Have you ever wondered if you need to do anything specific to take care of your feet? Is there something you shouldn’t do for your foot health? If you have ever wondered any of these questions, keep on reading!
There are a few basic things you should do to keep your feet and ankles in good health.
Wash your feet in the shower with soap and water, and don’t just let water runover them and think that that will be enough to clean your feet! Actually, take soap, lather up your hands and make sure to wash in between your toes as well.
When you get out of the shower or after swimming, make sure to dry your feet well. Fungus likes to grow in warm, dark, moist places, so make sure to dry up the web spaces in between your toes as well! This will help prevent your web spaces from becoming macerated (fancy doctor terminology referring to skin becoming too wet, which can lead to skin breaking down) and help prevent athlete’s feet.
When cutting your toenails, make sure to cut them straight across and don’t curve down into the corners of the nail. This will help prevent ingrown toenails!
Don’t cut your toenail cuticles. If you really don’t like them, you can push them back with a cuticle pusher after a shower. This will help your nails look longer.
One of the most common things that can cause foot and ankle pain are tight calf muscles. Therefore, stretch your calf muscles as often as possible to help prevent foot and ankle pain. One of the easiest things you can do is when you are lying in bed, point your toes towards your nose until you feel a stretch in your calf. Hold that stretch for 60 seconds. Do it as often as you can.
These are a few basic things anyone can do throughout their day to take care of their feet and ankles!
If you have any other questions, come visit me at Serenity Foot and Ankle Specialists!