{"id":11179,"date":"2021-05-31T16:56:19","date_gmt":"2021-05-31T16:56:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/?p=11179"},"modified":"2021-06-11T14:48:16","modified_gmt":"2021-06-11T14:48:16","slug":"10-tips-for-healthy-foot-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/spring-summer-2021\/10-tips-for-healthy-foot-care\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Tips for Healthy Foot Care"},"content":{"rendered":"

I<\/span>magine how many steps you will take in a lifetime.<\/p>\n

On average, if you walk 7500 steps a day, your could walk more than 215 million steps equaling over 110,000 miles. If you follow the 10,000 steps a day plan, your tootsies will have padded the ground even more.<\/p>\n

It’s not surprising that as you grow older, your feet may change in shape. They may hurt from the years of wear and tear, to say nothing of too-tight shoes worn to be fashionably correct.<\/p>\n

Proper foot health care is often an undervalued part of a healthy lifestyle. Not only are sore feet just a pain, but foot problems can lead to instability, falls, and mobility, affecting one’s overall physical, social, and mental well-being.<\/p>\n

The perils of the aging foot run the gamut from heel spurs, bunions, hammertoes, and more.<\/p>\n

If you are now regretting wearing those high-heeled shoes for hours, running miles before running shoes were even invented, or clomping around in flip-flops, you will appreciate these tips on foot care from podiatrist, Dr. Adam Kaplan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Tight shoes can cause bunions to develop. Photo: Deposit Photos<\/p><\/div>\n

1. Chances are your shoes are too small.<\/h3>\n

Every few years, be sure to get fitted for new shoes. As we age, our feet change in size and shape. Wearing ill-fitted shoes can cause many problems, including blisters and calluses.<\/p>\n

2. Remember, longer doesn’t always mean wider.<\/h3>\n

If you feel you need wider shoes, opt for an E, 2E, or even 4E width. You can always remove your current insole and replace it with custom orthotics for a more comfortable and tailored fit.<\/p>\n

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Bunions. Photo: Arcus Orthotics<\/p><\/div>\n

3. The importance of socks<\/h3>\n

Just as crucial as wearing properly fitted shoes is wearing the correct type of socks. Make sure to select a poly-blend sock that is seamless and not too tight. A compression sock or athletic sock is recommended and will help to reduce swelling in your lower extremities.<\/p>\n

4. Pedicures are for more than cosmetics<\/h3>\n

Most patients don’t realize that what may appear to be a minor toenail issue could lead to something greater. Be sure to report it to your podiatrist so they can fix the problem promptly and correctly.<\/p>\n

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Flat Foot. Photo: Arcus Orthotics<\/p><\/div>\n

5. Shoes and Socks<\/h3>\n

Always wear socks and shoes, even around the house. Especially during the pandemic, we have seen an increased number of patients complaining of low-grade foot pain that can easily be resolved by wearing support.<\/p>\n

For those with Diabetes, this is a must. It is essential to prevent any unforeseen issues caused by peripheral neuropathy in Diabetic patients.<\/p>\n

6. Skincare<\/h3>\n

As we age, our skin tends to dry out. Be sure to moisturize your feet daily, especially after showering. Moisturizing will help to treat and prevent cracking of the skin. If the condition persists, it may be a superficial fungal skin infection, and I recommend seeking help from your podiatrist.<\/p>\n

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High Arch. Photo: Arcus Orthotics<\/p><\/div>\n

7. Stretching and heel pain<\/h3>\n

One of the most common foot conditions I see and treat regularly is heel pain or plantar fasciitis. If the first few steps out of bed each morning cause pain in your arch or heel, and this pain slightly improves after walking around, I recommend stretching your foot for 20 minutes a day by gently pulling your toes closer to your shins.<\/p>\n

You can also massage the heel and arch of your foot by using a golf ball, tennis ball, or even a frozen water bottle for 10 minutes per day. If pain persists for more than a week, seek help from your podiatrist or opt for custom orthotics to help correct the issue.<\/p>\n

8. Calluses and corns<\/h3>\n

Calluses and corns arise as we age and are caused by repetitive pressure on a particular area. They create a hardened area of skin which can be very painful.<\/p>\n

Moisturize the area daily to reduce and slow the return of the callus, or purchase an over-the-counter treatment if recommended by your podiatrist and apply as directed.<\/p>\n

If your skin does not heal with these treatments, custom orthotics can be created to offload the painful areas. As always, visit your podiatrist if the pain persists.<\/p>\n

8. The importance of exercise<\/h3>\n

Exercise and stretch daily when possible. Blood flow is critical as we age, and proper circulation can help to prevent future foot issues.<\/p>\n

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Metatarsalgia. Photo: Arcus Orthotics<\/p><\/div>\n

9. Watch out for infections<\/h3>\n

Always be on the lookout for infection. Whether it be for yourself or your loved ones, make it part of your routine to check for cuts, cracks, blisters, and wounds on the bottom of your feet.<\/p>\n

Those with cardiovascular disease or diabetes need to be on high alert. This can help to prevent ulcers and even major surgery down the road. Infection can be any or multiple of the following signs: red, hot, swollen, painful, a wound with drainage, or malodor. Seek help immediately if these conditions ensue.<\/p>\n

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Custom-made orthotics process steps and finished orthotic. (Clockwise, top left, 1, 2, 4) and Dr. Adam Kaplan. Photo: Arcus Orthotics<\/p><\/div>\n

10. Prevention is key.<\/h3>\n

You may not notice any changes yet, but getting an early start on prevention can save you from a lot of pain, medical expenses, and living a sedentary lifestyle.<\/p>\n

Devices like custom foot orthotics can help provide comfort, stability, remove pressure from painful areas of the foot, alleviate high or low arch pain, plantar fasciitis, arthritis, tendonitis, limb length discrepancy, and more.<\/p>\n

If needed, taking steps to visit a podiatrist, receive proper nail care, buy custom orthotics, and attend yearly checkups are all important factors in maintaining healthy foot care and a healthy lifestyle overall.<\/p>\n

Dr. Adam Kaplan<\/a> is a podiatrist specializing in foot and ankle surgery and the CEO of Arcus Orthotics<\/a>. He noticed a gap within the industry and created Arcus on a mission to provide a truly custom and accessible orthotic designed specifically for each individual’s foot and give back to the community.<\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Keeping your best feet forward<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":11275,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[139,141],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spring-summer-2021","category-spring-summer-2021-features"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11179"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11179\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11503,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11179\/revisions\/11503"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}