10 Tips For Optimal Foot Health During Foot Health Awareness Month
National Foot Health Awareness Month is observed every April to focus on the importance of foot health. Our feet need to last a lifetime and there is no better time than now to recognize all that our feet do for us and to realize that taking care of them is the key to independence and mobility as we grow older.
According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, 20 % of Americans will experience at least one painful foot problem each year and by the time we are age 50, most American will have logged 75,000 miles. Over the years, those miles add up. The pressure you put on your feet is equal to one and a half times your body weight with every single step. With proper care, detection and intervention through appointments with podiatrist Dr. David Sullivan, most foot and ankle problems can be lessened or prevented. So, this month we are sharing some of our best preventive tips to help you have your healthiest feet.
10 Tips for Your Healthiest Feet
Try to maintain a healthy weight. Low impact exercise (such as walking) and a healthy diet can help you drop excess pounds and take the pressure that comes with extra weight off your feet. Being overweight can cause heel or foot pain, circulatory problems, arthritis, stress fractures and even lead to Type 2 diabetes.
Never go barefoot at home, by the pool or in the shower at the gym. Shoes protect your feet from infections, such as athlete's foot, and they offer the support you need to prevent heel pain.
If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar levels in check and inspect your feet daily to check for any cuts, changes or other problems. Come into our Westfield podiatry practice right away, especially if you have a wound that isn’t healing or if something doesn’t look right.
Get your feet measured—in person—before buying new shoes. Your arch can collapse as you age, or after pregnancy, which means your shoe size may change several times throughout your adult life. Shop at the end of the day when your feet are at their largest and choose shoes that support your feet. Avoid wearing stilettoes, and when you do need to wear high heels, keep the heel height below one and half inches. Steer clear of pointy-toed shoes. Because they narrow, pointy-toed shoes can put pressure on your bones which can change your foot shape leaving you with bunions or hammertoes.
Even when you have a great supportive pair of athletic shoes, don’t overwear them. Athletic shoes need to be replaced every 300 to 500 miles of wear, depending on how much you exercise and the type of exercise. Use a mile tracker or visual cues like worn-out sole tread so you don’t stay in any pair for too long. And when purchasing new athletic shoes, make sure they don’t bend in the mid-sole area have a firm, stable sole and can accommodate orthotics in case you need extra support.
When you head to the pool, beach or even if you’re just wearing sandals in the sun, don’t forget sunscreen. The delicate skin on your feet is very prone to sunburns, and vulnerable to skin cancer as well, especially squamous cell carcinoma.
If you have symptoms of an ingrown toenail, don’t try to treat the problem at home. “Bathroom surgeries” can lead to bigger problems and painful infections. The sooner you come in, the less invasive the treatment may be, leading to faster pain relief and recovery times!
It’s best to skip wearing flip-flops. Because they offer no arch support, flip-flops can cause plantar fasciitis and the gripping action required to keep them on your feet can trigger shin splints, muscle pain and hammertoes. And, if you wear them too much, you run the risk of stress fractures because they offer very little shock absorption. What’s a better option? Dr. Sullivan recommends PowerStep Archwear Orthotic Sandals and Slides for men and women which are available in our office to try on and purchase. These sandals and slides provide a contoured footbed with a built-in arch and heel cup for stability as well as a cushioned midsole to absorb shock and impact.
Starting a new exercise program or returning to an activity after being sedentary? You’ll want to avoid overuse injuries. Always be sure to warm up and cool down. Stretching before exercising reduces the risk of injury and decreases muscle soreness after exercise. At the end of exercising, stretch again to help increase your range of motion and flexibility and prevent stiffness and muscle cramping. And don’t overdo it; listen to your feet and ankles by taking a break when your body needs it. When becoming active again, it’s best to start small and don’t increase your activity by more than 10% or less if 10% is too much.
Who doesn’t love a little foot pampering? Pedicures are great, but they can increase your risk for foot infections if you don’t take precautions. Before you go to your appointment, you should always check to see if you have any cuts or sores. If you do, you should postpone your pedicure until the sores or cuts have healed, or you might end up with an infection. It’s also best to wait 24 hours after shaving your legs before having a pedicure. Shaving can create tiny abrasions making you susceptible to stray germs and causing an infection. Bring your own pedicure tools or check to make sure the salon is using disposable tools or an autoclave. Bacteria and fungus can spread easily from person to person if the salon isn’t properly sterilizing their tools. Before you sit down and put your feet in the water, make sure the salon is lining the footbaths with new, disposable liners after every customer to prevent an infection. Good to know: Indiana salons are prohibited by law from using razors on the feet to remove calluses or corns. Using razors on the feet can lead to an infection, especially if too much healthy skin is removed, and can cause permanent damage.
It's always best to seek care for any foot changes or concerns right away. When minor, we can correct some problems—hammertoes—with minimally invasive, in-office procedures. Wait too long and you could face more serious interventions. So make an immediate appointment with Dr. David Sullivan, serving Westfield, Carmel, Noblesville, Fishers and Zionsville, Ind., at the first sign of foot pain. He’ll help you get back to optimal foot health whether it’s National Foot Health Awareness Month or one of the 11 other (just as important) months of the year.
Sources: American Podiatric Medical Association, American Academy of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, WHAS11, Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners; Licensure Laws and Regulations