Taking care of your feet is primarily a matter of habit. However, when it comes to foot care, many of us have developed bad habits over the years.
These damaging habits can often result in several limitations that hinder our daily lives, such as:
- Foot pain (Achilles tendonitis, heel spur, plantar fasciitis, bunions, Morton’s neuroma, etc;).
- Skin problems (athlete’s foot, calluses, corns, plantar warts, etc.);
- Nail problems (fungus, ingrown toenail, etc).
Here are 4 common bad habits that can seriously damage the health or ruin your feet.
1. Removing calluses from your feet on your own
Calluses (horns) occur naturally in order to protect your feet. While they are essentially painless, this hardened skin can still become a problem for many.
However, it is ill-advised to take the removal of the horn from under your feet into your own hands. Seeing as many people tend to tear off too much, it can lead to foot injuries and pain. In return, your feet will end up producing even more horn for protection.
If you suffer from problems related to calluses, make sure to keep your feet well-hydrated and most importantly, see a podiatrist.
2. Wearing sandals such as “Crocs” or “flip flops”
Summertime is perfect for enjoying the heat on vacation. It is when you break out the sandals to make the most of the good weather. But beware: despite their comfort, these sandals offer your feet very little support.
In fact, these types of sandals cause your feet to be positioned in an unnatural manner. Therefore, wearing “Crocs” or “flip flops” for long periods of time can cause various podiatric problems, such as bursitis in the heel and hammertoes.
If you enjoy spending time at the beach or pool, consider taking another pair of sandals with you to properly support your feet.
3. Neglecting foot hygiene
Have your feet been sweating throughout the day? Have you just taken a shower, without properly drying between your toes? Take note: this type of behavior can earn you some annoying problems, such as warts or yeast infection.
When it comes to foot hygiene, consider adopting these good habits as part of your routine:
- Clean your feet daily with soap and water.
- Dry your feet well after washing them.
- Apply moisturizer.
- Wear sandals in locker rooms and public pools.
- Clean your shoes, soles and orthotics.
4. Waiting too long before seeing a podiatrist
Have you ever caught yourself saying something along the lines of: “I don’t have time to see a podiatrist right now, I’ll wait a bit to see how my foot problem develops”? If so, be aware that delaying your podiatrist visit too long could make your pain and limitations worse.
This podiatrist is there to help with your pain by designing a personalized treatment to suit your needs. To this end, they use medicinal, surgical, chemical, and biomechanical solutions to treat all types of patients:
- Diabetics;
- Elderly;
- Infants;
- Children and adolescents;
- Athletes;
- Sedentary people.
Keep in mind that the sooner you are diagnosed, the easier it is to treat you quickly.
