Did you know that on August 17th we will celebrate a very important holiday? It’s “I Love My Feet Day,” and here at Long Island Foot & Ankle Group, PC we want to offer some suggestions for showing these amazing parts of your body how much you value all they do for you. Below are 5 suggestions for improving your foot health and well-being:
1. Get a safe pedicure. A warm soak, proper nail trimming and a relaxing foot massage—getting a professional pedicure is a great way to care for your feet and make them look and feel great at the same time. That is, if you do it safely. If you are going to a nail salon be sure they are licensed and follow proper sanitizing procedures for tools and foot baths to avoid fungal infections. Better yet, make an appointment at our Valley Stream (516-825-4070 ) or Lake Success (516-327-0074) office for a pedicure where you can relax and be completely assured that it is safe and professional.
2. Lose 5 pounds. Every extra pound you carry exerts 3-5 pounds of pressure on your feet. That’s why losing even a small amount of weight can bring great benefits to your feet. This is particularly true if you have a chronic foot condition such as metatarsalgia, arthritis or flat feet.
3. Throw out those high heels that hurt. You know which ones they are: those spiky high heels with the pointy toes that you shouldn’t wear because they hurt your feet, but can’t resist with certain outfits. Toss them and avoid temptation in the future. You’ll be saving your feet from an increased risk of ingrown toenails, bunions and hammertoes.
4. Get your feet professionally measured. Shoe size changes over time. Most of our feet get a bit larger as they age. Continuing to buy the same size you’ve worn since high school likely means you are wearing shoes that are too small for your feet, which invites foot pain and injury. It’s not unusual to find one foot is larger than the other. If this is the case for you, always buy shoes to fit the larger of your two feet.
5. Don’t delay seeking treatment for foot pain. Foot pain is never normal! Putting off getting it evaluated by the foot doctor almost always leads to a worsening of the condition. If you are experiencing any foot or ankle discomfort, contact us today.