It is officially spring! What a better way to jump into April with a little SPRING in your step. April also brings us Foot Health Awareness Month. This is an entire month dedicated to foot health. Depending on ones activity level it is not uncommon for the average person to take seven to ten thousand steps per day. That is nearly 5 miles a day! Keeping your feet healthy should be a high priority on your checklist.
It is surprising the variety and vastness of issues that can occur in the lower extremity. There is enough pathology to have an entire medical specialty focused on the foot and ankle. A foot and ankle specialist, or commonly referred to as a podiatrist, can be a crucial part in diagnosing, treating and healing foot and ankle injuries. A podiatrist is licensed to treat anything from a surgical correction of an ankle fracture to an ingrown toenail. Here are a few tips to helping you become more aware of you foot health during the month of April.
Notice your feet. Feet are too often neglected. They hide in socks and shoes and people rarely evaluate their foot health until something is wrong. Checking your feet daily for cuts, ulcers, calluses, swelling or color changes may help you prevent devastating issues especially if you are predisposed to infections or have numbness in your feet.
Listen to your feet. Listening to your feet throughout the day can help prevent injuries including muscle strains and pulls, plantar fasciitis, and stress fractures. These are all injuries that can be prevented with proper footwear and rest.
Exercise your feet. If your feet are moving then your body is moving. Exercising is a critical aspect of quality sustainable health. Let your feet take you for a walk, run or to the gym.
Get help. If you your feet become an issue, do not hesitate to find a podiatrist. A podiatrist specializes in all pathology of foot and ankle conditions from skin to bone. They can use their clinical and surgical skills to help relieve pain and heal injuries.
April is foot health awareness month. So let’s notice, listen and exercise those feet throughout the month of April. If you notice any changes in your foot health, please consider making an appointment with Dr. Jay C. Larson at Sole Foot and Ankle Specialists in Glendale, Arizona.