Basic Foot Care

Basics of foot care:

Most people put on a pair of shoes in the morning and go to work for eight or more hours. Their feet may ache, their backs may become sore, or their shoes may smell like a vintage cheese. Here are some simple, basic ‘steps’ to prevent these problems:

• After showering in the morning, thoroughly dry your feet before putting on any stockings or footwear.
• Periodically inspect your feet, clean the cuticles, and cut the nails straight across to prevent ingrown nails.
• Massage your feet, or get someone to massage them for you, nightly. A nice solution is the vibrating, heated footbaths that are available. If your diabetic, talk to your doctor about proper foot care: as your feet require special attention.

Prevention of Smelly and Cold Feet:

• Bring a fresh pair of stockings to work with you. A plastic zip lock bag is useful to put your tired, damp socks in. Our feet need to breathe and the souls of our feet perspire. Changing your stockings mid-day, a touch of talc is nice also, will make you feel better and will provide your feet with a dry environment.
• In addition to changing your stockings, change your shoes. The typical insoles are not designed to withstand eight hours of compression. Leave one pair of shoes at work, if possible, and change mid-day when you’re also changing your stockings. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel.
• For people who work outside during the winter and have a problem with cold feet, try the following: Spray the bottoms of your feet with an antiperspirant (not just a deodorant), nightly for about two weeks: yes, our feet need to breathe, but in winter this can be a problem. This will stop your feet from perspiring and making your socks damp. Dampness leads to bacterial growth, cold feet, and that wonderful cheesy odor.
  • Outside workers should also stay away from cotton socks, as cotton loses it ability to retain heat once wet. Hikers have an old saying: cotton kills.
  • Use layers: start with a thin polypropylene, or equivalent, stocking, then add a wool or synthetic stocking over this. This provides multiple advantages, the two primary ones are: less friction on your foot – the layers allow one sock to slide against the other, instead of your bare skin. The other advantage is warmth: layering two thin layers is more effective than wearing a single thick sock.

Shoe Size and Material

• You would think this could go without mentioning, but proper shoe size is very important. Too large and your foot moves around and is not secured properly. Too small and you’ll have problems with circulation and toenails.
• Try and buy shoes with a breathable material. No need to wear plastic prom night specials.
• Leather soles can be hazardous. Look for rubber or synthetic rubber soles that give cushion and provide grip for those slippery floors.
• If your shoes don’t have an arch built into the, buy inserts to provide the necessary support. Arch less shoes will create havoc with your lower back.