By Dr. Allen Frankel
Feet are complicated mechanisms. There are 26 bones in each foot. In fact, a person’s pair of feet account for 25% of all the bones in the body. There are over 100 ligaments in each foot as well as all the other muscles and tendons that help keep our feet working hard all day long. In an average lifetime, we will have walked, run or strolled on our feet more than 200,000 km (more than 4x around the earth’s circumference).
Since the foot is the foundation of the body, symptoms at the ankle, knee, hip and lower back can be indirectly related.
Things To Know And Things To Avoid
For kids between two and five years of age, who have been diagnosed with an “in-toeing” condition (Metatarsus Adductus), placing the shoes on the opposite foot (left on right, and right on left) will help encourage outgrowing of this condition.
Make sure wet shoes or boots are properly dried before the next usage, to avoid skin conditions like Athletes’ foot, which usually shows up in between the toes with redness and itchiness. Also, if your child has wet, moist socks at the end of the day, it is a good idea to incorporate foot powdering (with a good quality foot powder, NOT baby powder) before sock application, to help minimize excessive sweating.
When trimming toenails, make sure you cut them straight across, avoiding angling of the corners, which can lead to a higher predisposition of ingrown toe nails.
If redness and tenderness appears on the side of the nail, start soaking the problem area in lukewarm water and a generous amount of Epsom salt or sea salt. This will help decrease the swelling and calm down the inflammation. Also apply a copious amount of over-the-counter antibiotic ointment to the area.
If you catch warts at an early stage, try on-the shelf wart products for a month to see whether you are getting rid of them, prior to having professional intervention.
The Adult Years (I label the 30-60 year old range the “fall apart” years!)
Inspect your feet daily for redness, blisters or scratches, especially in between the toes or for cracks
around the bottom of your heels. Do not wait for pain to begin, as prevention is the key to success.
Catch the problems before they cascade into bigger problems (especially important for Diabetics, who may be suffering from Neuropathy (diminished sensation of the feet) and who therefore must VISIBLY inspect their feet).
Avoid actions that restrict circulation to your feet, such as sitting with your legs crossed, smoking or wearing too tight a pair of socks with the elastic banding above the ankle area being too constricting.
Monitor the use of over-the-counter medicated pads (for corns and callouses) which contain an acid
and destroy tissues, both good and bad, and can lead to unnecessary ulcerations.
For painful arches and tender heels, buy a cheap pair of over-the-counter insoles for your shoes to help give you more support and cushioning. If the pains do not resolve, then consulting your podiatrist for the possibility of prescription foot inserts (Orthotics-made from plaster of Paris molds only!) to help resolve the issues, would be the next step. Orthotics help correct foot imbalances by more evenly distributing the weight and increasing shock absorption, which can then reduce excessive strains on muscles, tendons and joints.
Seniors
Buy shoes that are light in weight but solid and sturdy in the back part of the shoe (heel counter) for good mechanical control. A thick and spongy outer sole will help in shock absorption.
Also, shoe purchases at mid-day to end-of-day are best, as they will take into consideration the water retention and foot swelling occurring throughout the day. This will in turn help avoid friction problems in the shoe due to too tight a fit.
Stand up when being sized and evaluated for shoe fit, as this will take into account the foot spreading when you are weight-bearing. Make sure the shoe width matches the widest part of your foot. The shoe should follow the natural line of your foot, and be comfortable, not too tight or unstably loose (to accommodate foot deformities), which will help avoid friction blisters and shoe-induced corns from forming.
What is a Podiatrist?
Podiatrists are concerned with the examination, diagnosis and prevention of foot disorders by mechanical, surgical and other means of treatment. A Podiatrist is a highly-trained specialist of the foot and ankle who received a post-undergraduate, four year Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M.) degree. Most continue on with a post-doctoral Residency training as well. At present, in Ontario, all Podiatrists are U.S. trained.
Allen Frankel is a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, and has a private practice in Markham (Markham Podiatry) and in Etobicoke (Podiatry Group). He can be reached at 905.470.2440.
2600 John Street, Unit 207, Markham, ON L3R 3W3 T: 905.475.5222 F: 905.475.6369
