Fit Feet
by Betty Mitchell RN BSN
Parish Nurse, Emmanuel Bethel Church, Royal Oak Michigan
A human foot contain 26 bones, 32 joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles and many nerves and blood vessels. God’s design for our feet is a biomedical engineering wonder. We need to protect them throughout our life. Our feet support us in many ways over our lifetime, allowing the average person to walk the equivalent of twice around the world in a lifetime.
Keeping your feet healthy will help you avoid embarrassing and uncomfortable problems such as athlete’s foot, foot odor and toenail fungus. The skin covering our feet needs to be inspected regularly for any change in appearance of color or texture. If the feet appear dry, keep them hydrated with lotions or creams. Remember to put sunscreen on exposed skin if you wear sandals.
Another way to maintain healthy feet is to have each foot measured regularly to be sure you are wearing the proper size shoe. Try shoes on at the end of the day, as your foot tends to swell during the course of sitting or standing throughout the day. Try shoes on before purchasing to be sure they are comfortable. Not all styles and sizes will be a good fit for your foot.
Wash your feet daily with soap and water — do not just swish your feet around in the shower. Dirt and grime accumulate between the toes, too.
Since fungus grows best in a dark, warm environment, it is important to dry your feet thoroughly, especially between the toes. Putting dry socks on becomes important during the day if your feet become wet. Allow shoes to dry out by alternating shoes each day. Shoes will absorb moisture from the sweat your foot produces.
Trim your toenails regularly to keep bacteria from growing under nails that are too long. Short nails will keep from ruining your socks.
Maintaining a healthy weight will go a long way to decrease added stress on the ligaments, joints and muscles over time. As weight increases, joints can get out of alignment and wear away cartilage. Tendonitis can develop as tendons and ligaments stretch. Walking is a great way to maintain your weight.
Source www.medicalnewstoday.com; www.apma.org; Live Well, Winter 2013
