Who Wants To Talk About Feet?

From my experience there are only a select few that do. Either they are Podiatrists or foot care professionals and they will talk to you about your feet until they are blue in the face. Or there is another type of person, but this blog is not aimed at them!

Good foot health is essential for your movement and mobility. There is nothing worse than putting your foot down on the ground and having a pain somewhere remind you that you need to see somebody. It’s not even like it is a pain that will go away as it nags at you every step that you take.

In this blog, we will explore some of the things that you can do to keep your feet healthy and well.

The foot is a complex part of your body and is made up of muscles, joints, bones and tendons which all work together to help you bend, flex and move your foot. There are so many things that could go wrong with your foot just from these, not counting all the other conditions that you could have.

With the summer coming upon us and the weather improving, we will be using (and showcasing) our feet more often, so good foot health is essential!

Here are Xavier’s Top Tips for Healthy Feet:

1. Foot hygiene - if your feet are wet then it is the perfect environment for bacteria to grow which inevitably leads to an infection. Always dry your feet thoroughly after they have been wet, especially if you have been swimming. Who doesn’t know somebody who picked up a stray verruca after a trip to the swimming pool that they couldn’t get rid of?
   Change your socks often, especially if you suffer from sweaty feet. Always put on dry socks as wet socks can help bacteria grow and can also cause rubbing which will make your feet sore.
   Always wash your feet (and dry them properly) after doing sport or at the end of the day.
2. Wear the right shoes - if you wear high heels or the same shoes every day, you are more likely to be a person that suffers from problematic feet.
   If your shoes are too big or too small, then this can cause rubbing which will lead your feet to be sore.
   Rotating your footwear every day will help your feet recover from any shoes that are potentially not right for your feet.
   Make sure your shoes are in a good state. Worn out shoes can cause problems not only for your feet but for your joints as well.
   And a really obvious one. Don’t share shoes…
3. Don’t walk around barefoot in public places - unless you want a verruca or to possibly cut your foot…
4. If you have a problem, then consult early - the longer you leave it, the worse it will get. I don’t think anybody that works with feet has ever heard a story of a verruca that just spontaneously went away on its own or a fungal toenail infection that just disappeared overnight!
5. Check your feet daily - sometimes the changes can be very small, but you should check for cuts, sores, swellings and infected toenails.

If you have any doubts about the health of your feet, our friendly podiatrists in our Sittingbourne and Maidstone clinics will be more than happy to answer any questions that you might have.

Wishing you great foot health!