Let’s face it –your feet are the most often-neglected part of your body.
We only pay attention to our feet when they start to hurt. This is unfortunate since your feet have an important role to play –they bear your entire weight day after day, and support the rest of your body as well.
Taking care of your feet is important. Considering that one in four people forty-five and older have foot pain, it’s vital to keep your feet as healthy as possible, to help stave off problems.
Here are a few steps that you can take towards healthier feet.
Exercise
No, we aren’t talking about regular exercise –we are talking exercising your feet. Did you know that it’s important to exercise your feet? Fortunately, foot exercises are very easy and can be done while sitting down. Simple exercises such as lifting each toe individually can work wonders for your feet. You could also try the toe grip: drop a sock on the floor and use your toes to lift it off the floor. Hold it for about ten seconds before releasing. See more foot exercises you can do.
Avoid the Heels
Heels can be a foot’s worst nightmare. We’re not just talking about high heels –even heels that can be found on men’s shoes as well. For every positive degree of heel, there is a resulting angle of deformation in the lumbar spine, pelvis, knees, and ankle. So think carefully about your shoes before you make your choices.
Free Your Feet
Toe abduction –the movement of the toes away from each other is part of a healthy gait pattern, but most shoes don’t have enough room in the toe boxes to allow us to properly stretch our toes. For this reason, it’s important to take your socks and shoes off every so often, to allow your toes to stretch out and give your feet a chance to breathe.
For more information on foot health contact Dr Lamarra of Shepherd Square Podiatry today.
Tags: Foot Care, Podiatrist, Prevention