Not so many people take care of their feet as they are so easy to neglect. However, this can bear consequences that can affect your ability to carry on your daily life. For your feet to be able to handle weight-bearing activities like walking, they need to be taken care of. Here are tips that can help keep your family’s feet healthy and happy.
1. Examine your feet
Sometimes you cannot tell if your feet are okay until you examine them. That is why you need to do routine checks for potential foot problems. If you notice anything unusual, you might want to find out what the problem could be. For instance, discoloration of the nails is among the first signs of fungal nail infections. Scaling or peeling between the toes or the sole could be a sign of athletes foot.
Therefore, you should examine your feet at least once in a week, after shower once you have dried your feet. If you notice any problem, give it attention before the issue escalates. Diseases like diabetes increase the risk factor of developing toe and feet infections. If you have diabetes, you can increase the frequency of doing the examinations: it is recommended that you do it every day.
2. Always keep your feet clean and dry
Keeping your feet clean is essential in keeping fungal infections at bay. To keep your feet healthy, you should observe hygiene. Wash your feet thoroughly while bathing, paying attention to the area between the toes. Scrub your soles too and once you are done, dry your feet thoroughly. Your feet need to stay moisture-free, as that is where fungi and bacteria thrive. Do not wear socks or shoes if your feet still have moisture.
3. Wear shoes that fit
Over-sized shoes and ill-fitting shoes will harm your feet. Ill-fitting shoes can lead to the development of bunions, calluses and corns. Round-toed fits are usually the most ideal. Sharp pointed shoes lack enough space, causing your toes to be squeezed: this can lead to ingrown toenails, which are generally very painful. Shoes with enough space will keep your feet healthy.
4. Do not share footwear
Shoes and socks should never be shared at any point. Sharing footwear with friends, or even renting shoes can lead to the spread of the fungus. Buy shoes that are permanently yours and avoid giving them out. Also, if you are wearing someone else’s shoes, the chance is high that you will get shoes that don’t fit well.
5. Do not walk barefoot in public areas
Public swimming pools is one of the areas where you are likely to contract a fungal infection. Always have your shoes on when visiting public bathrooms, pools and gyms. These places are breeding areas for fungi and bacteria that cause foot infections.
6. Wear breathable footwear
To keep your feet moisture-free, you should wear breathable footwear. This is especially if your feet are usually sweaty. Shoes with mesh fabrics are often breathable. Also, synthetic material for socks is ideal: they are breathable and also prevent the accumulation of moisture. By reducing moisture in your feet while running your day-day errands, you will ensure that your shoes are not a breeding ground for fungi.
7. Learn how to cut toenails properly
There is a way that you re supposed to work on your toenails. You should be careful while trimming your nails around the corners because if you do it wrong, you can injure yourself. Cutting them too close to the skin should be avoided.
Not cutting your toenails properly can lead to ingrown nails which are very painful. Note that in-grown nails can sometimes lead to infections.
8. Visit a Podiatric physician
It is critical to understand that you cannot be able to treat all foot problems. Sometimes, some issues need the hands of a professional. If you experience unusual feet symptoms, visit a doctor to get a proper diagnosis and treatment for the problem. Also, if home remedies for athletes’ foot and other complications are not sufficient and the problems persist, you might want to escalate to a person who understands them better.
Ignoring your feet can lead to problems that can affect the quality of your life. Feet play a critical role in your ability to execute daily tasks. If you notice anything out of the norm, act on it before it becomes severe. Foot care does not entail much. Provided you keep your feet clean and dry, you will prevent infections. Examining your feet regularly also ensures that a potential problem does not go unnoticed. Knowing when to visit a doctor is also critical as bathroom surgeries can make a problem worse. With the above tips on feet care, you should be able to have a healthy pair of feet.
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