7 Tips for Foot Health

Foot care is an essential routine activity that should be done by all individuals to achieve optimum wellness. Our feet contribute an important role in our activities of daily living which generally involves standing, walking and moving around. The lower body extremities especially the feet appear to support the entire weight of a person bringing them to be the most overused part of the body. To help prevent damage and promote foot care, here are seven tips to promote foot health.

Inspect and palpate your feet regularly. Keeping track with your feet will help you notice any changes or foot irregularities when it suddenly differs in foot colour, thickness, temperature, skin turgor and note for cracks. Also check for the capilliary refill of your toenails that will indicate adequate blood oxygenation. Any growth or change on the foot is not considered normal and should be consulted to a physician.

Wash your feet on a daily basis making sure to clean and wash in between the toes. Wet skin is very vulnerable which is prone to cracking and lesions since the skin become inelastic. Make sure you let your feet completely dry by using a towel to prevent skin from impairment.

Trim and cut your toenails. Be careful not to overly trim your toenails to prevent from skin damage and injury. For ladies and lasses who enjoy pedicures and nail art, make sure not to prolong the nail paint over a week. Use a mild nail polish remover to completely cleanse the nail polish. Prolonged paint will cause the nails to be brittle and may lead to certain foot problems.

Select the appropriate shoe and shoe size for your feet. When buying a new pair of shoes, consider and prioritize the comfort it will bring your feet and not after the shoe style. The best time for shoe fitting is during the day when the feet are at its largest.

As much as possible, avoid walking and running barefooted at your home. Walking barefooted may lead to an incident that may impair and aggravate the condition of your feet. It is best advised and wise to put on your slippers even at home to prevent any possible accident.

After a long stand, walk, run, a tiring and stressful day at work, lifting your legs against the wall will benefit your foot and legs venous return which promotes blood circulation. It is said that promoting venous return can aid in preventing formation of blood clots and plaques in the feet due prolonged standing, blood pooling and inadequate circulation.

Lastly, never disregard any foot or ankle pain even though you have a strong pain threshold and tolerance. Any pain connotes that there is an inflammation or any underlying cause within. It is better to consult your doctor or a podiatric physician to help diagnose and treat the pain.

For diagnosed type one or type two diabetes, caring for your feet plays a major role in maintaining your health. Foot lesions and wounds are the common cause of leg amputation for diabetic people. Make sure to routinely check and do foot care as recommended to prevent amputation from happening.