Taking care of your feet

Painful heels: Runners and athletes often develop heel pain, but painful heels can happen to anybody. It happens to people who tend to be on their feet and are more active than average and are wearing shoes that don’t provide enough cushioning. The first symptom is discomfort in the heel when you put pressure on […]

Painful heels: Runners and athletes often develop heel pain, but painful heels can happen to anybody. It happens to people who tend to be on their feet and are more active than average and are wearing shoes that don’t provide enough cushioning. The first symptom is discomfort in the heel when you put pressure on your feet, but that discomfort eases as you go throughout the day.
To help alleviate the pain from painful heel syndrome, watch your walk. Your heel should be the first part of your foot to the ground when you walk. The arch distributes your weight toward the outside of the foot and then toward the ball of it. If your feet roll inward or outward, your weight won’t be properly distributed.
Take a break when you’re exercising or doing sports. If your feet hurt, limit your activities for a few days. Switch to swimming, riding an exercise bike or lifting weights. Also, do calf stretches to loosen your muscles.
Try massaging your heel with a paper cup filled with ice or with ice packs. If your heel pain doesn’t improve, see your health care provider. He or she might suggest special orthotic devices made of foam, plastic, fiberglass or graphite, as well as medications and special exercises.
If you have foot pain that is unexplained and continues even after home remedies, see your health care provider or a podiatrist.
Some tips to keep your feet in shape
Buy only shoes that fit you and your life. If you stand for hours each day at school or if you walk or run on hard surfaces, you need shoes with a thick sole and soft upper. Purchase shoes to suit your type of exercise–if you run, buy a pair of good running shoes, if you walk a great deal, invest in a good pair of walking shoes.
If you have to wear high heels or really stylish shoes, save them for special times of the day or when you know you’ll be sitting down. If you wear high heels most of the time, your calf muscles may ache when you move to low-heeled shoes. High heels can put heavy pressure on the front of your foot and can lead to bunions, heel pain and other foot problems. Pressure on the balls of the feet increases with heel height: A 3-inch heel creates seven times more stress on the front of the foot than a 1-inch heel.
Be a sensible shopper. If you’re unsure about your shoe size, ask to have your foot measured. Sizes aren’t consistent from store to store or across shoe styles.
Shop for shoes in the middle of the day, not in the morning, because your feet swell during the day. Be sure to wear the same type of socks or stockings you plan to wear with the shoes, even if you have to bring them with you.
Try to go barefoot or wear sandals when you can. If you wear regular shoes, always wear socks, preferably socks that absorb moisture; cotton is a good choice. Change your socks every day, and don’t wear the same pair of shoes every day, no matter how much you like them. Instead, air them out. They’ll last longer and support your feet better the next time you wear them.

Soothing soak and pamper your feet: Add a cap full of mild shampoo to a large bowl and fill it with warm water. Swish the water around a bit with a clean hand. Place your feet in the bowl, and let them soak for at least 5 minutes–the longer the better. Add mint leaves or a cinnamon stick to the water to get super fresh smelling feet. You can also use dettol,if you like. After you’re done soaking, towel dry your feet.
Cut down long toenails by clipping straight across with a nail clipper–don’t go really short or you might end up with an ingrown toenail. Smooth rough edges with a nail file, then refill the bowl with fresh warm water and wet your feet again. Using a loofah or bath pouf, massage with a foot scrub to exfoliate and remove dead skin on your heals. Soak them again, then rinse and towel dry.
Apply a moisturizer–either your favorite body lotion or one made especially for feet. Massage moisturizer onto each foot, making sure you get to the skin around the toenails too. This should pep up tired feet and make you feel a bit pampered, too.
Culled from livestrong.com