8 Ways to Improve the Health of Your Feet

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It’s Foot Health Awareness Month, and at Texas Foot Specialists we’d like to take this opportunity to give you some simple tips that can have a big payoff when it comes to keeping your feet, toes and ankles healthy. Most of them are fairly easy to do:

  1. Practice good foot hygiene. Wash your feet every day with warm water and a mild soap. Dry completely and don’t miss the spaces between your toes (that’s where fungal infections tend to start). Moisturize your feet to prevent dry, flaky skin and heel cracks. Use a foot powder if you tend to sweat in excess.
  2. Choose your shoes wisely. First, make sure you are wearing the correct size by getting your foot measured professionally. Some studies show that up to 90% of people are walking around in shoes that are too small for them. Second, make sure the shoes you use are the right ones for the activity you are doing. Also, avoid high heels and narrow toe boxes or pointy shoes.
  3. Don’t go barefoot. The risk of puncture wounds, cuts and fungal infections can be greatly reduced if you keep your feet covered.
  4. Save the flip-flops for the pool or gym. Although some patients claim this type of shoe is incredibly comfortable, in the long run the total lack of arch support is likely to lead to heel pain and plantar fasciitis.
  5. Eat a healthy diet. Keeping your weight to an appropriate level reduces strain on your feet and lowers both the risk and severity of several foot conditions including arthritis, sesamoiditis and even stress fractures.
  6. Exercise regularly. Not only does this help you maintain a healthy weight, it also improves circulation and keeps feet flexible and with a good range of motion.
  7. Stay current with your other medical checkups. There are many systemic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, peripheral arterial disease and arthritis that can have seriously damaging effects on your feet. Taking care of those conditions also helps your feet.
  8. Don’t ignore foot pain of any sort. Contact our Houston (713) 664-6677, Sugar Land (281) 242-4448 or Pasadena (281) 991-0600 office and let one of our podiatrists, Dr. Gregory Mangum or Dr. Bruce Miller examine your feet to find out the source of pain and offer a treatment solution to eliminate it.