General Foot Care Advice

Why is foot care so important? Simple; your feet carry you everywhere you go. Think of your feet as tires on a car, when the tires are not maintained they affect the way the car runs. Maintaining proper foot care health can be difficult due to decreased flexibility, sight and sensation in your feet as well as an increase in the thickness of your toe nails. For people with Diabetes, these problems happen faster than with normal aging.

Here are some useful tips in maintaining proper foot health:

• Wear proper fitting shoes

-Features of a good shoe include: firmness in the heel counter (back part of the shoe that holds your heel), Cushioned sole and rigidity in the shoe (you shouldn’t be able to twist and fold the shoe).

• Wear shoes in the house

Shoes have more protection than slippers which will protect your feet from bumps and bruises

• Wear cotton seamless socks to absorb moisture
• Check shoes and feet daily
• Check shoes with fingers to make sure nothing is inside you might step on
• Check in between toes and bottoms of feet (if you can’t reach, use a mirror) for any callous or lesions that could worsen and cause problems
• Moisturize dry feet daily with a cream containing Urea
• Cut toe nails straight across and not too short to ensure ingrown nails don’t occur

If you have difficulty cutting toe nails and maintaining foot health, make an appointment with your local Chiropodist/Podiatrist. For Diabetic’s it’s beneficial to see a foot specialist every 6 months for a regular check-up and to keep things under control. Remember it better to be on the cautious side when it comes to your health, whether the problem is large or small.

Wishing you happy and healthy feet!

Megan Grantham, B.Sc., D.Ch.
Chiropodist & Foot Specialist
Omni Foot Clinic & Orhtotic Center
905-901-2452
info@omnifoot.com
www.omnifoot.com