PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — April is National Foot Health Awareness Month, a time to think about the importance of foot health in our overall wellbeing, how we can keep our feet healthy, and what we should do when something is wrong with them.
“Let’s face it, we spend a lot of time on our feet. In fact, the average person will walk the equivalent of twice around the world in a lifetime,” explains Dr. Nadine Atalla, one of the podiatrists at Northern Light AR Gould Hospital in Presque Isle. “You don’t want to be struggling with pain due to an infection or injury during too many of those steps.”
According to Dr. Atalla, the most important action people can take regarding their feet is to keep them healthy to start with. She stresses five basic things you should always keep in mind:
Inspect your feet regularly. You are looking for any changes, such as cuts, sores, swelling, dryness or infected toenails. Apply treatment as needed.
Use good foot hygiene. This includes washing your feet daily and drying them completely; wearing clean, dry socks; clipping your toenails regularly and keeping toenails clean.
Use lotion to keep skin moist. This will prevent skin from cracking, which can lead to infections.
Wear the right shoes. These should fit well and provide appropriate support, especially when exercising. Avoid walking barefoot.
Don’t ignore foot pain. Symptoms that increase or do not resolve within a reasonable period of time need to be evaluated by a podiatric physician.
“I really can’t stress enough the importance of not regularly walking barefoot,” says Dr. Atalla. “This is not just outside, which people may enjoy doing in the summer, but also within your home. Bare feet are more susceptible to injuries, and when the skin is broken, no matter how tiny the cut is, pathogens can get in and potentially cause infections.”
If you should get a cut or sore on your foot, Dr. Atalla advises that antibiotic ointment be applied, and it be kept covered to lessen any chance of infection. “Do not keep any sores or wounds uncovered or unprotected,” she says.
Regularly walking barefoot can also cause your feet to become inflamed or lead to calluses and aggravate pain for some foot-related problems such as flat feet or plantar fasciitis. It can also cause or aggravate lower back pain.
“But no matter how careful you are with your foot care, you may still end up with an injury or infection, so knowing what it may be and how to treat it is important,” says Dr. Atalla.
Whether it’s a common infection, such as athlete’s foot, or something much more concerning, such as a foot or toe ulcer, makes a difference in what steps you should be taking for care. Whether that bump on your foot is a wart or a callus also makes a difference in what you may need to do, according to Dr. Atalla. Some can be managed by over-the-counter remedies, while others may require medical intervention.
“The most important thing to remember is that you should not ignore foot pain. The pain is there for a reason. If you have tried to handle it on your own without success, see your primary care provider for next steps. You may find you need to be referred to a podiatrist for more specialized treatment,” advises Dr. Atalla.
