Why Should you Keep your Feet Healthy 

The feet are a sometimes-disregarded body part. The feet offer the body support and balance, however, it’s rare to hear someone say they will dedicate a training session to strengthen their feet.  We use our feet to walk, jump, kick and do many other activities which can easily hurt the feet if done incorrectly, especially if you don’t have strong feet. People wear heels or shoes that don’t fit the foot’s anatomy for aesthetic reasons. In general, the care of feet is often overlooked. Well, it shouldn’t, and people would probably be more attentive to their feet’s care if they knew how much the feet’s health influences the overall body health.

Not treating your feet with care or not giving them a good use can compromise not only your balance but can have negative effects on other body parts creating injuries for example in the lower limb, the hips, and even the shoulders, hence affecting your mobility as well.

How to take care of the feet?

Footwear: How to choose the right footwear? Begin by choosing your correct size. Make sure that every side of your foot feels comfortable inside the shoe, that it is not too tight nor too loose and that walking feels as natural as possible. Avoid high heels or any other kind of shoe that divides the body weight unevenly along the foot. Additionally, choose the correct shoes for different activities, if you will practice a sport or go running, use adequate shoes that help you cushion the weight as you jump, jog, or run. On the other hand, if you’re going to lift weights, choose plain shoes that allow the weight to distribute more evenly.

Exercises: Practice stretches and exercises that will give strength and flexibility to the many ligaments you have in the feet. Do ankle exercises to reinforce this joint, and practice yoga and other kinds of physical activities that improve your balance and posture.

Hygiene: Feet are inside shoes for long periods of time which makes them prone to different dermatological conditions affected by the hygiene. Therefore, you should take care of your feet ‘ skin. Trim and clean your nails regularly, exfoliate and hydrate the feet’s skin, wash your feet thoroughly and dry them well before wearing shoes. 

Foot massages: There are so many ligaments and nerve receptors that work in the base of our body while we stand up, walk, exercise, and more. At the end of the day, help your feet by massaging them. A good idea could be to roll a tennis ball through the sole of the foot. Do this for a couple of minutes before going to bed and your feet will be grateful.

Don’t wait until your feet are injured to take care of them. Put in practice these recommendations and take advantage of the benefits of having healthy feet. 

Orthopedic Corner | Leon Mead MD Orthopedic Doctor | 730 Goodlette Road North, Suite 201  Naples Florida 34102 | Phone: (239) 262-1119