The Agony of "De Feet"

Shirley Schultz, Roving Reporter

You may not be aiming for the Olympics, but you are trying to live an active, mobile, safe lifestyle. Your feet are the foundation for this lifestyle; they are the “solemates” of your body, each with 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. They support you, so give them the care needed to prevent problems, reduce pain, and avoid injuries.

Pay attention to the following before you are dead on your feet.

Hardened, cracked heel skin results from older skin making less oil and elastin. This tends to worsen if you are overweight. Wash your feet every day, and, if needed, remove dead skin with a pumice stone. Apply moisturizing lotion. Seek prescription ointment if you cannot control it.

Ingrown toenails can be very painful and become infected. Prevention requires one to avoid cutting the toenails too short and avoid wearing tight shoes. The toenails should be cut straight across rather than curved. A podiatrist may have to remove the nail root if the problem is severe.

Loss of the fat padding on the bottom of the feet is common with aging. You feel it when you stand on your own two feet. Loss of that cushion may lead to pain in the ball of the foot and heel. If orthotic shoe inserts are not helpful, a podiatrist may give filler injections to replace the fat pad.

Pain on the bottom of your heels is most commonly caused by plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the thick band of tissue that connects the heel bone and toes. It is more common in runners, people who are overweight, and people who have high arches. Treatment includes icing, stretching, shoe inserts, over-the-counter pain medicines, and, in severe cases, steroid injections or surgery.

It is estimated that one in three people may develop a Morton’s Neuroma, a pain in the ball of the foot that feels like you are walking on a marble. It is more common in older women, especially those wearing high heels or shoes with pointed toes. Treatment includes wearing wider shoes and using shoe pads under the painful area. Steroid injections or surgery may be recommended in severe cases.

Foot-in-mouth disease is a condition we should all strive to avoid. This facetious disease refers to making inappropriate, insensitive, or imprudent statements. If the shoe fits, wear it.