#1
Wear shoes that fit properly. When shopping for shoes, have your feet properly measured. Your correct size will change overtime just as your feet do. Wearing shoes that are too small or too tight can cause long-term foot problems. Make sure to give ALL your Little Piggies (toes) plenty of space.
#2
Barefoot in public areas. Beware! Gyms, public pools, locker rooms, water parks, etc. Fungi love these places. Avoid fungal infections by wearing shower shoes, and drying your feet between your toes, especially if you’re planning to wear socks and shoes afterwards. (AND DID I MENTION SHOWER SHOES?)
#3
Avoid leaving nail polish on your toe nails all the time. This could lead to brittle nails. If you can’t go without colored nails, try daniPro nail polish. It’s the #1 doctor formulated nail polish and is free of damaging chemicals found in most other polishes. Choose your favorite daniPro color at the Mt. Airy Foot & Ankle Center retail shop!
#4
Keeping the rest of your body healthy can help keep your feet healthy too. Research shows that being overweight can put one at a higher risk for a variety of feet conditions such as; Tendonitis, Plantar Fasciitis, and Osteoarthritis. Maintaining a healthy weight and diet may help you to avoid feet issues, and possibly even ankle, knee, hip and back problems, caused by excess weight pressure.
#5
Toenail trimming; the right way. When trimming your toenails, cut them straight across. Rounding the edges can lead to ingrown nails. Washing your feet beforehand can also make it a little easier to cut them. Make sure you’re using the correct tools such as toenail clippers for manicure scissors, and not your paper scissors, pocket knife, or even your fingers. Tearing your nails instead of clipping them can cause them to become too short and eventually ingrown.
#6
Don’t neglect your feet when applying sunscreen. As warmer weather approaches, apply sunscreen on the feet and in between the toes. It’s surprising how often your feet will get sunburned!
#7
Avoid wearing flats and sandals too much. Shoes with no arch support or shock absorption do very little for your overall foot health. Due to their lack of support for the heel and arch, wearing this footwear could lead to dry and cracked heels, Pes Planus (fallen arches), and possibly even stress fractures. Reserve wearing your flats and thin sandals for short occasions that won’t require a lot of walking. Luckily with arch and heel support do exist! Try Spenco or OOFOS.
#8
Know when to visit your local podiatrist. Most of the time it is better to seek the help of a professional instead of infinite web searches and self-treatments. Treating foot conditions on your own, in many cases, can cause the issue to become worse. Seeing your doctor can get your feet back to health and you back to happy.
