Foot care
Lack of proper care, ill-fitting shoes and general foot neglect are responsible for the majority of foot problems.
It's important to understand your feet have direct impact on the rest of your body and support you with each step. A small abnormality in foot function can have a large impact on joints higher up in the body, causing pain and discomfort.
When you are running, the pressure on your feet can be three or four times your body weight. Even walking can produce more pressure than the sum of your body weight. The American Podiatric Medical Association says that the average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. That adds up to about 115,000 miles in a lifetime or more than four times the circumference of the globe. That is a lot of walking with ill-fitting shoes or painful feet!!
In some cases foot ailments can be an early signal of more serious medical problems like arthritis or diabetes.
Foot disease is one of the complications of diabetes. Severe nerve damage in the feet can lead to ulceration and often lower extremity amputations.
Early prevention and treatment of foot disease can be managed by effective foot care practices. These practices include: diagnosis of high pressure areas on the diabetic foot and treatment with properly fitted orthotics or footwear.
Most individuals buy shoes that do not properly fit their feet and that tend to aggravate foot ailments. When shopping for shoes make sure you go in the afternoon – your feet swell during the day. Also bring the proper socks for the style of shoe you will be buying, and if applicable, bring your custom orthotics. Shoe sizes vary based on the shoe make and style – do not always assume you will be the same size every time.
Achieving the
Proper Fit:
-The toe box should have a ton of room; make sure you can wiggle your toes
- Ensure the width fits properly (your forefoot should never be wider than the shoe)
-Your heel should be stable within the heel counter
- The shoes should feel comfortable the moment you try them on
