World Health Day: 6 Tips for Maintaining Your Foot Health
Apr 05 , 2022
Tags - World Health Day / Tips for Maintaining Your Foot Health
April 7th is World Health Day, a day where we all take a moment to reflect on the state of our health.
Whilst it's important to look after your mind and body as a whole, one part that often gets neglected is our legs and feet.
But if you think about how active we are in our daily lives, it's important to give them some extra TLC from time to time.
That said, here are 6 tips to care for your legs and feet to keep them healthy and pain free.
What Happens To Your Body When You Stand All Day?
After a long time standing, your feet might become sore.
Even if you have a decent pair of shoes, your feet may still be hurting. Aside from painful feet, you may experience swollen ankles and calves.
The reason this happens is because if you're standing all day, your blood circulation in your lower body has to work extra hard to send blood back to your heart, which can cause swelling and aching.
Simply, a typical fly-by of blood with oxygen and nutrients becomes a traffic jam, resulting in fluid leaking from the blood vessels into the surrounding tissue.
You may also start to feel fatigued in your lower legs, known as lower leg fatigue. And when your legs become weary, they might cramp or back pain can occur - in the long term, this can be detrimental to your health.
6 Tips for Caring For Your Legs and Feet
1. Protect Your Feet
Always, whether indoors or out, wear shoes or protective slippers.
Consider how your foot might be injured if you step on a paperclip with bare feet or just socks on. Something sharp on the floor could pierce your foot if you don't wear anything with a thick enough sole that something razor-sharp won't go through it.
Furthermore, you need comfortable shoes that are made of materials that allow good ventilation and fit your whole foot.
And don't buy footwear in the incorrect size believing they'll break in, as tight shoes can lead to foot complications and deformities.
2. Exercise
Keeping active and exercising your leg muscles improves circulation and aids the lymphatic system in removing any extra moisture, which will reduce the risk of swollen legs and ankles.
Everyone may engage in physical activity, although the degree will vary depending on any existing health concerns.
So whether you're walking, jogging, or performing exercises while sitting in your chair, every little bit helps - try to keep active for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week.
Lastly, try not to stand or sit with your legs still for long periods of time, since gravity will cause an increase in fluid in your legs.
3. Foam Roll or Tennis Ball
It's so easy: you can take a tennis ball with you to work or keep it at home.
Simply put it beneath your foot and roll it back and forth. The pressure will enable the muscles to stretch and elongate, which is exactly what your feet need after being in a constant state of contraction throughout the day.
On the other hand, use a foam roller to stretch and lengthen the muscles in your calves and thighs. Why? Well imagine a rubber band that never gets lengthened. Overtime, it will become brittle and hard, and when you go to stretch it, it’s more likely to break - your muscles work the same way.
4. Elevate Your Feet
You may do this already: you get home, get comfy, and lay on the sofa with your feet up. Although they’re up off the floor, you ideally want to get them up above your heart.
By doing so, your leg veins won't have to work as hard, resulting in less stress on your legs. Give your lower body circulation the rest it needs to recover after a long day's work.
5. Compression Socks
Compression socks aren’t glamorous, but they work.
And if you wear trousers, then you can get away with wearing them no problem.
Don't let them be too tight. And if you ever get uncomfortable in them, remove them. It's not intended to cut off circulation. The goal is to assist blood circulation.
6. Keep Your Feet Clean
Wash your feet properly every day.
We spend a lot of time on our feet and naturally, they will sweat. But the cleaner your feet are the less likely you are to get an infection if you happen to get a small cut.
Plus, you need to wash carefully in between the toes as this is where athlete’s foot usually starts, and after washing, dry your feet thoroughly.
However, if your feet are sensitive, use a lightweight towel to pat dry them gently rather than rubbing.
The Bottom Line
If you're on your feet all day, then take these measures to take care for your feet, legs and overall health.
Look after them, and you'll have the ability to do so much in life!
Want to know more? Please contact us today.
In the meantime, check out our comfortable shoes here.
You may also like: