No wonder three-quarters of adults reported having foot problems in the last five years. The good news is that looking after your feet can prevent most of these problems.
We squeeze feet into ill-fitting shoes and heels, don't always wash them and rarely pamper them.
Your feet take the weight of your whole body, so foot problems can quickly lead to discomfort and affect the way you walk. This can in turn cause knee, hip and back pain.
Investing a bit of time and thought into caring for your feet now can prevent them causing you pain later.
10 top tips
1. Don't go to bed without washing your feet. If you leave dirt on the skin's surface, it can become irritated and infected. Wash your feet every evening with soap and water.
2. Dry your feet thoroughly after washing them and apply a special moisturizing foot cream (not body lotion).
3. Gently remove hard skin and calluses with a pumice stone or foot file on a regular basis.
4. Always trim your toenails straight across, never at an angle or down the edges. This can cause ingrown toenails.
5. Shop for shoes in the afternoon. Feet swell as the day goes on and if shoes fit in the afternoon when your feet are at their largest, you can be assured they will be always be comfortable.
6. If you have to wear heels at work, wear comfortable shoes to and from the office and only wear your smart shoes in the office. Also, try to vary the heel height, between low, medium and high.
7. Be shoe savvy. Wear high heels and pointed shoes for special occasions only, and always wear the right shoes for the job (so no sandals for mountain climbing).
8. Change your socks daily.
9. Wear flip-flops to avoid catching athlete’s foot and verrucas when you use public areas such as gym showers, swimming pools or hotel bathrooms.
10. Don't wear flip-flops all the time in hot weather. They don't provide support for your feet and can give you arch and heel pain if you wear them all the time.
http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/foothealth/Pages/Healthyfeet.aspx
No comments:
Post a Comment