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Foot Care Tips
Each of our foot contains 28 bones and 35 joints; you'll
walk thousands of kilometers each year and accumulate
literally tons of pressure on them during your lifetime.
Your feet, of course deserve special care and attention.
Go Barefoot
Shoes make your feet weak, so at the end of the day, slip
them off and pad around the house barefoot. Not only is it
good for he muscles in your feet, it may benefit the whole
body. It's been suggested that sitting in motor vehicles
and offices surrounded by strong electrical fields messes
up the polarity of the human body - walking on damp grass
is thought to short-circuit that and reset your body's
polarity. Walking on sand or grass not only feels great,
it also provides your feet with the kind of support
sports-shoe manufacturers aim for.
Roll Away The Tension
A quick way to relax tired feet: Take a couple of golf
balls, an old rolling pin, or even an empty beer bottle
and roll them underfoot while you sit on a chair. Remember
not to put too much weight on the bottle.
Ease Off The Hard Stuff
Not tequila, though that's also a good idea. Use a pumice
stone to rub off hardened skin on the sides of your heels.
Not only because you want feet that are soft and supple,
but because the hardened skin will eventually crack, which
can bleed.
Foot Pain Is Not Good
Unsurprisingly, painful feet are a symptom that all is not
well. Pain in the ball of the foot is probably caused by
something called metatarsalgia. Your metatarsals are a set
of bones that run the length of your foot, from your toes
to the base of your ankles. Generally they're aligned, but
when one drops out of line, the head - that's the big bit
near the toes - can become inflamed, and you'll experience
a sharp pain. Other reasons for the pain under the ball of
the foot include nerves being pinched between the
metatarsals and even arthritis. There are little pads of
fat that protect the balls of the feet. If the fat pads
are compressed, you'll feel pain. Spending some time with
your shoes off ought to help ease the pain.
Remedies For Aching Feet
If walking barefoot for a while makes no difference, see a
podiatrist about getting custom-made shoe inserts, or try
some shoes with extra padding. Another common sort of pain
is felt in the heel, usually when you put weight on the
foot after sitting or lying down. This is probably the
plantar fasciatis - a ribbon of ligament running from your
down your heel to the ball of your foot. If it's too
tight, you'll experience pain. Apply ice to the area,
followed by an anti-inflammatory and try the tip outlined
the thing with the mini-bar bottle. Regular use of the
bottle - on the foot, not the moin tip no.2, this should
help keep the tendon loose and the pain away.
Here's an exercise to ease stiffness all the way from your
toes to the backs of your knees. Stand on the edge of a
stair, with just your metatarsals on it. Holding on to
something for balance, relax until you sink, then push
back up gently. Repeat several times.
» Keep Your Toes Happy: The muscles in your toes also need
exercise. Simply wiggling your toes will do, as will bathe
them in warm water with Epsom salts, then cool water, then
applying a rich moisturizing cream.
» Keep Your Nails Trimmed: But don't cut them too short,
especially at the edges, where they might dig into the
skin and become ingrown. If you do get an ingrown nail,
see a doctor.
General Foot Care Tips For All Feet
» Wash your feet daily. Rinse off all soap and dry
thoroughly, especially between toes.
» Trim nails straight across, and not too short. Don't cut
out or dig at corners.
» Wear clean socks or stockings, changed daily. Don't wear
any that are too short or too tight.
» Wear shoes that fit. (See Finding the Right Shoes For
You.)
» Some people's feet sweat more than others, and are more
prone to athlete's foot. These tips may help:
» Wear shoes made of leather or canvas - not synthetics.
Sandals are good.
» Switch shoes from day to day.
» Use foot powder.
» See your doctor if severe problems persist.
» Don't ignore pain. Painful feet are not normal. Many
foot conditions can be cured if you visit a chiropodist as
early as possible.
» Wash your feet daily in warm soapy water. Do not soak
the feet as this may cause them to become excessively dry
» Dry your feet thoroughly, especially in between the
toes.
» Apply moisturizing cream all over the feet, except in
between the toes. |
