Protecting and Maintaining Graceful Beautiful Summertime Feet

General Tips for Maintaining the Health of Your Feet

5 August 2017

Wallace Howell

You may not give much thought to your feet throughout the day, but anyone who has suffered a foot injury, fungal infection, or other such condition can attest to how important it is to keep feet healthy! Even a slight foot condition can interfere with your ability to walk or stand properly, and a seemingly minor foot problem can lead to major health concerns and the need for eventual foot surgery. To avoid these risks, note a few general tips for maintaining the health of your feet:

Foot odour

Foot odour isn't just unpleasant; it's also a sign that your feet are not cleaned properly, and unclean feet can be at greater risk of fungal infections and other such concerns. If your feet often smell, be sure you wash the bottom of the feet and in between the toes more often, and dry them thoroughly before putting on socks and shoes. Wear clean socks every day, and change socks and shoes that get wet, as this moisture can hold bacteria on the surface of the feet. Remove socks and shoes as often as possible, to let feet dry and cool off, and soak feet in vinegar when needed, to help kill germs that cause odour.

Orthotics

Orthotics refer to tools you can use to protect feet and correct certain foot conditions. Shoe inserts can support your foot arch, and toe inserts can straighten hammertoes and relieve bunion pain. You can often buy these orthotics at any pharmacy, but you can also have orthotics custom made by a podiatrist so they fit your feet exactly, and address specific problems you may be experiencing with your feet.

Support

Support stockings can help keep blood circulation around the feet healthy and strong, as these don't allow blood to pool in the lower legs. You might try these if you stand all day, and often have swollen ankles or feet.

However, you want to be cautious about wrapping your feet with bandages and other such materials that are meant for actual injuries, as these can cut off too much of your blood circulation and damage your feet over time. These bandages might also compress the muscles and tendons too much so that they become weakened. You may even begin to avoid the use of certain muscles in the feet when wearing these bandages, which then means putting more stress on other muscles, also weakening and damaging them. To avoid all this damage, don't use bandages, splints, and other such devices unless directed by your podiatrist.

Contact a general foot care clinic for more information and assistance. 

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