Regular and thorough foot care is one of the best ways of preventing foot problems. Many people do not take their feet seriously until a problem occurs-a blistered, sore heel or painful ingrowing toenail.
However, constantly looking after your feet before concerns arise truly has an impact on your movement, sensations and day-to-day activities.
Your feet support your entire body weight with every step you take, cushion your every step and adjust to uneven terrain silently.
When they are ignored, the results can be anything from minor inconvenience to infections.
This article takes you through some practical, simple ways to look after your feet – including hygiene, nail and skin care, choosing footwear and when to seek help.
Why Looking After Your Feet Matters
Foot health is not just a concern for our older generation.
Childrens’ feet are still in growth, Adults are under pressure from long hours on their feet, and elderly people suffer from balance problems and circulation loss.
Importance of foot care! Neglected foot can cause pain and discomfort like plantar fasciitis, bunions, athlete’s foot and ulcers in diabetics.
These are not only bad at your feet they’re bad at your posture, knees, hips, movement, vice versa.
A painful foot affects the way you walk and that compensation can gradually, silently, lead to problems higher up in the body, months or years down the line.
Foot health is also very much linked with wellbeing, not just mobility:
Over time, the pain may lead to a reduction in activity which could impact on general cardiovascular and mental health.
The silver lining is that, in most cases of the common foot problems, they are all completely preventable with good, consistent, simple habits, not a single piece of machinery or shoe is necessary.
Daily Habits for Looking After Your Feet
Good hygiene is a prerequisite for healthy feet.
Most people just rinse their feet in the shower without doing anything special. Just turning the water on with soap in your feet and leaving them therein.
That’s not quite sufficient.
Timely, correct cleansing, drying, and moisturizing on a regular basis is the most effective way to prevent most skin and fungal problems.
Washing and drying your feet
We understand that it can be a pain having to wash your own feet every day, but please do. Use soft soap and tepid water – hot water will dry your skin out more quickly.
Wash firmly in between the toes, the back of the heel and underneath the arch as these are regions that sweat and bacteria gather.
Contrary to how it seems, the drying is perhaps more crucial than the washing.
Condensation accumulated between the toes produces precisely the humid, rotting conditions, upon which fungi thrive.
Gently towel dry each toe separately and not just the whole foot quickly.
Just this one use of a bad habit greatly lowers the chance of catching painful, hard to get rid of fungal tinea pedis.
Moisturising without damage
Dry skin on feet is very common, especially around the heels, and if left can crack, causing pain and infection.
Use a good quality foot cream or urea-based moisturiser, and apply to soles and heels after drying- but not between the toes.
That area has to remain dry, and if you is already applied, then powder while is there to trap moisture and prevent fungus.
In the case of very cracked heels a heel balm with a higher urea concentration (20-25%) may help to soften dry cornified skin.
Use it at night and put on cotton wool socks to make the absorption easier.
Nails, Skin and Self-Checks: Early Detection
Fingernails and the skin on your feet will tell you something about you.
Alterations to the colour of the nails, abnormal thickening or an ulcer that doesn’t heal are worth commenting on, not brushing off.
Creating a quick self-assessment schedule – like weekly – allows you to notice minor problems before turning them into larger issues.
Trimming toenails to prevent ingrown nails
Dash toenails should be cut straight across, not rounded at the edges.
It is the best prevention of In-Tow ingrowing nails. Wherein the edge of the nail, grow into the cornermargin & causing pain (especially when touched), infection also may occur.
Do not cut to short – the nail should be just clear of the tip of the toe.
Use good quality nail scissors instead of a knife for trimming nails, then when they are cut smooth off any sharp edges as they are being filed.
Where a nail is already ingrowing, painful or shows signs of infection such as redness and swelling, it can be treated by a chiropodist appropriately.
In general, if I make an effort to muscle it out at home it generally backfires.
Checking for Changes, Cuts and Infections
A simple self-check that takes around two minutes.
Check the skin for any redness, swelling, blisters or cuts—pay extra attention to the areas between the toes and under the heel where they can be overlooked.
Inspect nails for discoloration (yellow or white patches can suggest fungal infection), abnormal thickening or shape.
Individuals with diabetes must be especially careful at this stage, as loss of sensation results in injuries being less noticeable, and worse long term.
Any wound that does not heal within a week or if spreading redness is noticed around a cut should be seen by a healthcare professional immediate.
Footwear Selection and Protection
The footwear your foot wears is even more influential on foot health than most people would have thought.
Poorly fitting footwear is a major cause of blisters, bunions, corns and problems that can appear later in life…
Getting this right is not about buying the most expensive insurance – it’s about knowing what to look for.
Select shoes which support, rather than cause harm, to your feet:
Shoes should support your feet straight away; shoes do not settle down after wearing them for a while. This is not a table tennis match!
A thumb’s width between the end of the shoe and your longest toe should exist.
A low heel, adequate arch support and a padded sole is better for everyday walking.
High heels transfer your weight toward the ball of the foot and put extra pressure on the toes, so cutting back on wearing them actually has a big impact over time.
Worn out shoes are a small investment for those who, for long periods, will have to be on their feet.
Socks, Insoles and When Going Barefoot Is Poor
Natural fibres such as cotton and wool draw water away from the skin more successfully than synthetic blends, so are more advantageous in the holiday mood!
For arch pain or heel pain, OTC insoles offer additional support—though a trip to the podiatrist for custom orthotics can help if the problem persists.
Can be done barefoot at home on very clean surfaces, not elsewhere. Gym changing rooms, swimming-pool surrounds and hotel bathrooms are all offenders.
So the environment is a perfect breeding ground for fungal and bacterial infections which are transmitted very easily through physical contact with the skin.
Exercise and Professional Help
Foot strength and suppleness are typically under-rated, but they truly count – as the years roll on.
Performing weight bearing activity and appropriate exercises strengthen the muscles, tendons and ligaments which maintain your feet in correct working order.
Simple exercises to keep feet supple
Simple exercises daily can help to strengthen the arch, keep joints loose, and encourage better circulation.
Calf raises – rise up on your toes and lower yourself very slowly—building up the support structure that holds the arch.
Toe spreads spread your toes actively wide, and for a few seconds. It enhances flexibility awareness.
Rolling a tennis ball or frozen water bottle under the arch for a few minutes may relax an overstressed foot, especially after standing for hours.
They require no equipment and little time—what counts is persistence, not intensity.
When you should seek professional advice
Some problems with your feet require more than just a home treatment.
Chronic pain lasting for more than 2 weeks, numbness or tingling, unresolving wounds or a dramatic change in the shape of your foot would all be indications to visit your podiatrist or GP.
Feet of people with diabetes, circulatory problems or peripheral neuropathy should be examined regularly by a healthcare professional; at least annually if not more frequently.
Podiatrist are specifically trained to manage foot pathology and will resolve pathology much sooner than later.
How to care for your feet—everything you should know for healthy feet. Includes practical advice on looking after the nails, footwear, foot health, and when to visit a podiatrist (Chiropodist).