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The importance of maintaining foot health
The American Podiatric Medical Association puts a special emphasis on foot health each spring with April marking National Foot Health Awareness Month. With 20% of Americans experiencing foot problems each year, it’s important to gain knowledge on how we can better support our feet. Good foot health is important for a healthy and active life as they provide balance and support for your entire body while affecting your posture.
How to maintain foot health
There are some basic steps that you can take to help your feet maintain good health.
- Wash your feet daily. Be sure to pat them fully dry and wear clean, dry socks.
- Inspect your feet regularly. Don’t ignore red spots or cracks. If these don’t go away, contact your doctor. For patients who have diabetes or are have obesity putting them at risk for diabetes, check your feet daily.
- Keep toenails trimmed. You want to be sure to cut your nails while also not getting those too short where you can damage the skin.
- Wear proper shoes. No one ever wants to wear shoes that cause blisters. They are painful and those blisters can become infected. In addition to that, shoes should provide proper support for your body.
- Moisturize your feet. Applying moisturizer at night helps your feet to not crack or itch.
Exercise daily
Movement is good for your entire body. It is especially important for your feet. Exercising helps you maintain a healthier blood sugar level. Studies have shown that exercise can lower your blood glucose for up to 24 hours making your body more sensitive to insulin. High blood sugar levels can cause nerve damage and negatively impact your feet. If you have a foot injury and have nerve damage, this makes it difficult for a wound to heal and resist infection.
See a podiatrist
A podiatrist is equipped to help with much more than a broken or fractured foot or ankle. These doctors are foot, ankle, and leg specialists who can diagnose and treat any ailment with your lower extremities. Patients with diabetes should be under the care of a podiatrist to stay in front of any foot issues. These patients often do not heal quickly when they have an injury to a foot and without proper care an infection can develop. This can become quite serious in a short period of time.
Healthstar Physicians Premier Medical has a podiatrist on staff. Dr. Vinogradov sees patients in the Newport office. He is a qualified foot and ankle surgeon who puts together customized treatment plans for each patient to help them heal. Dr. Vinogradov and the rest of the team are accepting new patients and accepts most forms of insurance. Contact us to find out more.
