"I've just worked a 12-hour shift, and boy are my dogs barking!" When your feet hurt, you are miserable. Foot health is important for everyone. Here are some tips to maintain your tootsies:
1) Do not go barefoot. Wear appropriate shoes for the situation. I have seen many a toe injury (including crushing injuries and fractures) from wearing flip-flops while moving a couch that would have been avoided by wearing shoes. When working around the house or in the yard, wear socks and closed-toe shoes. Applying lotion before donning socks can also soften callouses and cuticles.
2) Cut and file your toenails straight across to avoid ingrown toenails. Few things are more painful than foot surgery, even if it's a simple procedure. If you feel as if you have the beginning of an ingrown toenail, you can try taking a small piece of a cotton ball and inserting it under the corner of the toenail to lift it up. However, you must replace the cotton daily and closely monitor for signs and symptoms of infection, which include fever, presence of discharge, a foul odor, or red streaks running away from the site. If any of these are present, do not use the cotton and get to a healthcare provider immediately.
3) If you workout, make sure you purchase proper workout shoes. This helps stabilize the foot and ankle, as well as protect your feet.
4) If an area of skin on your foot is slightly reddened from a pressure point, such as a strappy sandal, but the skin is not broken, you can try moleskin to protect the area from further breakdown. Moleskin is a flannel material with a sticky back that you purchase in sheets from the foot care section of a grocery or drug store. This sheet may be cut to size and applied, and each application is thrown away after use. For example, I bought a strappy heel to wear as a bridesmaid. I wore the shoes around the house for about an hour, and noticed where the red marks were on my feet. I applied moleskin to the previously reddened areas before the wedding and was able to stand and dance in the shoes all night.
5) If the skin is blistered, try not to pop the blister. A blister is nature's bandaid and, if left intact, will usually heal well on its own. If you feel that the blister will shear open by force, it is better to make a small hole at the base with a sterilized needle, drain and then bandage. I find that eye patches work well to cushion blister repair under a large bandaid or paper tape.
6) Wash feet with soap when you bathe and dry thoroughly. Using a blow dryer set on a cool, low setting will help you dry in-between your toes to avoid fungal infection such as athlete's foot. Clean, dry feet are much less suceptible to infection.
7) If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, your foot health is of supreme importance. See your podiatrist regularly, and don't forget to examine the soles of your feet nightly. Diabetics can suffer "peripheral neuropathy"; this occurs when the elevated blood sugar negatively affects nerve endings, especially in the feet. This can cause loss of sensation, which is why diabetics are advised to examine the soles of their feet. They may find a cut or foreign body they can't even feel.
8) Get pedicures at a reputable salon. This will help keep your toenails and feet infection-free. There's nothing like pretty, painted toenails to make you feel good about yourself and lift your spirits!
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