Fine Tune Your Feet

On any given day we don’t hesitate to shower to keep ourselves clean, brush our teeth to prevent cavities. We take vitamins and exercise for healthy bodies and a strong heart. We work hard to keep everything in tune to keep ourselves going.

But what do we really do to keep our feet healthy? Aren’t our feet literally what is going to keep us going?? How many of us truly give them the attention they deserve? We only seem to start caring when they start complaining!

Foot fact: By the time we are 50 years old, we will have walked 75,000 miles! A lot of us active types are reaching that milestone much quicker! What happens at that mile mark? Well, we are at a much higher risk for developing arthritis in our feet. This with losing up to 50% of the shock absorbing fat in the balls of our feet can equal a very big OUCH!

Ingrown toe nails, bunions, hammertoes, corns, calluses, foot fungus, painful feet, to name a few, are all signs of foot abuse and neglect.

It is time to fine tune our feet!

When was the last time you really gave your feet a good look-over? That alone can make you aware of a potential problem before it starts to cause pain. Make it a habit to give them a check up every few months.

When was the last time you have your shoe size checked? Our feet spread and grow the more we use them. Next time you go shopping for shoes, take the extra time to have your feet sized. Many of you will be surprised how much they have grown!

Do you like to walk barefoot? I urge you to reconsider. When you rely on your own feet to cushion the blow of your body weight, you can count on wearing down your arch and the fat that cushions the ball and heel of your feet. In your golden years, when you are having a hard enough time keeping your health in check and your body is stiffer, you are going to wish you at least had a good set of feet to carry you through.

Do you really need to cram your foot into those stylish shoes? Yes, I do when I am going to a nice dinner or function. They do make us look great. Unfortunately, your feet can’t talk or they would be screaming for mercy!! Give them a break and alternate with a nice round toe, low or no-heeled, well-padded leather variety and your feet will that you by giving you that extra mileage!

What exercise are you choosing? Daily pounding or non-impact? Makes a big difference! Again, alternate your pounding run or step class with the ellipse, bike, swim, arc trainer or stair master. Wear and tear from a repetitive task can lead to stress fractures, tendonitis, muscle strain. The list goes on and on.

Finally, if you do have foot pain, don't wait and hope it will go away. Pain is not normal. A quick check with a podiatrist means a quicker recovery!