Your feet contain 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. Many health problems show their first signs in the feet. Inspect them daily for cuts, bruises, swelling or areas of skin breakdown from moisture. make sure your loved one is seeing good podiatrist.
Make sure your loved one is seeing Perth podiatrist, they have completed years of rigorous foot and ankle training in medical school and hospital-based residency.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
Everyone knows that the best way to keep your feet healthy is to wear comfortable shoes. For the elderly, this is especially important. They have already walked the equivalent of walking around the earth three times over their lifetimes which has put substantial wear on their feet. In addition, age can lead to foot problems such as arthritis (osteoarthritis), hammer toes and bunions numbness and loss of sensation in the feet.
Ill-fitting shoes can exacerbate many of these conditions. It is recommended that your loved ones have their feet professionally measured before buying a shoe. A good rule is to buy a shoe that is a little bit bigger than their largest foot. This allows for the tendons and ligaments to stretch without causing discomfort.
It is also important that your loved one wear shoes with a wide toe box. Narrow shoes compress the toes and can cause rubbing and friction which in turn can lead to painful conditions such as corns calluses or even a hammertoe. Avoid shoes with a hard upper such as leather which can rub against the skin and create abrasions. Instead, look for shoes with a breathable mesh upper. Also, avoid sandals thongs and flip flops as these have very minimal support for the foot and are a fall risk for seniors.
Moisturize Your Feet
The skin of the feet loses its natural oils and becomes dry. This drier skin makes it easier for fungal infections and bacterial infections to thrive on aging feet. These issues also interfere with your elderly loved one’s ability to walk and increase the risk of tripping and falling which could lead to serious medical conditions.
Aside from proper footwear, the best way to treat dry feet is to apply a quality moisturizer to them each day. A foot cream or lotion is a great option, but you can also try moisturizing socks and soaking your feet in warm water each morning to soften the skin on the bottoms of your feet before applying a good moisturizer.
Another tip for keeping aging feet healthy is to examine them for cuts blisters or sores on a regular basis. If your elderly loved ones are unable to do this on their own, consider hiring someone to help with their home foot care or visiting a nail care clinic that specializes in caring for senior feet.
Maintaining a healthy weight is also important as it prevents excess pressure on the feet. A podiatrist can help your elderly loved ones develop a health plan that will support a balanced diet and lifestyle to reduce the likelihood of foot problems. This includes helping them choose shoes that fit properly and avoid high-heeled shoes that cause friction, which exacerbates many common foot problems like bunions, calluses, and corns.
Trim Your Toenails
As people age, their feet often become dry and brittle. This can cause the nails to break down and the skin to crack. Keeping toenails cut properly and moisturizing the feet will help prevent this. Additionally, it is important to check the feet regularly for cuts, sores, corns, fungus and other problems.
Many seniors have trouble cutting their own toenails due to aches and pains, weakened eyesight or difficulties reaching the feet. This is why it’s a good idea for seniors to find a podiatrist, nail care clinic or home care service that specializes in senior foot care.
Thick toenails can be painful, can interfere with walking and can develop into ingrown toenails. This can lead to infections that can be difficult to treat with over-the-counter treatments. To avoid this, keep toenails trimmed straight across and not too short. It is also a good idea to use a file to round out the corners of the toenails so that they don’t get caught on anything.
It is recommended that a person should soak their feet in warm water and then dry them thoroughly before trimming their toenails. Using nail nippers that are lightweight and easy to hold can help make it easier to trim toenails. Be sure to thoroughly wash the nippers after each use and to disinfect them between uses.
See Your Podiatrist
As people age, foot problems are common, but they don’t have to limit a person’s mobility or quality of life. Visiting your podiatrist for regular checkups can help you catch foot conditions such as bunions, hammertoes, and neuromas before they worsen. Additionally, regular foot massages can help improve blood flow to the feet and reduce pain and discomfort.
It’s also important to remember that as we age, our feet change shape. Over time, our arches may fall and our feet may get wider. In addition, we may develop calluses and hammertoes. A podiatrist will be able to evaluate these changes and recommend the right footwear for daily activities. Shoes with a firm sole and soft upper that can be laced, buckled, or strapped to the foot are best. It’s also important to keep the feet clean and dry and inspect them regularly for redness, cracks, blisters, sores, or areas of irritation.
If you or a loved one is having trouble with their feet, talk to Subiaco podiatrist often provide good care services that include foot care for seniors. They can help your loved ones manage their foot care and prevent serious injury or pain. Contac us today for more information on our services and schedule a consultation for your elderly loved ones.