This is a collaborative post celebrating National Feet Week, because taking care of your feet when they are working hard for you is one of the most important things you can do.
Our feet are really important. They literally hold us up, keep us moving and support our bodies all the time. From the basics of walking to exercise, to just being able to get about, our feet keep doing the hard work.
I will be the first person to confess I am not a fan of my own feet. They have seen years of hard work, from dancing, to being on my feet working as in childcare, as a nurse and now working in the community. Running around after children all day, a few operations on my toes and the bones in my feet, being a very unprofessional runner, probably wearing shoes that might look pretty but are not always good for my feet. It all adds up. Whilst I may not think my feet are pretty, I do know I need to care for them.
National Feet Week takes place every year and asks everyone to prioritise their foot health. If you have a toothache, you would visit the dentist, if you had trouble with your vision then you would automatically call on an optician. What about your feet? Many people ignore common foot complaints or indeed serious pain rather than go to see an expert. Podiatrists are there to help with all manner of foot conditions and can usually help resolve minor issues quickly. Problems with the feet can be an indication of other health issues and so it’s so important to take care of our feet as we would our teeth and eyes. Make National Feet Week a time to have your feet checked or to get that niggling issue sorted and make your feet your priority – after all they take you anywhere you want to go.
So if you normally don’t really bother about your feet, then perhaps now it’s time to change that?
There are some very basic things you can do, to look after your feet.
Get them checked by a qualified podiatrist: Podiatrists are not just for old people. They can deal with all manner of foot issues, and help you get your feet feeling and looking good. They are also able to diagnose foot and other health issues based on a thorough examination of your feet (think Diabetes or circulation issues) and can advise you on good foot wear, exercise and products that can help you look after your feet. I am not a fan of my feet being handled much but it’s worth getting over that discomfort to make sure my feet are in good health or to deal with any issues I might have. Even the basics of how to cut your toenails corectly and treat common issues like corns and verreuca can be dealt with by a podiatrist and they really are not phased by what your feet might look like.
Wear the right footwear: No, I am not telling you to ditch the high heels, or pretty summer shoes, but you do need to balance keeping your feet comfortable and minimise damage that shoes can do. If you exercise make sure you wear well fitting shoes that protect and support your feet. If you are on your feet at work all day, invest in shoes that support your feet and legs. If you do wear high heels then try and keep that time short. When buying shoes, don’t just look at how pretty or trendy they are, but also how they will fit your feet, and if they will be too tight, damage the skin, give you blisters or be totally unsupportive and even put you at risk of injury. If you are a runner, you need to make sure you are looking after your feet and wearing the right shoes, and supportive kit to protect your feet and prevent injuries and long term damage.
Look after your feet at home: When you are doing your skincare, body care and daily care regimes, don’t forget your feet. Basics like keeping them clean, toenails neat and trimmed properly, hard and dry skin removed, helping with cracked and dry heels and skin, and giving them a bit of TLC is actually easy. It can be as simple as using some intensive moisturiser on your feet and a pair of socks at night, to a weekly at home pedicure that treats your feet well. There are many products out there to help a range of foot issues that you can use at home easily. Even remembering to put SPF on your feet when you are out in the sun is important. Sun burned feet are not fun (don’t ask me how I know this)
Why not have a look here at some of the products you can use at home to pamper, treat and care for your feet?
Start Early: it’s never too early to start looking after your feet, and your children’s feet. Having worked in children’s shoe shop for a period of time, I learned how to fit shoes and what a well fitting child’s shoe is. Making sure your baby doesn’t wear shoes before their feet are ready, finding the right fitting shoes and if you have any worries about your child’s feet, getting good advice early, is very important. Make sure school shoes are good quality, and well fitting. Let them be barefoot as often as possible and teach them to look after their feet too.
All of these things can help keep your feet working hard for you and feeling good. If we don’t look after our feet, how will they carry us through?
What tips can you share with us about taking care of your feet?