Leonardo Da Vinci described the foot as a masterpiece of engineering. Seventy-five percent of Americans will experience foot problems in their lives. Your feet, like other specialized structures, require specialized care. If you take good care of your feet, you will enjoy years of comfort.
Good foot care includes:
- Yearly professional checkups
- Checking for cracks, sores and painful reddened areas
- Trimming toenails straight across (don't cut into the corners)
- Washing feet in warm water (not hot)
- Drying feet well, especially between the toes (blot dry, do not rub)
- Applying cream to your feet (avoiding between the toes)
- Wearing comfortable well-fitting shoes and socks
- Shopping for shoes later in the day since feet swell by then
- Orthotic wearers should have them checked professionally every 6 months
- Walking-it's the best exercise for feet. Most Americans log 75,000 miles on their feet by the time they reach the age of 50
Avoid the following:
- Walking barefoot (even indoors or around pools and beaches - the feet need protection)
- Trimming corns and calluses with a razor
- Over-the-counter medicated corn and callus removers which may cause skin burns
- Wearing the same pair of orthotics for more than 5 years
If you need other helpful inforomation a podiatrist (foot specialist) can make an important contribution to your total health, whether it is regular preventive care or laser surgery.
Please contact Dr. Neal Houslanger at 654-3838 or visit his Web site at FootDoc1.com
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