Top Secrets Ways of Maintaining Healthy Feet

Naturally, you may not always emphasize foot care in your daily life. Yet, your feet serve you well in many ways. It would be best if you pampered your feet because they are subjected to several stressors, so you must take on countless challenges. Occupational and sports activities and foot hygiene are among the many factors that influence your foot health. To remain healthy, your feet need to be pampered at all times. Here are golden tips you should know about foot care.

Doing Regular Foot Strengthening Exercise

The tissues in your feet get stiffer as you get older, which can lead to plantar fasciitis. Inflammation of the tissue band that extends along the bottom of the foot is the condition known as plantar fasciitis. Apart from applying footcare products, exercising regularly, and doing daily foot strengthening exercises is one of the best ways to prevent such foot problems. You can achieve this by going swimming or doing yoga. This helps keep the feet healthy and stretched out properly. To maintain your feet supple, sit in a chair and lift one foot and try tracing each letter of the alphabet in the air with your toe. For a toe stretch, try placing the side of your foot on your knee and slowly pull your toes upward.

Watch Out For Ingrown Toenails

The toenail usually develops when the corner of a big toenail grows into the flesh of the toe, causing redness, swelling, pain, and sometimes this may lead to infection. A podiatrist can cut away the ingrown nail and treat the infection with antibiotics. However, to prevent further trouble, make sure your shoes don’t put undue pressure on the nails of your big toes. Always remember to trim your toenails straight across at the end of the toe. In cases where even after several treatments, an ingrown toenail keeps recurring, it is advisable to ask your podiatrist about surgical options for preventing it.

Regularly Examine the Tops and Bottoms of Your Feet

Examine your feet occasionally and make this exercise part of your daily routine. Consider using a mirror if you are unable to see the bottoms correctly. Look for anything unusual like skin changes, blisters, cuts, drainage, an ulcer, a splinter, or anything that looks like a spot of dirt that on closer inspection could be a small tick. Look out for discoloration of the toenails as well, which can indicate a fungal infection.

Prevent Fungal Infection

Most fungal infection flourishes in warm and moist places. The athlete’s foot usually attacks the toes, soles, and sides of your feet, causing itchy, scaly, and cracked skin. It can be cleared up with over-the-counter antifungal medication. However, in cases where the condition persists, see your doctor for foot care products prescription. To overcome athlete’s foot, keep and maintain your feet clean and dry. Ensure you apply an antifungal powder on them regularly. Wear shoes made of materials that allow air circulation such as leather and canvas, and socks that wick away moisture. Always let your shoes dry out entirely between wearing and remember to switch to a different pair of shoes every day.