Keeping your feet pain-free is surprisingly easy. Healthy measures include good hygiene, self-examinations, and properly fitting shoes. Healthy feet are important for feeling good and staying active. So, if you neglect your feet, that can lead to unnecessary pain and other foot problems. Fortunately, it’s easy to keep your feet healthy.
Use these at home tips to keep yourself active and your feet pain-free
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Keep your feet clean and dry. Healthy feet start with good hygiene. You should wash your feet and allow proper drying time and be sure to dry well between individual toes. Change your socks and air out your shoes to prevent fungus infections.
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Examine your feet for problems. Perform a foot self-exam once a week when you take a bath or shower. As you’re drying off your feet, take a good look on the soles for any scaling and between your toes for peeling areas. That could signal athlete’s foot. Also look for discoloration of the nails, which could indicate a nail fungus. If you have diabetes, you should inspect your feet every day since diabetes leads to higher risk of foot sores and infections.
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Rest and relax your feet every day. Lie back and elevate your feet for a few minutes. Give your feet a soothing massage with your fingers or roll your feet over a golf ball, tennis ball or a rolling pin for a similar effect.
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Exercise your feet to maintain blood circulation. Walking is best. Try taking brisk 30-minute walks five to seven times a week.
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Clip your toenails straight across, leaving nails a little longer than the tips of your toes to avoid ingrown toenails. For patients with diabetes this should be done by a professional and we highly discouraged at home nail trimming.
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If you notice problems with your feet, get it treated right away so it does not get worse.
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Don’t hide “ugly” toenails with polish. A discolored, thick, cracked, or crumbling nail could signal a nail fungus. Applying nail polish to an infected nail could make the problem worse.
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Choose breathable footwear. To help keep your feet dry and healthy, wear shoes made of leather to allow air to circulate. If you’re prone to excessively sweaty feet, look for shoes made of mesh fabrics for maximum breathability.
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Wear shoes that fit properly. Shoes that are too tight can cause long-term foot problems. Shop for shoes at the end of the day to compensate for foot swelling that occurs later in the day, and wear the same type of socks or hosiery you’ll be wearing with the shoes. Choose a broad, rounded shoe with plenty of room for your toes and a wide, stable heel. Avoid pointy shoes, which can cramp your toes and cause ingrown toenails and calluses.
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Know when to see a doctor. Don’t attempt to self-treat painful foot woes. “I see many patients who have attempted what I call bathroom surgery, and they’ve made the problem worse,” says Dr. Oware. Any pain, redness, swelling, or discoloration that persists should be checked out by one of our podiatrist. Usually the problem can be cleared up with prescription medicine or a minor in-office procedure. Allowing a doctor to take a look will help prevent minor problems from becoming major ones.
By following these easy tips, you can help keep your feet healthy and pain-free. If an issue should arise, we are now offering E-Visits so you don’t even need to leave your house. Call now to request an appointment with one of our 9 providers.
Cornerstone Foot & Ankle is a full service foot and ankle specialty office with locations in Sewell, Cherry Hill, Marlton, Mt. Holly, Woodbury, and Glassboro; serving the South Jersey region. We offer a full suite of services including surgery, fracture care, fungal nail care, diabetic foot care, pediatric podiatry, custom braces and orthotics, wound care, limb salvage, and treatments for arch pain, heel pain, and sports injuries; just to name a few. If it hurts below your knee, we can help you! CALL NOW or request your appointment online TODAY!