Do your feet just ache or throb at the end of the day? Do they hurt your first couple of steps out of bed? Do they feel tired after a long day? Yes, yes, and yes for me. Feet are a large part of your independence and quality of life. Think about how many times you walk to the bathroom, or stand in the kitchen cooking (or dump the takeout into a bowl to make it look like you cooked), or drive to your kid's 12th activity for the week. Read on to learn to love your feet ❤️
Today was a slow day at work. I must have pissed some patients off, because I had three patients cancel that left me with a huge gap in my schedule. I am not complaining about that in the least, a green schedule is a happy schedule. This green allowed me to walk a little extra during my lunch hour walk, and before I knew it I had logged an hour walk (currently listening to a psychological thriller on audible, highly recommend!) Then, when my day was over I had to log a short run, to prepare myself to not die during the TC 10 mile run. As I’m finally sitting down with my feet up, I see that I logged a total of 17,822 steps. All that on top of just being on my feet for a normal work day, on an ankle that I had sprained just 8 days ago, and a foot that was blistering from a wart removal yesterday (gross). It’s 8:45 pm and my feet are literally screaming at me to sit down. (But now who will bring me a glass of wine? 🧐)
Here’s the thing about feet, they’re more than just a gross body part. Feet are pretty cool, actually. Your entire foot is useful. Feet house nearly 25% of the bones in our whole body! (Am I the only nerd that finds that fascinating?!) This is the statistic that you should care about, though: 75% of Americans will experience foot problems in their lifetime.
When you consider your balance, feet make up 33% of your ability to balance safely. Just think, injuries to your feet take away your mobility. Here I am, on vacation with my husband and kiddos in a cabin on an incline, and I sprain my damn ankle. I was hobbling around all week, making my husband do most of the running up and down the hill, I felt useless. Don’t be like me, don’t lose your mobility and feel useless.
Here are 5 simple tips to keep your nasty feet healthy and happy:
Stop wearing those uncomfortable shoes! Yes, they're cute, I know. Shoes that are too tight or misshapen, or even worn down, can create unwanted stress on your foot that could ultimately lead to injury and gait disturbances. Invest in good shoes!
Keep your feet clean and dry. Is there anything worse than wet socks?! I don't think so. If you tend to have sweaty feet, consider changing your socks throughout the day. And don't forget to wash those nasty thangs while you shower.
Moisturize your feet, too! Our skin is meant to protect us, and dry cracking skin can be an invitation for infection. Moisturize your feet, but avoid between those toes.
Keep your feet and ankles strong. A few exercises you can incorporate into your normal daily activity: stand on one foot while you brush your teeth (don't forget to alternate feet!), heel raises (up on toes, back down to flat feet, repeat 20 times), and squats. Who doesn't love squats?!
Check your feet daily. Sometimes it's easy to miss a small blister, or an ingrown toenail because maybe it doesn't bother us. Even so, it's important to take care of these issues so they don't become bothersome, or even worse, turn into something more serious.
I used to hate feet, I mean, they can be pretty gross. Once I became a PT, that disgust went out the window, because, well, sometimes I have to touch and treat feet. Honestly, though, when you have the ability to improve someone's quality of life because now they can go on walks with their grandkids - it makes you appreciate those little appendages on the end of your legs a little bit more.
The next time you think about neglecting your feet, just imagine not being able to walk yourself to the bathroom, or pick up your child to give them a big hug, or walk through the grass to get to your kid's soccer game. Take care of those little piggies!
You can't fill from an empty cup!
