Reasons Why You Need to Visit a Foot Doctor this Year

Do you see your feet as another body part you need to take care of? If so, it’s time to shake off the apathy and treat your feet with love and tenderness. Your feet are among the most densely-innervated parts of your entire body. This means more sensory input comes from your toes than any other body part! This makes it crucial to take good care of them. The state of your feet directly reflects how confident and comfortable you are in your skin. Even if you think that nothing can be done to improve the condition of your feet, it is worth investing time and money into visiting a reputable podiatrist regularly. Here are reasons you need to visit a foot doctor this year if you want healthy and happy feet!

You may have foot pain that shows something else going on.

Foot pain is one of the most common medical complaints. If you’re suffering from foot pain, visiting a foot doctor in Houston may be the key to unlocking the underlying cause. A podiatrist can assess your feet and diagnose based on your medical history, physical examination, and, in some cases, blood tests or X-rays. Foot pain may be caused by poor footwear, an injury, or a sports-related stress fracture. It may also be a symptom of something else in the body, such as arthritis or diabetes.

Your feet are wearing down, and you don’t even know it.

Your feet are home to many bones and structures crucial for walking, running, and standing up straight. Among these are your metatarsal bones, which are among the first to wear down if you don’t take proper care of them. Wearing the wrong footwear, or simply not wearing the right footwear for your foot type, can cause your metatarsals to break down at an accelerated rate. Wearing high heels can also put your metatarsals under extra strain. At best, your feet will begin to feel a bit uncomfortable and tired at the end of the day. At worst, they’ll start ache and cause you to walk awkwardly or even suffer from pain that may be difficult to treat and cure. Your podiatrist can recommend different styles of foot wear to help with any current or potential foot issues you may have.

There may be structural issues in your feet that are hampering your ability to move freely.

Some may be simple and correctable, while others may be more serious and require immediate medical attention. A foot that has fallen out of alignment or broken may need to be splinted or cast. This is done to protect the foot while it heals and to ensure it is healed correctly. A podiatrist may recommend a removable splint or casting that can be removed to allow you to continue to walk and function while healing. In other cases, a non-removable cast might be required, especially if a fracture is unstable or has occurred in a weight-bearing area. There may be times when surgery is the only option.

There are tools and techniques available to combat these issues.

Often, the solution to foot problems is as simple as wearing comfortable, supportive footwear. However, in other cases, you may need to focus on your foot posture, foot strength, or your biomechanics. A diverse range of orthotic devices is available to help realign your feet and provide much-needed stability. Custom orthotics can be crafted to provide support for your specific foot type. It can help to correct your posture and to distribute weight more evenly across your joints and muscles. Orthotics can also help treat common foot conditions, such as plantar fasciitis and metatarsal pain. Custom-made orthotic insoles can greatly help anyone who spends a lot of time on their feet. They can help to reduce pain and discomfort and to prevent injury. In addition, they can help to improve productivity and morale and to increase overall efficiency.

You may be missing out on recommended foot care practices.

Regular foot care is crucial for people living an active lifestyle. This may include athletes, dancers or those whose profession requires them to be on their feet for long hours at a time. Regular pedicures and foot care sessions can save you a lot of trouble. They can help to prevent ingrown toenails, fungal infections and corns from forming. Regular foot massages can keep your feet flexible, keep your nervous system healthy, and even help reduce your risk of diabetes! They can also be useful for people who spend a lot of time on their feet, whether at work or while studying. Regular foot inspections can help to spot potential foot problems earlier and make it easier to treat them.

You may have a skin condition that is unique to your feet.

Some conditions are unique to the soles of your feet, such as plantar warts or verruca plantaris. These can be painful and itchy, especially during the summer when you may be more likely to wear sandals or go barefoot. Plantar warts are common in athletes and people who spend more time on their feet. They can be treated with freezing, topical creams and even laser therapy. You may also be at risk of developing athletes’ foot, which is a fungal infection of the skin on the soles of your feet. To prevent this, it’s important to keep your feet clean and dry, and to avoid going barefoot in public places, such as gyms and swimming pools.

You should get fit now, while you’re young, or risk lifelong problems later on.

As you age, your joints shrink and naturally become less joint-mobile and less flexible. This is especially true of your feet, which bend less when you’re older and may even become permanently flattened. You can help combat this by getting in shape while young. Exercising and strengthening your feet can help to prevent foot deformities, such as hammertoes, which can cause your toes to curl into a clawed position. A podiatrist can provide you with advice and guidance on how to strengthen your feet. They may also be able to recommend exercises that can be done at home. Regular exercise can also help to prevent and combat foot pain, such as plantar fasciitis and metatarsalgia, which are common problems among athletes. Wearing the wrong footwear can also cause pain in your feet, knees and hips, leading to a greater risk of injury.

Conclusion

Your feet are the foundation of your entire body. They have to support your entire weight and are in almost constant motion. Keeping them healthy and happy is a great gift to yourself! If you’ve been putting off visiting a foot doctor, now is the time to take action. Your feet need your love and attention and a podiatrist is the best person to provide them with the care they need.