Your feet are one of the most important parts of your body. However, it is probably the part of your body that you take for granted the most.
It is easy to ignore your feet until something goes wrong with them and you realize how important they are. Your feet move you from one place to the next and they help you to enjoy physical activity.
This is why it is so important to make a conscious effort to take care of your feet just as you would any other part of your body. Here's a closer look at some of the main ways in which you can go about keeping your feet healthy.
Clean Carefully
You need to make sure that you clean your feet thoroughly. Try to wash your feet in warm water if possible.
Avoid using extremes of temperature such as hot or cold water. When water has extreme temperatures it can damage the skin on your feet.
Try to use a soft sponge and mild soap to cleanse your feet.
Make sure that once you are finished cleansing your feet you dry them properly. If you are going to be wearing socks this is especially important.
Moisture and heat are not good and it can lead to odors, and even foot fungus if the feet were not dried thoroughly beforehand.
Do an Inspection
Inspecting your feet is critical if you want to make sure that they are in good health. Several things can start developing on your feet and you need to make sure that you are aware of them as soon as possible.
You should be on the lookout for blisters, cuts, and cracks in your skin. Sometimes it can be difficult for you to see the bottom of your feet and the best thing to do is to get a handheld mirror so you can look closely at your feet.
If you suspect that there are small cuts or cracks that you're not seeing then you can use a magnification mirror.
Cut Your Nails Carefully
One of the things you need to ensure is that you're cutting your nails carefully. Failure to do this can lead to ingrown toenails which can be very painful.
Try not to cut your nails too short because this is what can cause you to have an ingrown toenail. Ingrown toenails usually feel very sore and eventually lead to infections.
Try to cut your nails straight across and then use a file to smooth the edges carefully. If this is too difficult for you to do, you can ask a podiatrist to do it for you or you can visit a nail salon where they are skilled at doing it.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
Sometimes it can be tempting to give up comfort for fashion but that should never be an option. The comfort that you feel in your shoes should be superseded by any kind of style.
Poorly fitted shoes can cause a lot of damage to your feet. This is why you need to ensure that your shoes are properly supporting your feet as well as your ankles. This is the best way to ensure that you can walk safely and not fall.
If you are involved in athletic activities you can ask a physical therapist to help you fit your shoes for your sporting activities. They may even be able to recommend shoes that have the right orthotics to help support your feet as you perform your athletics.
Wearing ill-fitting shoes can cause Achilles tendonitis. This can be painful but you can use an achilles tendon wrap with tape to help.
Moisturize Your Feet
It is always a good idea to moisturize your feet once you have dried them. Make sure that you stay away from oily moisturizers when you are doing this.
However, putting a little bit of moisture on your feet, especially in areas where you suspect there may be dryness that is causing cracks is one way of making sure that your feet are in tip-top condition.
Take Care of Your Feet
Taking care of your feet is something that you should always make a priority. You don't want to only focus on your feet when there is a problem.
As you can see, it is not too difficult to take care of your feet daily. All you have to do is make sure that you are observant and take a few precautionary measures.
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