Senior foot care and reducing the risk of falls
Fall are a major cause of injury amongst seniors, and one of the best ways to reduce your risk of falling is to look after your feet. If your feet are healthy and pain-free, it is much easier to keep your balance, and stay active for longer. Your ability to keep walking for longer in your life in turn helps you retain your muscular and bone strength, promotes good circulation, and offer many more health benefits.
Healthier feet for seniors
The key to healthy feet for seniors (or anyone!) is a daily foot care routine of Check, Wash, Cream and Comfort
1. Inspect
Take a few minutes every day to check the condition of your feet. Are they sore? Have you got any new cuts, blisters, bruises, or sores? Are your feet swollen? Are your toenails digging in or infected? Do your toenails need trimming? This daily check is particularly important if you have pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes or poor circulation.
2. Wash
In the winter, our feet rarely see the light of day, but they still require daily washing. Your feet may sweat more in winter boots, so a daily wash keeps the skin healthy. Don’t necessarily soak your feet; a good wash in warm water will do the job and also won’t dry out your skin. Always dry your feet throughly, especially between the toes.
3. Cream
The skin on your feet can get dry and cracked Keep it soft and supple with some unscented foot cream on the tops and especially on your heels. Don’t put cream between your toes.
4. Comfort
Comfortable feet are usually healthy feet. Make sure your shoes fit well, and give you a good grip on any surface. Wear a clean pair of socks every day and be prepared to change your socks if your feet get wet from snow or rain, or sweaty from exercise. Seniors should avoid socks with tight elastic tops as they can restrict circulation.
Listen to your feet
Warning signs that all may not be well with your feet include:
- Cuts, sores or blisters that won’t heal
- Pain in your feet when you walk
- Cold or numbness in your feet
- Changes in skin colour on your feet, ankles or lower legs
If you notice a change in your feet, consult your physician or get in touch with your local Hunt Footcare specialist foot clinic in:
Diabetic foot care
If you have diabetes, you need to be especially careful about foot health. Diabetes can damage the nerves in your feet, making it much more difficult for you to feel any damage, injury, or changes in temperature. Diabetes can also reduce the blood flow to your legs, which means that wounds and lesions can become infected. A daily check either by yourself or by your partner or caregiver can help spot any injuries early on that may need medical attention. For more information, see our Diabetic Foot Care page.
Keep your shoes on
Wearing well-fitted shoes both indoors and outdoors can actually reduce your risk of falls by an impressive 10%. Also, how you walk can affect your risk. That’s why at Hunt Footcare we do a gait analysis for patients that indicates if they are unbalanced through their feet turning inwards too much (or too little) or outwards. (For a great animation of the types of pronation, see the Asics trainer website).
Custom orthotics for all ages
Issues with gait and balance can often be resolved with in-shoe orthotics. Custom-made to your feet, these slip into your normal shoes to balance your feet and properly distribute your weight when you walk. For more details, see our Custom Orthotics page.
Senior foot care with Hunt Footcare
We have experience with a whole range of senior foot conditions, including bunions, arthritic feet, corns and calluses and more. For more details click on the Services menu above, or got to our Seniors Foot Care page.
Or contact us for an appointment:
