Foot Care
It begins with shoes.

Shoes, for many people, are a statement of who they are. But sometimes we choose a shoe with looks over one that's comfortable.

Shoes can act as preventitave devices - only if they fit properly. Footwear that doesn't fit porperly can cause an assortment of problems from blisters to bunions.

An extra precaution

For people with diabetes, arthritis, poor circulation and neuropathy more caution needs to be used when taking care of your feet. These conditions when matched with improper footwear can lead to infection resulting in serious complications.

Below there are some common issues related to poor fitting footwear

Blisters

Blisters are a defense mechanism of the human body. When the outer layer of the skin separates from the inner layer, a pool of fluid collects between these layers while the skin re-grows from underneath. Blisters are usually a result of too much pressure or friction to an area of skin.

Small blisters should be covered with a bandage, while large blister may reguire gause to absorb moisture and allow air to the affected area. People who have diabetes or poor circulation should see their doctor.

Corns

Corns on the toes probably cause more foot pain and misery than any other single problem. Most corns are caused by crooked toes that won't lie flat in shoes. Other times it's wearing shoes that are too small, too ridgid or narrow which crowd the toes. The constant rubbing against the shoe leads to a cone-shaped thickening of the skin, similar to a callus.

In mild cases the corn may be padded to protect the sensitive tissue. Be sure when selecting shoes that your toes have enough room and aren't crampped. When the pain persists, surgery is used to straighten the toe from its contracted position.

Hammer toe and bunions

Bunions are most often caused by an inherited faulty mechanical structure of the foot. It is not the bunion itself that is inherited, but certain foot types that make a person prone to developing a bunion. Although wearing shoes that crowd the toes won't actually cause bunions in the first place, it sometimes makes the deformity get progressively worse.

Arthritis of the great toe joint, diminished and/or altered range of motion, and discomfort with pressure applied to the bump or with motion of the joint, may all accompany bunion development

Bunions may be treated conservatively with changes in shoe gear, custom made orthotics (accommodative padding and shielding), rest, ice, and medications. These sorts of treatments address symptoms more than they correct the actual deformity.

Hammer toe is a deformity of the toe, in which the end of the toe is bent downward. Hammer toe, often found in conjunction with bunions or other foot problems, most often results from wearing poorly-fit shoes that can force the toe(s) against their tip, such as excessively high heels or shoes that are too short or narrow for the foot. It can also be caused by muscle, nerve, or joint damage resulting from conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, stroke, or diabetes.

Orthotics may be recommened to help alieveate and prevent foot and toe discomfort.

Ingrown toenails

It is a painful condition in which the nail grows or cuts into one or both sides of the nail bed. Some of the known breeding grounds for ingrown nails are:

• Shoes that don't fit, like those that are too narrow or too short, can cause bunching of the toes causing the nail to curl and dig into the skin.
• Poor maintenance, like cutting the nail too short, rounded off at the tip or peeled off at the edges (versus being cut straight across), is likely to cause ingrowth.
• Trauma to the nail plate or toe, such as can occur by stubbing the toenail, dropping things on the toe and going through the end of your shoes' in sports, can cause the flesh to become injured and the nail to grow irregularly and press into the flesh.
• Predisposition, like abnormally shaped nail beds, nail deformities caused by diseases, and a genetic proneness to nail problems can mean a tendency to ingrowth.

If there's infection see your doctor immediately