Subscribe Feed (RSS)Caring for Your Feet - A Foot Conscious Guide to Texas!
July 6th, 2009 by admin | Filed under Uncategorized.Introduction:
Our poor feet… they are so disrespected. We put them in a confined area all day, let them get hot and sweaty and then complain when they come out hurting and worst of all, smelly. Imagine if you wore a sock over your head down to your ankles all day - how would you feel? So in the interest of being nicer to our feet, here are some tips for foot care that are helpful in the prevention of disease and injury especially if you live in hot climates such as Texas.
First of all, did you know that your feet and hands contain more sweat glands than any other part of the body? They clock in at 3000 glands per square inch - that’s alot of sweat potential!
Our feet secrete a particular acid in their sweat that can create odor in our footwear.
Do the following to minimize the potential for malodorous shoes:
1. Bathe feet daily and dry THOROUGHLY.
2. Change socks at least once a day.
3. Dust feet with non-medicated baby powder or foot powder and use a foot balm during periods where your feet are bare.
4. Wear thick soft socks that are made of materials that “wick” away moisture.
5. Avoid nylon socks or plastic shoes - neither of these materials allows the foot to breathe.
6. Rotate athletic shoes so they can dry out for at least a day. If shoes have an odor after drying out for 24 hours, throw them out. Odor is natures indicator of bacteria.
7. ALWAYS wear socks with closed shoes.
Injuries & Prevention:
Gentle stretching such as slow foot circles, spreading your toes, pointing the toes and flexing the feet go a long way toward injury prevention.
A doctor should always be consulted if the following conditions apply to the feet:
1. Swelling of one leg or foot for more than 72 hours.
2. Pain associated with feet or legs increases with exercise or walking.
3. Pain when at rest or with elevation of the legs.
4. Sudden progression of foot deformity.
5. Any infection - don’t try to treat an infected ingrown toenail yourself.
6. Development of a blister or ulcer on the foot which doesn’t appear to be healing (possible sign of diabetes)
7. A unilateral flattening of the feet arch.
8. Loss of sensation in feet or legs.
Summary:
It feels good to let the feet come out and breathe by going barefoot. Always be careful when walking barefoot as punctures and cuts can happen this way. Going barefoot in the yard seems safer but then you can run into fire ants and other critters you can’t see called microbes that can enter through the skin of the feet and actually cause intestinal problems.
If you are prone to bug bites then use a good bug deterent such as an all natural bug balm
Also try to walk gently when going barefoot. Heels are rigid and many people slam them into the ground, shocking the legs and knees. Instead, while you should still make your heels touch the ground first, you should shift most of your weight forward onto the balls of your feet. The balls of the feet are flexible and will mold to the contour of the surface; they also have a wider surface area to better distribute your body’s weight. Once you get used to walking this way, it will become natural for you.
Feet aren’t gross, they’re just asking for a little more respect. So be nice to your feet, take them out for a pedicure or just say “thanks for taking me where I want to go!” with some all natural foot balm.
Article written by Martin Holland, website administrator for The Day Lily Cottage - Texas Arts, Crafts & Gifts Store.
daylilycottage.com daylilycottage.com
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