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Keeping Feet Healthy

Contributor — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 01:00:39 +0000

(NewsUSA) – When cool air or rainy weather hits us, our feet often slip from open-toed sandals into athletic and dress shoes and, as a result, are forgotten. But “out of sight, out of mind” should never apply to toes or heels.

Socks can trap moisture near the skin, which can lead to fungal infections, like athlete’s foot. Cooler air can aggravate sensitive soles, causing dry heels and painful, cracked skin. Exposure to cold and humidity can cause acral ulcers or chilblains, an itchy, painful condition, or frostbite.

To keep feet sandal-worthy through the year:

- Recognize fungal infections. Many people think that athlete’s foot always presents as cracking, blistering skin between the toes. But athlete’s foot can also cause peeling, dry, flaky or bubbling skin on heels or arches. Treat athlete’s foot with topical ointments, like Lotrimin. Tinactin, an anti-fungal spray, can help disinfect shoes.

- Take time to relax your feet. Over 100 tendons, ligaments and muscles exist in the foot, and those muscles can become tense and strained. Foot stretches can help relieve foot pain. But Americans don’t have to visit yoga studios to relax their feet.

One product, YogaToes

(YogaToesInfo.com), helps stretch and strengthen foot muscles while refreshing overworked feet. Users simply wet and stretch the YogaToes, then put the soft, hypoallergenic material around their toes. YogaToes prove especially comfortable during hot baths. “I love my YogaToes,” wrote one user. “I travel with them, wear them around the house, sitting by the pool, anywhere and everywhere.”

- Moisturize. To keep feet from drying out, thoroughly towel them after hot showers and baths. Use a moisturizer at least twice weekly, focusing on the sides and heels of the foot.

To keep dead skin from building up, consider purchasing and using a pumice stone. Soak your feet in warm water mixed with baby or moisturizing bath oil. Pat your feet dry, then use the pumice stone to gently remove dead or rough skin. Moisturize your feet after pumicing.

- Watch your footwear. Tight shoes can further irritate dry skin. Wear comfortable shoes with clean, dry, 100 percent cotton socks. Use foot powder in your shoes and socks to help resist moisture.

Happy Feet, Happy People

Contributor — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 01:59:34 +0000

(NewsUSA) – Feet were made for walking, and that’s just what they do -; in their lifetime, the average person will walk enough miles to equal three laps around the world.But can feet survive the trip?The human foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 120 muscles, ligaments and joints. Still, feet are small compared to the rest of the body, and must support body weight plus walking force.Chic stilettos and rough-and-tumble cowboy boots, while stylish, put the wrong pressure in the wrong places. No wonder 75 percent of Americans experience foot pain, most of it from poorly-fitting or unnaturally shaped shoes.Foot conditions like bunions, enlarged joints on big toes, hammertoes, bent toes caused by muscle weakness, and toe-and-heel pain keep people from enjoying physical activities and wearing sandals, but it’s not anything that people need to live with.People with chronic foot pain should see their doctors -; foot pain needs treatment.People stuck on the style-over-comfort footwear philosophy need to make some changes. Extra weight puts extra pressure on feet and increases people’s risk for heel pain and plantar fasciitis, inflammation in the sole of the foot. Regular exercise and a healthy diet keep foot muscles strong.Some products help people exercise and relax their feet. YogaToes (www.yogatoesinfo.com) correctly realign, stretch and exercise feet. YogaToes are soft, flexible, scentless and hypo-allergenic. They can help feet recover from long days spent in improper shoes.”People with aching feet will appreciate the relaxing effect YogaToes offers,” wrote two happy users. “We used YogaToes for two weeks and found that they do help relax tense and sore feet.”But Americans still need to embrace comfortable footwear. Arch support, heel cushioning and wide toe boxes can help prevent or relieve pain from bunions, corns, hammertoes, tendon injuries and toe fungus.Many celebrities and designers now create and sell comfortable, fashion-forward footwear. Through foot exercise, like that provided by YogaToes, and sensible shoe choices, Americans can both avoid foot pain and keep their toes looking summer-sandal good.