Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We hope you find a little luck today and have a good time celebrating the holiday. Speaking of luck, it’s important to remember that good foot and ankle health doesn’t happen by accident! In today’s blog, we explain why having good foot health isn’t just a matter of luck.
Foot Health – Luck Has Nothing To Do With It
If you want to have great foot health, you need to be smart in how you protect and strengthen your feet. Here are a number of ways to protect your feet and keep them healthy and strong.
Regular Exercise – Regular exercise is great for your feet and your whole body, just make sure you’re not overloading your feet in the process. Vary your exercise routine so that it’s not always a high-impact activity for your feet. Bike, swim or do a weightlifting routine instead of always just going for a run.
Wash Them Regularly – Take a couple seconds to really scrub your feet each time you’re in the shower. Keeping them clean can help to prevent Athlete’s foot and other infections.
Actively Treat Injuries – If you roll your ankle or break your toe, don’t just go ahead with your day like normal. Rest the area and then help it recover by doing some range of motion and physical therapy exercises.
Wear The Right Shoes – If you’re not wearing the right shoes for the occasion, pressure can be exerted on your toes or your arch may not be adequately supported, leading to problems like bunions, hammer toes and fallen arches. Choose comfort over style in shoes that you’ll be wearing frequently.
Cross Train – If you’re an athlete, don’t just do sport-specific exercises, because these repetitive exercises can be hard on your feet and lead to some muscle groups that are overdeveloped and others that are underdeveloped. You can benefit from varying your training routine even if you only play one sport.
Healthy Diet – Make sure your diet is made up primarily of healthy choices that are rich in vitamins and nutrients to help keep all the bones in your feet strong.
Manage Your Weight – Your feet bear the stress of your weight, so by shedding a few pounds, you’ll be taking pressure off your feet. If you’re overweight, work to lose a few pounds so that your feet don’t have to handle as much stress.
Hydrate – When you’re hydrated, your blood vessels are more open, which helps to ensure you have good circulation. Since your feet are the furthest thing from your heart, they need all the circulation help they can get! Stay hydrated and make it easier for blood to flow throughout your body.
Don’t Smoke – Smoking damages blood vessels and can decrease healthy blood circulation, so kick the habit if you want improved foot health.
See A Specialist – Finally if you’re dealing with a new or chronic pain in your foot, reach out to a foot specialist like Dr. Silverman. A chronic foot condition is more likely to get worse unless it’s actively treated, so get a diagnosis and an individualized treatment plan from a specialist to put an end to your foot pain!
For more tips on how to have healthy feet and ankles, reach out to Dr. Silverman and the team at Silverman Ankle & Foot today at (952) 224-8500.
