5 Ways to Celebrate National Foot Health Awareness Month
At Pasco Hernando Foot & Ankle, we love April! It’s National Foot Health Awareness Month and a great opportunity for us to share information on our favorite topic: protecting your feet. Besides taking you everywhere you want to go every day, consider these amazing foot facts:
The average person will walk approximately 115,000 miles in their lifetime—that’s the equivalent of circling the entire world over 4 times!
The human foot contains 26 bones—nearly a quarter of all the bones in your body--33 joints,107 ligaments, 19 muscles and tendons.
When you run, the pressure exerted on your feet can equal up to four times your total body weight.
Your feet have more nerve endings per square centimeter than any other part of your body.
Your feet act as an early warning system for your body—many systemic diseases first show signs in your feet.
Isn’t it worth taking good care of these incredible structures? Below are 5 steps to take to ensure your feet stay healthy and reduce the risk for common podiatric problems.
Check your shoe rack. What you put on your feet can help or harm your podiatric health. Discard shoes that have obvious signs of wear, are stretched out, or hurt your feet when you wear them. Get your feet professionally measured periodically as shoe size can change. Choose shoes with good arch support, non-slip treads and laces for the best fit.
Practice regular footcare. Make it a habit to wash your feet daily, apply powder in the morning if feet tend to sweat and a moisturizer at night before bed. Always start the day with clean socks!
Make good lifestyle choices. Maintaining an appropriate weight, exercising regularly and not smoking are all factors that improve podiatric health as well.
Stay current with medical checkups. You may wonder why these matter to your feet, but many diseases and other conditions that affect other parts of your body impact the health of your feet. Diabetes, peripheral arterial disease and arthritis, for example can cause poor circulation and neuropathy leading to wounds and infections in your feet. Poor vision increases fall risk.
Listen to your feet. Symptoms like pain, numbness, tingling and burning should not be ignored. If you are experiencing uncomfortable sensations in your feet or notice unusual changes such as bruising, swelling, growths or discoloration of skin or nails, contact our Hudson office by calling 727-868-2128 or 352-683-5799 for an appointment so that our podiatrist, Dr. Lawrence J. Kales can evaluate your symptoms and determine if a foot problem is present.