If you consider the amount of time we spend on our feet and how much weight and pressure is put on them on a daily basis, we really don’t give our feet enough credit for being the marvelous structures they are. Feet are often neglected and even abused if you think of the sky-high heels some women wear, the stubbing of toes as we walk barefoot, the blisters, and so on.

The problem with us and our feet is this is truly one of those situations of “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.” It’s only when our feet hurt and cause problems that we notice them and – unfortunately – sometimes it’s too late and we end up living with chronic pain in our feet.

Here are 10 hints for how you can care for your feet and try to prevent problems. These hints came from a very informative website from the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA):

1- if you have diabetes, you should be following a strict footcare regimen to prevent sores from developing. If you haven’t been instructed on the what you should be doing, speak with your doctor or nurse to ask what precautions you shold be taking.

2- Foot pain isn’t normal and shouldn’t be brushed off. If you can’t track down the source of the pain and deal with it, you should get it checked.

3- Look at your feet and inspect them for any problems.

4- To prevent in-grown nails, trim your nails straight across and be sure not to cut them too short.

5- When buying shoes, the best time of day is at the end of the day when your feet are at their largest. Be sure to try on both shoes as one foot could be slightly larger than the other but the size difference could be significant when wearing certain types of shoes. Blisters and “breaking in shoes” are not normal. They should fit well when you buy them.

6- Alternate shoes – try not to wear the same shoes every day.

7- Wear the right shoes for the right activity.

8- Replace worn out shoes – don’t try to wear them until they’re no longer wearable.

9- Don’t walk barefoot – outside, you could step on sharp objects or be exposed to infection. Inside, you can stub your toes, step on objects that have been left around, and be exposed to other dangers.

10- Use sunblock on the tops of your feet when you are outside in the sun. Burns on the top of the feet are becoming more common.

Image: iStock

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If you consider the amount of time we spend on our feet and how much weight and pressure is put on them on a daily basis, we really don’t give our feet enough credit for being the marvelous structures they are. Feet are often neglected and even abused if you think of the sky-high heels some women wear, the stubbing of toes as we walk barefoot, the blisters, and so on.

The problem with us and our feet is this is truly one of those situations of “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.” It’s only when our feet hurt and cause problems that we notice them and – unfortunately – sometimes it’s too late and we end up living with chronic pain in our feet.

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Image: iStock

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