How to Maintain Healthy Feet
Practice good foot hygiene and grooming., Wear the right shoes., Seek medical assistance.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Practice good foot hygiene and grooming.
Wash feet daily with soap and warm water.
While your feet are wet, use a pumice stone to remove dry, flaky skin from heels and the bottom of your feet and to smooth down calluses on your toes.
Dry your feet thoroughly, especially between the toes.
You should cut your toenails straight across to avoid ingrown toenails.
Cutting into the corners of the toenail could lead to the nail growing into the toe.
Use a nail file or emery board to smooth the rough, sharp edges of your toenails.
Moisturize your feet with creams or lotions made of oil-based ingredients such as shea butter of coconut oil to keep the skin soft and supple.
Check your feet for cuts, scratches, infection (such as athlete's foot) and changes in color or appearance.
Some changes in your feet can be handled at home (clean cuts and apply antibiotic ointment and use over-the-counter creams for athlete's foot) or may require a visit to a podiatrist (foot specialist).
Apply sunblock to your feet when wearing sandals.
This will reduce your chances of sunburn. -
Step 2: Wear the right shoes.
Knowing your foot type will help you to choose the right shoes.
If your feet are flat, you will need to purchase shoes with arch support.
If you have high arches, choose shoes that support the balls of your feet and the heels.
A podiatrist or retail shoe sales person can help you determine your foot type.
Purchase shoes at the end of the day when feet are at their widest.
Have your feet measured while you are standing with your weight evenly distributed.
When trying on shoes, there should be 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) of space from the top of your longest toe to the top of the shoe's toe box.
Walk around the store in both shoes.
If one or both of your feet hurt, do not buy the shoes.
Shoes that have a round toe box offer more room for your toes than shoes with a pointed, square or oval toe box.
According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, wearing heels over 3 inches (7.6 cm) can put pressure on the balls of the feet, lead to problems with balance and put stress on the ankles and knees.
Wearing different shoes every day will allow sweat form your feet to dry out of shoes completely and reduce the occurrence of infection.
Wearing shoes made from breathable material like leather will assist with shoes drying out quickly. , A podiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in problems of the feet and ankles.
You should see a podiatrist if you have on-going or increasing foot pain or recurring infections.
A podiatrist can diagnosis and provide treatment for a variety of foot related ailments such as bunions, nail fungus, ankle and foot fractures and more.
If you have diabetes, a podiatrist can assist you with maintaining the health of your feet.
See a podiatrist if you experience tingling or numbness in your feet or have wounds that fail to heal. -
Step 3: Seek medical assistance.
Detailed Guide
Wash feet daily with soap and warm water.
While your feet are wet, use a pumice stone to remove dry, flaky skin from heels and the bottom of your feet and to smooth down calluses on your toes.
Dry your feet thoroughly, especially between the toes.
You should cut your toenails straight across to avoid ingrown toenails.
Cutting into the corners of the toenail could lead to the nail growing into the toe.
Use a nail file or emery board to smooth the rough, sharp edges of your toenails.
Moisturize your feet with creams or lotions made of oil-based ingredients such as shea butter of coconut oil to keep the skin soft and supple.
Check your feet for cuts, scratches, infection (such as athlete's foot) and changes in color or appearance.
Some changes in your feet can be handled at home (clean cuts and apply antibiotic ointment and use over-the-counter creams for athlete's foot) or may require a visit to a podiatrist (foot specialist).
Apply sunblock to your feet when wearing sandals.
This will reduce your chances of sunburn.
Knowing your foot type will help you to choose the right shoes.
If your feet are flat, you will need to purchase shoes with arch support.
If you have high arches, choose shoes that support the balls of your feet and the heels.
A podiatrist or retail shoe sales person can help you determine your foot type.
Purchase shoes at the end of the day when feet are at their widest.
Have your feet measured while you are standing with your weight evenly distributed.
When trying on shoes, there should be 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) of space from the top of your longest toe to the top of the shoe's toe box.
Walk around the store in both shoes.
If one or both of your feet hurt, do not buy the shoes.
Shoes that have a round toe box offer more room for your toes than shoes with a pointed, square or oval toe box.
According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, wearing heels over 3 inches (7.6 cm) can put pressure on the balls of the feet, lead to problems with balance and put stress on the ankles and knees.
Wearing different shoes every day will allow sweat form your feet to dry out of shoes completely and reduce the occurrence of infection.
Wearing shoes made from breathable material like leather will assist with shoes drying out quickly. , A podiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in problems of the feet and ankles.
You should see a podiatrist if you have on-going or increasing foot pain or recurring infections.
A podiatrist can diagnosis and provide treatment for a variety of foot related ailments such as bunions, nail fungus, ankle and foot fractures and more.
If you have diabetes, a podiatrist can assist you with maintaining the health of your feet.
See a podiatrist if you experience tingling or numbness in your feet or have wounds that fail to heal.
About the Author
Jacqueline Lane
Specializes in breaking down complex DIY projects topics into simple steps.
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