What are 5 tips for keeping your feet healthy?
What are 5 tips for keeping your feet healthy? – Dr. Joseph Rosado is an internationally known medical doctor and physician executive. He wants to share foot health information with you in this blog article. We often take our feet for granted by squeezing them into shoes that may not fit the best or neglecting a thorough care routine.
But as you probably already know, any kind of small problems like an ingrown toenail or a blister can become very painful and prevent you from participating in your everyday activities. Hopefully, this blog article will help answer some of your questions and give you some good ideas for having healthy feet.
By keeping your feet happy and healthy, you’ll be able to easily continue with everyday activities. Find out about choosing the right shoes, a proper foot hygiene routine, and general care to keep your feet healthy.
Now let’s take a closer look at the 5 tips that Doctor Joseph Rosado wants to share with you.
1 – Wear shoes that fit – What are 5 tips for keeping your feet healthy?
It sounds like an obvious thing, but it’s easy to make allowances when you find that perfect pair of shoes that’s just one size too small. Shoes that are too small can cause long-term damage to your feet.
The skin of the feet tends to get thinner and drier with age; callused feet can crack and bleed, causing pain. To keep the skin soft, rub a thick moisturizing lotion into your feet after showers or baths as needed (but avoid the spaces in between the toes, where too much moisture can lead to infections).
Try to avoid pointy shoes that can crowd your toes and result in painful ingrown toenails and calluses. Though we’ve all had those beautiful shoes that result in painful blisters and rubbed skin the following morning after wearing them, it’s never worth damaging your feet.
Rounded shoes that give your feet and toes plenty of breathing space with a sturdy wide heel are best for your feet. When you shop for shoes, try to wear the same sort of socks that you’d be wearing with the shoe to make sure that they are the correct size.
2 – Choose well-fitting shoes that keep your feet healthy – What are 5 tips for keeping your feet healthy?
Your toes shouldn’t be squished into the tip of the shoe and there should be enough space so that your toes can move and be supported. The ball of your foot should also feel cushioned and well-supported at the widest part of the shoe.
Shoe fashions come and go, but a lifetime of wearing comfortable shoes is one of the best preventive measures you can take to ensure your mobility. Wearing tight shoes or high heels now and then for a night out won’t cause lasting damage. But when you know you’ll be on your feet most of the day, choose supportive, comfortable shoes. Invest in well-fitting athletic shoes for running, aerobics, and other high-impact activities.
Always try before you buy and make sure you can comfortably walk around without any part of the shoe rubbing your foot.
If you’re buying hiking boots or sneakers, try to wear them in before wearing them for long amounts of time or when doing physical activity. This will prevent the shoes from giving you blisters or being uncomfortably tight. Making sure your shoes fit properly and the shoes are worn-in will help keep your feet healthy.
What to do if my feet are damaged by poorly fitting shoes?
If you do end up with hardened skin as a result of poorly fitting shoes, it’s important to know how to remove it properly. Try using a pumice stone to softly take off the dead skin.
If you are a frequent runner or gym-goer, it’s important to keep your sneakers in good condition to avoid any long-term foot problems. Replace your running shoes every 300 miles and check for any damage to the exterior or soles that might be resulting in too much pressure being placed on your feet as you move.
3 – Wear heels with caution – What are 5 tips for keeping your feet healthy?
While heels can be the finishing touch you need to pull your outfit together for that big event you have coming up, it’s important to limit your use and perhaps avoid them altogether.
Those towering high heels, when worn, tip your whole body forward and change your foot’s natural position. The consistent wearing of heels causes your whole body to be out of position, and can also lead to long-term hip, knee, and back pain.
Plus, did you know that constantly wearing high heels can result in painful damage to your feet. One of the negative effects of wearing high heels is the damage that they can cause to your toenails. Wearing high heels compresses the toes together causing the big toenail to grow into the skin and eventually resulting in an ingrown toenail.
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If you can’t resist wearing heels, choose a pair with a wider heel so you have more contact between your feet and the ground. Just remember that the higher the heel, the higher the risk of the lower back, hip, and/or knee getting hurt and having long-term issues.
With the habitual wearing of heels that are two inches or higher, the Achilles tendon and calf muscles can face changes in shape. As the shoe heel pushes up the human heel, the Achilles tendon and calf muscles are facing increased pressure.
Therefore, women who wear very high heels also put their ankles at risk of injury. If the wearer falls or has a sudden movement in the wrong direction, it could cause a sprained ankle. The higher the heel, the worse the potential effects of a fall.
4 – Keep your feet clean – What are 5 tips for keeping your feet healthy?
Keeping your feet healthy goes hand in hand with keeping them clean. Always make sure to give your feet a good cleaning in the shower at the end of the day or following a workout. Keep an eye out for peeling or scaling on the soles of your feet, as this could be an indication of an athlete’s foot. Any discoloration of the toenails could be a sign of a nail fungus.
Wash and dry your feet thoroughly when you shower or bathe. Cut toenails straight across to avoid ingrown nails. Use a pumice stone or foot file to gently remove calluses. If you wear nail polish on your toes, keep the nails healthy by letting them “breathe” for a couple of days after you remove it and before adding more.
When you use the changing rooms or showers at the gym, make sure to use flip flops or shower shoes since these places are often packed full of infection-causing fungi.
Following a good thorough cleanse of your feet, you should get into the routine of using moisturizer. All the wear and tear that your feet experience can result in thinner and drier skin that can crack and bleed, causing pain and discomfort. Following your bath or shower, work a thick, heavy lotion into your feet, avoiding the space between your toes to prevent infection.
It’s also important to follow your shower or bath to properly dry your feet to avoid the growth of fungi and bacteria – both of which thrive in a warm and moist environment.
Even though your friend might have a perfect pair of shoes that match your outfit, you should avoid sharing footwear since this can increase the chance of spreading fungi infections. This includes wearing other people’s socks as well.
5 – Moisturize Your Feet & Stretch Your Feet Too!
The skin of the feet tends to get thinner and drier with age; callused feet can crack and bleed, causing pain. To keep the skin soft, rub a thick moisturizing lotion into your feet after showers or baths as needed (but avoid the spaces in between the toes, where too much moisture can lead to infections).
Maybe you are more interested in moisturizing your feet overnight. Well at bedtime, simply apply a generous amount of petroleum jelly to the feet, heel, and toe area, and then cover your feet with cotton socks. By morning, your feet should feel soft and supple. This can be repeated nightly if desired.
People don’t usually think about stretching the tops and bottoms of their feet, but stretches can help you treat – and prevent – foot pain. Stretches for the Achilles’ tendon are also important.
Here is a quick way to stretch your feet daily. Grab your toes with one hand and pull them up toward your ankle until you feel a stretch along the bottom of your foot and in your heel cord. Massage the arch of your foot with your other hand during the stretch. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times on each foot.
So is it bad to do this regularly? Being the backbone of the body, the feet carry your entire weight and can easily become overexerted, causing cramps and pain. As with any body part, stretching your feet can serve many benefits. From increasing flexibility to even providing some pain relief, be sure to give your feet a stretch from time to time.
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What are 5 tips for keeping your feet healthy? Well, we hope this blog article helped answer some of your questions related to foot health. If you have any questions about your foot health, please contact his offices. I hope this article helped you learn a little more about Dr. Joseph Rosado and shared the answers with you. If you want to learn more about this schedule an appointment with Dr. Rosado or purchase his book on Amazon.