Quick foot care points

As promised, I wanted to leave you with some pointers on what you can do to look after your feet besides proper footwear and watching out for hazards in the workplace.

Regular care of your feet should be just as important as looking after your teeth. Think of it this way – we spend a lot of money on products to keep our teeth healthy or facial creams and cleansers for the skin. In your local grocery or drug store, there is an aisle with several shelves stocked with every kind of shampoo, conditioner, mousse and hairspray for any hair type or “hair problem”. So why is it that we forget about our feet? And I mean more than the monthly pedicure – I’m talking daily care that reduces things such as athlete’s foot, cramped feet, calluses, and arthritis. Here’s some pointers from our Foot Care Card:

1.  Socks: too small or tight can cause cramps and blisters but so can ones that are too large. There are socks that suit cold, outdoor activities but could be too hot and cause your feet to become sweaty or cause athlete’s foot. Wear the right sock for the environment that fits your foot – and make sure the socks (or stockings) are clean…grab a new pair from the drawer each day.

2.  Prevention of Athlete’s Foot: Leather and canvas shoes are breathable – synthetic will cause sweaty feet. Some dyes and synthetics can cause or aggravate skin allergies. Spend the money on purchasing a few extra pairs of shoes and rotate them daily to allow them to air out. Use foot powder to absorb exess moisture and if you have a persistant problem, see a doctor.

3.  Wash your feet:  Use soap and don’t forget to dry your feet – especially between the toes. Refer to “Athlete’s Foot”.

4.  Trim your toenails properly: This is a bad one for me.  I was told that trimming them short or cutting the corners is the contributor to my ingrown toenails. So cut them straight across and not too short.

5.  Go to a doctor if: you have problem ingrown toenails, corns, fungal infection, flat feet, or arthritis.

6.  Stretches: This is probably something you should do daily if you remember. Some stretches include toe points, stretching calf muscles, quadriceps and hamstrings. You can find stretching techniques through exercise books and magazines or your local gym. EWI Works has a variety of stretch cards for home or the workplace.

Your feet are the foundation of you. Look after your paws – get a foot massage if you really want to treat them nicely. Just remember that regular care should be a daily thing – just like flossing your teeth.