With November beginning and Thanksgiving quickly approaching, we usually find ourselves taking inventory of all that we are thankful for in life. This year we want to encourage you to add your feet to the list. We use our feet each and every day (most times without thinking about how hard they work) and it is easy to take them for granted. Maybe your feet don’t look perfect, and maybe they even hurt at times. But our feet are exquisitely designed and built to support us through all of the movements of our lives. Below are our favorite reasons to “thank” your feet and how your feet will thank you back for caring for them so well this season!
Amazing Facts About Your Feet
- The average person takes 3,000-4,000 steps every day. In an average lifetime that’s more than two whole laps around the earth (and you thought you couldn’t walk to China!)
- 1/4 of the bones in your entire body are located in your feet.
- Your feet endure hundreds of tons of force on an average day of walking. This is the equivalent of over 50 cars.
- The soles of your feet contain more sweat glands and sensory nerve endings per square centimeter than any other part of your body. While an astounding fact, this also means your feet can sweat up to half a pint of moisture every day.
- Your feet mirror your general health. Conditions such as arthritis and circulatory disorders can show their initial symptoms in the feet. Ailments that show up in your feet can be the first symptoms of more serious medical problems. We advise making a Doctors appointment if you notice any changes.
Have Your Feet Say “Thank You” This Thanksgiving
1. Try on All of Your Fall/Winter Shoes
As the cooler weather approaches, our feet can quickly feel the effects. Probably the easiest way to combat foot and ankle issues in the Fall is to try on and examine, all of your shoes that you plan to wear for the season. Make sure that you have enough wiggle room for your toes and the sides of your feet, notice if there is any abnormal wearing out of one side or the other, and be sure to check for cracks or holes in each pair to prevent water from coming into your shoes.
Of course, you are welcome to come into any of our 26 Foot and Ankle locations to be personally fitted for your perfect pair of Vionic’s or Brooks Running Shoes.
2. Caring For Cracks
Feet have been the main transportation since the cavemen. Just like our vehicles, feet must be prepared for extreme climate changes. Equally important, we need to inspect our feet daily during winter, especially if we have been exposed to freezing temperatures. For the same reason that potholes develop in the street, cracks in our feet can happen due to moisture (sweat) and cold weather. You should always make sure any cracks in your feet are being taken care of during cold temperatures. Apply thick lotion to these areas daily. If advised by your podiatrist, you may apply a small amount of antibiotic cream twice a week. We carry a wide variety of hydrating options at each of our locations as well.
3. Take a Nail-Polish Break
In the fall, your toenails aren’t constantly on display in flip-flops and sandals like in the warmer months. It’s the perfect time of year to give your toe-nails a break from everyday polish wear. Even if it’s just simply for the next two weeks before Thanksgiving. Due to the chemicals it contains, nail polish can deteriorate the nail bed over time and cause unnecessary discoloration. Certainly, this is the easiest action step you can take.
4. Draw the Alphabet Each Morning This Month
This is a great exercise to “wake up” the deep muscles within the foot. Due to its engagement in a range of motion, this exercise is the perfect way to prep your foot muscles for long hours in the kitchen on Thanksgiving. Using your big toe as a pointer, trace the alphabet in the air as if you were writing in the sand. Do this once with each foot in the morning and at night.
5. Treat Those Calluses
A lot of times we can take the “out of sight out of mind” approach with our feet, especially during the colder months when we can easily cover them up. Now is the best time to finally address and treat those pesky calluses. Our Doctors can help diagnose why and how your callus was formed by examining your footwear, looking at the way you walk and where you hold the most pressure, and with repetitive cases, we can take x-rays of your feet to look at the underlying bony structure to determine if there are any abnormalities that might contribute to forming a callus.
6. Face Your Fears of Surgery
Because of the unknown, surgery can be a scary process. Our Doctors are open and willing to discuss with you all surgical options and every step of them from pre-op to post-healing. Surgery (while always our last resort), can be a game changer for someone who has suffered from bunions or severe pain from hammer toes.
Your feet are one of the most important parts of your body, even though you might not think about them much. They hold you up and protect your bones from breaking, cushion your joints, and allow you to walk and run. Without feet, we would be confined to a wheelchair or unable to move around very easily. We can thank our lucky stars that we have these amazing body parts that do so much work for us every day!
We hope you enjoyed learning a little more about the amazing feet you have! We’re thankful to be even a small part of keeping them happy and healthy! Reminder: Please don’t forget to use your FSA dollars and benefits before the year ends!
