Happy Feet

by Ben Macklin

Feet are the workhorse of our bodies and an important part of a happy, healthy lifestyle. Our feet work hard considering the weight and stress we put on them every day, but we continue to give them very little respect. The average adult takes 4,000 to 6,000 steps per day. That’s enough steps to walk around the earth four times during your life. With 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments making up the foot and ankle, it’s easy to see how approximately 80% of people will experience a foot related problem at some point during their life. However, most foot related issues are the result of neglect and lack of awareness for proper care.

Basic foot care takes very little effort and can be easily incorporated into your grooming routine.

• Wash your feet daily to prevent fungal infections. Be sure to get between the toes as this area is more susceptible to infection.

• Moisturize your feet to prevent cracking, but DO NOT put lotion between your toes.

• Do not soak your feet. Foot soaks can break down skin and actually cause damage.

• Trim your toenails straight across versus rounding the nail or cutting the sides to prevent ingrown toenails.

• Examine your feet periodically. Make sure there are no cuts or red areas.

• Tend to cuts and scratches immediately. After cleaning the wound, use a mild ointment and cover the site with gauze and a bandage. Be sure to change the bandage often.

• If you have numbness in your feet from diabetes or nerve damage, examine your feet daily.

• Smooth corns and calluses with a pumice stone while the foot is still damp. Rub gently, only in one direction, and treat the site gradually.

There are a number of problems that can affect your feet, including: foot odor, cracked skin, fallen arches, corns, bunions, calluses, ingrown toenails, fungal infections, strains, sprains, fractures, and more. Of all the potential problems our feet encounter, heel pain is the number one complaint. Heel pain is typically the result of repetitive stress on the foot

caused by biomechanical problems (flat foot) and wearing improper footwear. Plantar Fasciitis, heel spurs, and heel fissures (cracked heels) are some of the primary causes of heel pain.

Heel pain can often be prevented or treated conservatively. “Daily stretching can prevent heel pain, and good supportive shoes can prevent over 40% of future heel problems,” notes Milton Sterling, DPM, Podiatrist at SportsMED Orthopaedic Surgery and Spine Center.

Preventing and managing heel pain can be accomplished by making simple modifications to your daily routine.

• Proper footwear can help absorb shock and provide additional cushioning to take pressure off the heel.

• A daily calf stretching routine can take pressure off the heel and relieve pain.

• Wear well-fitting, activity specific shoes.

• DO NOT go barefooted.

• Avoid flip flops, high heels, and pointy toed shoes for extended periods of time.

• Custom orthotics can help correct biomechanical issues and prevent foot, knee, and lower back pain.

• Diet and exercise also play a key role in preventing foot pain. Dr. Sterling adds, “B complex vitamins accompanied with exercise can decrease neuropathic pain that affect the foot.”

As we age, foot related issues tend to worsen. If foot care does not seem important now, it will be. Showing your feet a little respect and some TLC will carry you a long way in life.