Are your feet fit to be seen this spring?
The sun is shining, the deck is warm, and as you slap on your sandals you suddenly realise your feet don’t quite look their best after a long winter in boots! So, it’s time to give your feet a good check and solve any conditions or issues that have been covered up all winter with out five point footcare checklist.
1. Check your toes
Your toes probably haven’t seen the light of day for a while, so take a little time to check them over. If your big toes seems to be getting bigger, or the skin is thickening, you might have a bunion which in time could lead to pain when walking. Or, you may notice that your big toe nail is digging into your to a little, the early sign of an ingrowing toenail. Neither bunions or ingrown toenails should be ignored, and prompt treatment now will ensure your feet are in perfect trim for the summer.
2. Check between your toes
Athlete’s foot doesn’t just happen to athletes or those who wear training shoes! It’s a fungal infection that loves the warm, moist spaces between your toes, and can cause itching and peeling skin. People who need to wear protective footwear all year round, such as construction workers or factory workers, are particularly at risk when their feet get hot in the warmer weather. (If you suffer from athlete’s foot, we have expert advice and effective treatments for you here at Hunt Footcare.)
3. Check under your feet
The sole of your foot is a major shock absorber for your body, but all that pressure of walking can take its toll. You might notice dark circles on your feet with an indented middle which are plantar warts, a type of wart which become ‘squashed’ into the skin through the pressure of walking. These should always be treated by a professional chiropodist or foot care clinic; DIY is not an option with warts!
4. Check the balls of your feet
Calluses can form on your feet due to the friction of walking, creating large areas of thickened dry skin that don’t often hurt but may affect your gait. Calluses can be successfully reduced by a professional footcare expert.
5. Pamper your feet!
If everything is OK and you have no breaks in the skin, warts or infected toenails, it’s time to treat your feet! Apply good moisturizers at home and don’t forget to apply the sunscreen when poolside.
For expert advice and footcare services, just call one of our Ontario foot clinics in London, Stratford and Ingersoll.