Tips for happy healthy feet!

Are healthy foot habits part of your routine? Post this checklist in your bathroom or bedroom until regular foot care becomes second nature.

Always

• Call your doctor if your feet are red, swollen, infected, painful, tingling, or numb. Call, too, if a cut, sore, bruise, or blister doesn’t heal within a few days.
• Wear socks and shoes, and leave slippers by the side of your bed.

• Wash and dry your feet thoroughly. Don’t forget to clean and dry between your toes.
• Clean any cuts or blisters with mild soap and water, and apply an antibiotic ointment and a bandage.
• Carefully inspect the tops and bottoms of your feet and between your toes. If you cannot see any part of your foot, such as the bottom or heel, use a mirror or ask a relative or friend to help.
• Note any redness, blisters, cuts, scratches, hard skin, and cracks. Also note very cold or very hot spots. Cold can signal circulation problems, and heat may mean an infection.
• If your feet are dry, apply moisturizing cream—except between the toes.
• Before putting on any pair of shoes, inspect the inside for rough edges and foreign objects.
• Try not to ware the same shoes everyday.
• To maintain healthy circulation, put your feet up when you sit and avoid crossing your legs. Wiggle your toes, and move your ankles up and down for five minutes two or three times a day.

• After a bath or shower, trim your nails straight across. Cut them even with the top of your toes. File rough edges with a nail file. If your nails are thick, misshapen, or hard to cut, see a doctor for nail care.
• Check your socks for holes, and replace worn ones.

Foot care Tips for People with Diabetes:
If you have diabetes you should pay special attention to your feet. Diabetes may cause damage to your nerves so that you lose some of the feeling in your feet. It may also damage the circulation to your feet. Care and prevention are the key to keeping your feet healthy.

What to Do

• Look at your feet daily. 
• Wash you feet with soap and warm water or better an Antimicrobial Cleanser to eliminate Bacteria and Fungus. 
• Cut toenails straight across and not too short. Cutting too short may lead to ingrown toenails. 
• Apply cream, but not between the toes, where it may increase the chance of infection. 
• Check the inside of your shoes and boots before putting them on. 
• Wear smooth fitting socks; avoid socks with seams which may create a ridge in your shoe. 
• Wear comfortable, well-fitted shoes, which do not cause pressure in any one spot. 
• Keep active. Walking is great exercise for your feet, and will help improve circulation. 

• Do not cut calluses or corns. You may risk infection, especially if you cut too deeply. 
• Do not go barefoot; minor injuries often result in serious problems for people with diabetes. 
• Do not cross your legs as you may cut off the blood flow to your lower limbs. 
• Do not use a heating pad or hot water bottle, as you may burn yourself without knowing it. 
• Do not wear socks with tight elastic

• The average person walks more than 110,000 miles in a lifetime.
• Our feet have a total of 26 bones.
• Foot ailments are usually caused by improper foot care.