This is a great time of year, moving from winter to spring. It’s around this time of year that our clinics get busy with people who are enjoying the longer days and sunny afternoons and get foot problems that frustrate them, and stop them doing what they want to do. To avoid being one of these people we have some simple advice on foot health.
Sunscreen on top of your feet to avoid the painful sunburnt feet! We tend to forget our feet.
Moisturise your feet. Skin gets dry in summer as we wear open shoes. Hand and face creams don’t work on the skin of the feet. The feet have much thicker skin and you need foot cream for feet to keep the skin healthy.
Watch out for fungal infections. Swimming pools are a common place to catch athlete’s foot. Check your feet especially between your toes and treat this early before it spreads on your foot and to others. Wear jandals in public showers!
Cracked heels are common this time of year too, and are obvious when wearing open shoes. Use a foot cream to keep skin around heels subtle so it does crack. See a podiatrist if needed for a quick and painless treatment for unsightly cracked heels.
Most people will want to get more active in these warmer months, particularly by running.
Our feet take a bit of a beating when running and especially if running long distances, therefore it is essential to look after them as best as you can.
There are a few crucial things to always look out for when running in order to ensure your feet are as comfortable as possible. Firstly socks are very important, socks that are made of materials such as cotton tend to hold onto moisture as your feet sweat and will increase your chance of developing blisters. Most sports shoe stores will stock a range of ‘technical running socks’. The majority of people train in t-shirts made of quick dry material so why would you not do the same for your feet?
Secondly the fit of your shoes is vital. So many marathon runners complain of developing black toenails, this is often because the shoe is too small. If a shoe does not support or fit your foot properly it can cause problems such as blisters or callous. Finally if you are thinking of getting into some training for an event or simply to get fit and you have any concerns your local Foot Mechanics podiatrist may be a good person to visit for a “pre-training screening” and some more specific advice.
