Seven Ways To Pamper Your Feet

7 Ways to Pamper Your Feet

Feet are very important part of our body and we certainly ask a lot from them. We expect to be able to stand on them all day, cram them into tight shoes and sweaty boots, even run or walk for miles in them. We often don’t pay them any attention until something goes wrong — an achy joint, an ingrown nail, or maddening athlete’s foot. It’s time we paid attention to our tootsies before trouble starts.

1. Baby your feet

Putting your dogs up when you’re seated will help improve circulation. If you’re sitting for a long time, occasionally stand and move around. Walking, stretching, and massage also will help boost blood flow. A warm foot bath will make your feet feel fabulous. Just be sure to dry them off thoroughly before stepping into shoes to avoid excess moisture.

2. Find the right fit

Before buying shoes, have your feet measured, advises the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Shoe size changes as we age. Shop for shoes at the end of the day, when feet may be swollen and at their largest. If you have one foot bigger than the other, make sure the shoe fits the larger foot. Walk in the shoes and be sure the heel doesn’t slide up and down. Allow about a half inch of room between the front of the shoe and your toe when standing for a comfortable fit. Don’t buy shoes with the hope they will stretch out if they are too tight.

3. Choose comfortable heels

Foot care experts warn against frequently wearing pumps and other high heels, which can make toes slip forward, cause them to overlap, and result in nails digging into skin and becoming ingrown. Also, if shoes are too pointed, they can cause bunions — swollen joints at the base of your big toes. Hammertoes, a shortening of the tendons that control movement, can be another very high-heel affliction and eventually hinder balance. If you do wear high heels, make sure they are not too tight and have no seams around the toe area, which can put more pressure on toes, advises the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA).

4. Buy boots carefully

Choose boots made of leather and other natural materials that help keep feet dry and allow air to flow through, the APMA says. Boots made of synthetic materials will trap moisture and heat, and make feet smelly. Be sure you have plenty of toe room and traction to ensure stability, especially if you are wearing the boots in wintry weather. Also, the boots should feel comfortable when you try them on in the store; no break-in period should be necessary.

5. Fight fungus

Fungal infections like athlete’s foot need a moist, dark place to grow, so feet wrapped in socks and stuck in warm shoes all day are prone to the itchy, irritating condition. Over-the-counter anti-fungal creams and powders can help, but if the redness and peeling doesn’t improve within two to four weeks, you should consult your physician, the NIA recommends. To avoid the stubborn infection in the first place, the NIA suggests:

• Avoiding wearing tight shoes and you must change your socks every day

• Keeping feet clean and dry, particularly between toes

• Using talc-free foot powder daily

6. Trim straight

Cut toenails straight across, using a straight-edge toenail clipper, the APMA advises. Manicure scissors and fingernail trimmers, with their small, curved shape, increase the risk of painful, ingrown toenails. Use an emery board to file nail edges, and file in one direction. If you suspect an infection from an ingrown nail, soak the foot in warm salt water, and apply an antiseptic and bandage. See a podiatrist if you think you are prone to ingrown toenails.

7. Inspect often

Examine your feet regularly, looking for blisters, cuts, and ingrown toenails. Use a mirror to see the bottom of your feet. If you have diabetes, make this exam a daily habit, the NIA recommends. Diabetics suffer from poor blood flow because the disease damages blood vessels. This condition makes people with diabetes susceptible to foot ulcers, and poor blood flow in the lower legs makes the wounds slow to heal. Neuropathy, another diabetic condition, causes a loss of sensation in the feet, making diabetics slow to notice the sores and increasing risk for gangrene.