Care of Feet

Persons suffering from diabetes normally suffer from feet problems because if left uncontrolled, diabetes may lead to poor blood flow and circulation, causing damage to our body nerves. For these persons, early notice and care should be taken in caring for their feet as a way of preventing or significantly delaying several problems that affect feet. Paying poor attention to this cause of foot problems only puts you into avoidable dangers which may include amputation.

Feet problems are, however, not limited to those suffering from diabetes as they also include smelly feet, verrucae, corns, infected toenails and athlete’s foot. Smelly feet arise out of excessive perspiration and bacterial and fungal overgrowth, verrucae are those flat warts in the foot sole, which may appear in clusters under the skin with the surface grey and crumbly accompanied by small, black points which usually are swollen blood vessels. Verrucae are contagious and can get to you from wet floors. Corns, on the other hand, are the hard skin formed on the areas of your feet that bear much pressure and friction for example the little toe. Fungal infection also leads to infected toenails which are usually brittle, discolored and yellowish.

Preventing Feet Problems

Sometimes, damaged blood vessels may make your feet fail to get enough blood supply. The same problem may lead to loss of feeling in your feet. Diabetes, as noted above is also a major cause of feet problems. All the three causes can gang together to bring much bigger problems from minor ones like blisters, ingrown toenails or calluses to such serious infections that might call for amputation. Taking good care of your feet thus makes it possible to ward off some of these problems to a good measure. Among other things, do check your feet daily for any sores, scratches or blisters that could be developing. Any foot pain, coldness, shiny appearance on your skin, or loss of hair on the toes or feet as wells as thickened nails are signs that you should inform your doctor about. Having your doctor examine your feet annually is a good step take.

Prevention Through Exercise

Do some exercise so you can prevent edema (swells) from forming on your feet. Exercise also improves your blood circulation and flow. Remember to exercise in comfortable shoes and no exercise at all when you have open sores on your feet.

Keep Your Feet Warm

As much as possible, wash your feet everyday with warm water and soap. Keep the feet warm but at the same time keeping them away from hot surfaces like water heaters, fire, and water bottles.

Good Hygiene and Your Feet

Proper hygiene is crucial in the prevention of feet problems. Use foot tub to clean your feet before inspecting them. Warm water is always the best to clean your feet, using nondrying soaps only. You should never soak your feet in water as this can result in washing away essential skin oils that normally provide natural protection to the feet. After washing your feet, rinse soap off and completely dry the feet using a clean and dry towel while remembering to clean between your toes. Apply a moisturizing cream or lotion to feet soles and tops to prevent your skin from over drying, rubbing it gently leaving out areas between your toes as lotion in these places might lead to increased moisture causing skin to peel off paving way for infections. A talcum power if well used ensures that area between toes remains dry.

Don’t Walk Barefoot

Walking barefoot increases your risk of sustaining cuts mainly in places with broken glass like at the local beach or in parks in the city. So don’t try it at all. Walking barefoot on hot surfaces like those of asphalt or concrete is not advisable for blisters will form. Shoes, apart from comfort also protect your feet. However, avoid shoes which expose your toes and heels – like open-toed shoes and sandals – as these types increase the risk of feet injury and infections. Wear new shoes for short periods only, usually not exceeding one hour at a time while avoiding tight socks making sure those you wear are only natural-fiber ones – cotton, cotton-wool blend or just plain wool.