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How To Look After Your Feet in 2022

If you’re looking to stride into 2022 with a spring in your step, there’re several simple-yet-effective ways of looking after your feet.

Whether instigating a weekly foot care routine or expanding your shoe collection to include specific footwear for specific activities, it’s never been easier to ensure that your feet stay in prime health.

And, like most things, the best ways of looking after your feet also happen to be the simplest, meaning there’s nothing standing between you and better foot health.

Looking after your feet: massages

Why Is It Important to Look After Your Feet? 

As is often the case, we often neglect our foot health until we notice any damage. But, as the adage goes, ‘prevention is better than cure.’ 

And it’s true, adopting even the most basic of foot care regimes can prevent painful issues such as corns, bunions, and athletes’ foot, whilst also staving off potential psychological effects of poor foot health such as depression caused by chronic pain.

Our feet work hard. And neglecting their upkeep can have painful, long-term consequences.

Person Hiking

Looking After Your Feet: Our Expert Tips

Fortunately, looking after your feet needn’t be expensive or laborious. And we’ve collated expert advice on the best ways to look after your feet into a practical, convenient guide.

Your mileage may vary, but by adopting some – but ideally all – of the following, you’ll be on the path to fantastic foot health.

Set Aside Time For Foot Care

It seems simple, doesn’t it? But setting aside time for foot care is the easiest way of looking after your feet. (Not to mention serving a soothing slice of self-care.)

And it doesn’t have to be difficult. You could set aside fifteen minutes a week, during which you could:

  • Wash your feet in warm, soapy water, ensuring that they’re thoroughly dried afterwards. (Especially between toes!)
  • Apply a non-greasy moisturiser to the feet and toes. This will prevent the development of dry, cracked skin.
  • Carefully trim toenails with nail clippers. (As using scissors can leave nails uneven, making them brittle.)
  • File off any hardened skin with a foot file or, ideally, pumice stone.

Choose Appropriate Footwear

A crucial step of any journey to optimal foot health, choosing appropriate footwear is a key consideration in looking after your feet.

Indeed, you wouldn’t go for a jog in hiking boots, so why would you hike in running shoes?

But you needn’t overwhelm your wardrobe with footwear; our recommendation is to ensure that you have a specific shoe for a specific activity. As well as being stylish, doing so will offer your feet the support they need, exactly when they need it. For example:

  • A robust pair of hiking boots for more arduous walks, such as forests, hills, and coastal paths.
  • A supportive pair of trainers for jogging, running, or other cardio exercises.
  • A simple pair of flat shoes for working. (As too much time in heeled footwear can damage the small bones of your feet.)

Don’t Attempt to Treat Foot Conditions Yourself

Tempting though it may be, it’s never wise to attempt to treat foot conditions yourself, as doing so can often exacerbate the issue, leading to permanent, irreversible damage.

So, if you’re experiencing discomfort from corns, bunions, or other foot care problems, it’s always best to book a podiatry appointment to have the issue treated safely and professionally.

It is, of course, possible to alleviate discomfort in the short term with over-the-counter remedies, but these are intended as a temporary measure and shouldn’t stand in for professional care.

Exercises

Simple, yet highly effective, engaging in gentle foot exercises can improve comfort and prevent picking up injuries whilst training, hiking, or simply walking long distances.

Foot exercise needn’t be complicated, and there’re several basic foot exercises you can do from the comfort of the couch, meaning looking after your feet can be a pleasure, not a chore.

Image of a person performing foot exercise – alt: Looking after your feet: foot exercise

How to Look After Your Feet Properly with Shuropody

It’s vital that our foot health is given the same level of attention that is afforded to other areas of our physical wellbeing.

After all, we rely on our feet for both balance and mobility, and issues pertaining to our feet can have a negative impact on other areas of the body, such as the knees, ankles, lower back, and even the neck.

Our expert, HCPC registered podiatrists can offer professional assessment, advice, and treatment. So if you’re concerned about your foot health, be sure to explore our range of podiatry treatments, as well as our selection of quality foot care products.

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