You Can Teach Your Feet

During your busy day, it can be easy to forget to take care of the feet that walk, run, and drive you everywhere you need to go. If you're an athlete, it can be even harder to take the time to care for your feet. But not caring for your feet can lead to some problems for them, which could even stop you from being able to continue with your workouts. So what are you to do? If you're looking for information about common conditions that can affect your feet (and how to either avoid them or get rid of them), then here's what you need to know.

Plantar Fasciitis

If your heel aches no matter how much you rest it, chances are good you have a case of plantar fasciitis. This condition is extremely common among runners and happens when the tendon that runs from your heel to your toes (called the plantar fascia) gets inflamed, causing stabbing pain when you walk for the first time after resting for a bit.

Your podiatrist will conduct a physical exam of your foot to test for this condition and usually recommend treatment that consists of getting shoes that support your arch (thus taking strain off your heel) and physical therapy that involves strengthening your Achilles tendon and improving the flexibility of your plantar fascia.

Athlete's Foot

One of the more famous foot maladies, athlete's foot is a type of fungus that usually starts growing between your toes. This fungus develops when you don't take precautions to protect your feet from areas where fungus grows, whether it's walking around barefoot in the gym's shower, wearing your shoes or socks while they're wet, or coming in contact with someone who has athlete's foot.

To treat this nasty fungal infection, wash your feet a couple times a day and apply a medication (such as terbinafine) to them after washing, making sure to get your toes, toenails, and in between your toes in particular. Washing all your socks in bleach and throwing out your old shoes will help prevent you from just becoming infected again after curing yourself.

Hard Heels

Being on your feet all day can be tough on your heels, but if you're running, jumping, and squatting during the day as well, chances are good that your heels will get cracked and hard (and even painful to step on), with faintly yellow calluses forming around their perimeter.

In order to fix these heels and get back to being comfortable on your feet, purchase a pumice stone and, while in the shower, go to work on your heels, taking care to get all the dead skin that's caked on them, and then moisturize with a heavy duty lotion (like a body butter) when you get out and dry off. While it'll take a few showers' worth of work to get your heels into tip-top condition, you'll be able to feel the difference that comes with healthy, un-cracked heels.

For a podiatrist, contact a clinic such as Collier Podiatry PA.