How Everyone Can Take Better Care Of Their Feet And Ankles
If your ankles and feet are generally healthy, you might assume you don't need to think about foot and ankle care too much. But foot health can turn around quickly. If you want to stay out of the podiatrist's office, then it's really important to take good care of your feet and keep them healthy. How do you do that? Well, you can start by following these foot and ankle care tips that apply to almost everyone.
Invest in Good Shoes
You may have gotten away with wearing cheap shoes when you were a kid and were growing out of a new pair every 6 months. But now that you're grown, it's really important to buy comfortable shoes that fit you properly and offer good support. Doing so will help prevent corns, calluses, blisters, hammertoe, bunions, and just about every other foot ailment. It's cheaper to buy good shoes than it is to treat these problems later on. If you're not sure what shoes fit you, then visit a shoe store to be professionally fitted.
Don't Stand in One Place for Too Long
Sometimes you can't get out of being on your feet for too long. When this is the case, at least make sure you are moving around and walking around as much as possible. This helps keep the circulation in your feet up to par, which prevents a lot of swelling, inflammation, and soreness.
Trim Your Toenails More Often
Get in the habit of trimming your toenails more often. Once a week or once every other week is adequate, in most cases. Trimming your toenails more often helps prevent ingrown toenails and the infections that can follow. With your toenails well-trimmed, your shoes also tend to fit better, which can prevent all sorts of problems from bunions to Achilles tendinitis.
Wear Taller Boots on Uneven Ground
Whenever you have to walk over uneven ground, such as on a hike or when gardening, wear boots that come up over your ankle. This will keep you from rolling your ankle or spraining your ankle if you take a bad step. Even one minor ankle sprain can weaken the ligaments in your ankle and make future strains more likely.
If you follow the tips above, you'll be taking better care of your feet and ankles. In most cases, this should pay off over the years in the form of fewer foot and ankle problems.
For more information on foot and ankle care, contact a professional near you.