammation of the thick tissue running across the bottom of your foot, causing stabbing pain
Achilles Tendonitis: Overuse of this tendon causing stiffness and pain in the back of the ankle. Causes include overuse, sudden increases in exercise intensity, tight calf muscles, and improper fitting footwear.
Structural & Joint Deformities
Bunions: Painful, bony bumps that develop on the joint at the base of your big toe - often develop due to genetics, wearing tight or ill-fitting footwear, or biomechanical issues such as flat feet or excessive pronation
Hammertoes: Causes a toe to bend downward at the middle joint - often caused by poor fitting shoes
Skin & Nail Issues
Corns and Calluses: Hard, thick areas of skin often caused by shoes that are too tight
Ingrown Toenails: When the corner of a toenail grows into the soft flesh of the toe
Athlete's Foot: A contagious fungal infection
Plantar Warts: Small, noncancerous growths from a virus on the soles of the feet
Nerve Pain
Morton's Neuroma: A painful condition that affects the ball of your foot. Contributing factors include wearing tight shoes, narrow shoes, and high heels. Custom orthotic inserts can provide support and cushioning to relieve symptoms.
It is always best to consult a podiatrist or orthopedic specialist if you experience these conditions, foot pain, or signs of infection.
Basic tips for foot care:
When exercising - Stretch your feet and ankles to help reduce the incidence of injury. March in place to help warm up your feet. Focus on “foot safe” exercises such as swimming or Pilates that put less pressure on the joints of the foot. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of physical activities to avoid overloading your feet.
Massage your feet at home or get a foot massage. There are plenty of benefits - Improves circulation; reduces stress and anxiety, and promotes relaxation by triggering nerve endings and releasing endorphins; calms the nervous system for better sleep; loosens tight muscles and relieves pain/soreness; and stimulates nerve function. To massage your feet you can also roll a tennis ball underneath your feet every day!
Make sure your footwear fits well, providing comfort and the appropriate support. Cushioning shoe inserts can help with comfort and orthotics (customized shoe inserts) help to distribute weight, alleviate arch pain, and correct overpronation (when the foot rolls inward).
When purchasing running shoes or athletic shoes for your exercise program consider the following:
Have your feet evaluated for pronation and arch height swelling during activity and/or your orthotic inserts
Walk around in the shoes for several minutes. They should feel good immediately and should not have to be broken in
Consider shoes a half-size larger than your regular shoes to accommodate your big toe. There should be room in the front toe box, as well - about a half-inch from the top of the shoe.
Make sure new shoes have adequate width. Feet naturally widen with age.
Fungal nail infections of the fingernails and/or toenails can cause the nail to become discolored, thick, and more likely to crack. This can enable germs to enter your nail and cause an infection. Be sure to keep feet clean and dry and take care of blisters and cuts so they do not develop into infections.
Toenails tend to become thicker, yellow and more brittle with age. If you wear nail polish remove it every week and let your nails breathe for several days before you polish them again.
Cut your toenails straight across, not at an angle on the sides, which can cause ingrown toenails. Be sure to use a toenail clipper larger than the one used for fingernails.
When visiting a salon for your nails, be sure to choose one that is clean and licensed by your state's cosmetology board. Make sure the salon sterilizes all instruments after each use.
Moisturize your feet regularly so you don't develop cracks, but do not apply lotion between your toes, as this can encourage fungal growth. If you do get a fungal infection, speak with your primary care physician or podiatrist for the proper treatment plan. To avoid cracking and calluses, use a pumice stone or foot file on damp skin.
Feet are prone to sunburn - remember to apply and reapply sunscreen.
Last but not least - Change your socks everyday!