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Together with the spine, they are the main support of our body, as well as the most important means of transport. They carry a lot of weight, so it’s worth spending a bit more time on them. Well cared for will pay back not only with a nice appearance, but also efficiently carry us wherever we want. How to take care of your feet and what to pay attention to so as not to miss the first signs of the disease?
First of all – pay attention to the well-chosen size of shoes. This is one of the key and most important issues for our feet.
– Uncomfortable heels, artificial materials, poorly profiled shoes cause that the leg does not breathe, corns and calluses appear, there may also be injuries and overstrain of the knees, and even back pain. Ligaments and joints can also suffer. Therefore, we only buy properly fitted shoes. Never too big, never too small. It’s best to go shopping in the afternoon, when the tired foot is swollen most. – says Dr. Alina Blacha, specialist in orthopedics and traumatology from the Żagiel Med hospital in Lublin.
Thanks to this, we will avoid acquiring too small a pair. If a given model hurts, it is not worth buying it in the hope that it will “sell out”. Do not be influenced only by the size of the shoe, you must also measure the length of the insole! It’s good to choose shoes made of good material – preferably leather.
– Lovers of high shoes should remember to take off their shoes, at least for a moment, several times during the day and move their feet. Unfortunately – high heels are one of the perpetrators of hallux valgus, i.e. hallux valgus. This ailment occurs 15 times more often among women who permanently wear high heels than among those who do not! – explains Dr. Alina Blacha.
A little attention every day
Let us devote as much time to our feet as we devote to face care, at least several times a week. You should get them! Where to start? It is best to take a gentle bath, thanks to which the skin will soften.
– We can stock up on special bath preparations or simply use common household salt and soap. Then let’s reach for a peeling or pumice stone that will remove dead skin cells. – advises Dr. Alina Blacha. – When dry, it thickens and keratinizes, corns appear and the skin begins to crack, especially on the heels. The epidermis grows the most right there, because it is they that support the entire body weight.
Dampened and relaxed feet are perfectly prepared for a pedicure. Let’s start with sliding the cuticles off and removing the excess with nippers, then shorten the nails to the desired length and file the sides. A foot cared for in this way is perfect for treating it with a suitable cream. There are many products on the market – refreshing, anti-perspirant, nourishing and moisturizing.
Let’s move!
25 percent of all human bones are found in the feet. As much as half of our weight is based on the calcaneus. The rest of the weight is held by the heads of the first and fifth metatarsal bones.
– Feet are our most important supporting and depreciation organ. When the weight of the body increases, there is no chance that it will not affect their condition. Overweight people are more likely to suffer from leg pain and deformities resulting from overload. Long-term stress on the muscles and ligaments of the foot can lead to, for example, flat feet. To avoid both obesity and the problems resulting from it, we should of course move. A long walk, Nordic walking or a light jog will definitely support our body intensively. – lists Dr. Alina Blacha.
Our feet can feel tired especially when we spend a lot of time in the same position, e.g. working at a computer. Returning home, let’s give up our shoes for at least an hour. When we walk barefoot, we reduce the tension in the muscles of the feet and calves. It is always worth remembering to rest with your legs up, because only then can we really help tired feet and support circulation, preventing swelling.
Observation is the ground
If we notice any disturbing symptoms, it is worth going to a specialist immediately. Timely diagnosis will avoid long-term treatment.
– The first symptom is pain in the feet that does not stop even after resting. We should also pay attention to swelling, various types of redness and deformations. All these symptoms, but also only one, may indicate that we are starting to develop, for example, hallux valgus or flat feet. – says Dr. Alina Blacha. – Do not underestimate such signals from the body. It’s worth going to the doctor and letting a specialist diagnose what is happening.
What if any of these diseases develops in our country?
– We should not try to self-medicate with home remedies. Currently, the surgical treatment of hallux and flat feet is very popular and safe. – says Dr. Alina Blacha.
To get rid of hallux valgus, corrective exercises are sometimes enough, other times special insoles for shoes. The most effective option, especially in the case of advanced lesions, is a surgical procedure that involves cutting the bone and setting it in the correct position by the doctor and stabilizing it with special implants. Thanks to this, the correct shape of the foot is restored. By using special orthosis shoes after the procedure, you can move around immediately, so you can quickly return to work. Of course, the patient is undergoing rehabilitation, which takes about 6-8 weeks. With smaller deformities of the big toe, it is possible to operate on soft tissues, which does not require cutting the bones, and thus the return to full fitness is much faster. Flat feet, on the other hand, are easily treated thanks to an implant that corrects deformation. It is invisible and completely biodegradable, so there is no need to reprocess it to remove it.
Text consultation: dr Alina Blacha, specialist in orthopedics and traumatology from the Żagiel Med hospital in Lublin