Foot hygiene
FOOT hygiene is just as important as personal hygiene.
Most of us like to look after our health but how many of us think about looking after our feet?
Feet you may ask? I know, strange right but that is exactly the problem — we just don't realise how important they are! Not looking after them could have a serious impact mostly on your ability to look after yourself.
Website behealthynow.co.uk reports the importance of taking care of your feet below.
How to take care of your feet
Fortunately, taking care of your feet is not difficult. You just need to follow the advice below:
Clean and dry your feet properly
It is important to wash your feet regularly and dry them thoroughly. Doing this reduces your risk of picking up a bacterial infection. Most bacterial infections like a damp environment, so it is especially important to dry your feet properly. If you go for a run take the time to take off your socks and dry your feet. Walking around in sweaty socks is definitely not good for foot health.
Cut your nails regularly
Surprisingly, many of the problems people have with their feet starts with their nails. If you get an infection in one of your toenails, it can be difficult to treat. In time, that infection can lead to you losing a nail, which in the long term can be very painful.
Remove hard skin
Hard skin may look harmless and for the most part, it is, but over time it can build up and get thicker and thicker. When that happens it becomes painful, which affects your gait. Not walking or running properly will lead to problems with your knees, hip and back. You may also end up needing a course of foot physiotherapy to get your foot back to normal. When you do not walk properly, the muscles and bones in your foot are affected. You put too much strain on sensitive areas of your foot, which can lead to heel pain that makes every step painful.
Wear the right footwear
Buying and wearing the right footwear is also important for foot health. Wearing heels occasionally will not harm your feet, but wearing them everyday definitely will.
Over time, your feet will become distorted. In addition, when you are older, you are far more likely to suffer from painful feet.