Watch Your Step - It’s World Foot Health Awareness Month!
Apr 01 , 2021
Tags - World Foot Health Awareness Month
World Foot Health Awareness Month is among us!
Often, the importance of our feet is overlooked.
But, we must understand the importance and how to look after them to avoid pain and injuries.
Did you know, each foot is compact with 26 bones, 30 joints and over 100 ligaments?
Not only are they one of the more complex parts of our bodies, but are also the basis for our mobility.
Yet, over half of our population wear unsuitable shoes that can cause long term damage.
Here are 5 ways you should look after your feet.
1. Properly Fitted Shoes
Many people assume that once we hit adulthood, our feet stop growing.
False!
As a matter of fact, our shoe size varies throughout our whole life; weight loss/gain, pregnancy and aging itself can impact our shoe size.
For this reason, it’s important to get your feet measured at least once a year to ensure you are buying the right shoes for you.
Too tight and you run the risk of ingrown toenails, corns and pain.
Too big and your feet won’t sit right in the shoe, potentially causing blisters, sore heels and calluses.
2. Orthotics
Foot pain is not normal.
So if you’ve tried to purchase shoes but they just don’t seem to fit properly, or they’re still causing issues, you may need to look into orthotics to support the abnormal movement in your feet.
Simply, these are special, custom-made insoles created specifically for your feet.
Provided that you suffer from foot, leg or back pain, your doctor can prescribe orthotics to alleviate discomfort.
3. Daily Foot Care Routine
We brush our teeth twice a day as part of our daily routine.
But why do we forget about our feet?
Yes, we wash them in the shower, but if they don’t get the proper care they need every day, we will suffer later on.
So, once you have washed them thoroughly, dry them properly with a towel - don’t forget to dry in between your toes too!
Then, use a pumice stone to get rid of dry skin and file down calluses using a large nail file.
Finally, apply a generous amount of foot cream and wear cotton socks.
Use this routine every night and you will wake up baby soft feet every morning!
4. Regular Exercise
It’s no secret that regular exercise improves our health.
However, there are certain exercises that are essential for healthy blood circulation in our feet.
These include, flexing and extending the toes and ankle rotation.
Doing so, will promote the mobility of your toes as well as improve flexibility and relieve swelling.
Ultimately, regular exercise will reduce the stress on your feet.
5. Manage Diet to Avoid Swelling
With regular exercise comes a healthy diet.
Most of the time, it’s hard to avoid swelling feet.
However, diet can play a huge part in bringing that swelling down.
First things first, drink plenty of water! When your body is not getting enough water, it will hold onto what’s there, which contributes to swelling.
Couple this by consuming lots of watermelon; it’s found that watermelons are natural diuretics that aid in reducing water retention.
Other foods to consider are, asparagus, beets, parsley and pumpkin, which are also natural diuretics.
Finally, histamine is a main culprit for swollen feet - probiotics found in yoghurt can reduce bacteria caused.
To summarise, our feet play a huge role in our general health and wellbeing.
Simply, the better we look after our feet, the higher quality of life we will experience!
To find out more, get in touch today.
In the meantime, check our range of comfortable shoes.
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