Rather than the tender loving care they deserve, our feet are often forgotten, neglected, even abused.
We take them for granted – but since they are responsible for carrying our entire body weight and keeping us mobile, they deserve to be treated right!
8 Ways to Treat your Feet
So to avoid getting off on the wrong foot (pardon the pun!) here are our top tips to make you tap dance like Mumble in ‘Happy Feet’:
- If the shoe fits – Shoes that are too tight or too small? Then you are probably walking towards all sorts of foot problems! Our feet continue to grow throughout our lifetime, and it’s common to have one foot that is larger than the other. Remember, shoes should be roomy enough to accommodate the larger foot. And if they don’t fit properly in the store – then they never will be.
- Run, don’t walk – To your local podiatrist (that’s us, if you’re based in the Redlands!) if you have foot or heel pain. A podiatrist is a registered health professional, trained in all things feet – think of them as your foot doctor. They can examine your feet to identify problems, and come up with a plan to keep your feet sweet.
- Trouble is afoot – You might think it’s a wonderful way to treat your feet, but we do recommend caution with some of the popular pedicure salons. To avoid picking up a fungal nail infection and other nasties, instruments should be cleaned properly between customers. Sterilisation is comprehensive process that can take an hour or more to kill microbes; many nail spas don’t sterilise their instruments long enough to make them safe for use.
- Quite a feat – Our feet take a hammering throughout our lives. Inspect them regularly for problems such as blisters, swelling, warts, bunions, ingrown toenails, or calluses. In particular, pay attention to dark spots or discolouration on the feet, which could be melanoma – the most dangerous type of skin cancer.
- Run to paradise – Pamper your feet by soaking them in the bath or in a bucket of warm water. Add a splash of moisturising body wash to cleanse and soothe tired feet; once they are nice and soft, you might like to use a pumice stone to gently remove dead skin. Rinse, then use a fluffy towel to dry them gently, especially in between the toes.
- Keeping you on your toes – Our toenails tell a lot about our health. Thickened, yellow toenails may occur due to fungal infection, rheumatoid arthritis, or a skin condition like psoriasis. Wearing nail polish may also lead to yellow nails, so it’s a good idea to remove it periodically to allow your nails time to recover.
- Two left feet – Perhaps you have noticed that you are clumsier than you used to be. As we age, we are more prone to falls as the cushioning under the balls and heels of our feet gets thinner. Our sense of balance also declines. While always a good idea, as you grow older it becomes even more important to wear only supportive, well-fitting shoes. As podiatrists, we believe they should be mandatory, rather than an occasional treat for your feet!
- Put your best foot forward – Tripping over your feet repeatedly or stumbling may be a sign of bigger problems. The slow loss of normal sensation in your feet may be an indication of peripheral nerve damage caused by diabetes, alcoholism, infection or even vitamin deficiency. Seek professional advice, without delay!
And with that, it’s time to put a sock in it and take these terrible foot puns away!