6 Tips for Healthy Feet
At NY Foot Health, we love April because it’s National Foot Health Awareness Month. Your feet are unique structures that often get taken for granted. This month, feet take front and center, and below are six ways for improving your podiatric health.
Practice good podiatric hygiene. Wash your feet every day with soap and water. Dry them completely. Use a foot or anti-fungal powder to help keep feet dry all day and a rich moisturizer at night before bed. Just a few minutes and a simple routine can go a long way to maintaining healthy feet.
Choose shoes wisely. Your footwear is the single most significant factor in foot health. Be sure to wear shoes that have good arch support to avoid heel pain. Limit heel height to no more than two inches and pick wider heels for more excellent stability. Get your feet measured annually as shoe size can change as you age. Discard shoes when they show signs of wear.
Keep feet covered in public places. At the gym, community pool, or spa, make sure you wear flip-flops or shower shoes. It will limit your exposure to fungal infections and warts, which spread by direct contact.
Manage medical conditions. Several diseases may not start in your feet but can impact your health. Keeping diabetes, high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions under control by following the doctor’s instructions will ultimately benefit your feet too.
Make healthy lifestyle choices. Eating a nutritious diet and avoiding being overweight will decrease your risk for several painful foot disorders. Regularly exercising will help improve circulation and keep feet flexible.
Don’t ignore foot or ankle pain. It’s the way your feet and ankles tell you that something is wrong. Contact your podiatrist promptly to get to the root of the problem and remedy it so that you can continue to enjoy the active life you love. Don’t have a podiatrist? We can help you find one with our online directory.
We love helping New Yorkers learn more about their feet. If you have any aspects of foot health, you’d like to explore, contact us and subscribe to our free e-newsletter.