April is Foot Health Awareness Month

Often, people do not pay any attention to their feet until they hurt! All of the sudden, they are sitting in my office and completely perplexed about why they are having this new pain, swelling, or other issue with their feet. The feet are complicated structures that help us move around all day during our regular activities but also help us exercise, climb steps, drive, and achieve many other functions during the day. Each foot contains 28 bones and multiple tendons, ligaments, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. Thus, there are many things in the foot that can get injured by overuse, a twist or fall, dropping some thing on the foot, stubbing the toe, and many other causes. In addition to actual accidents, poor circulation, obesity, nerve damage, poor bone density, and a variety of diseases (diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and other conditions) can cause the foot to develop problems. It is important to wear supportive shoes that stabilize the foot. High heels, ballet flats, pointed shoes, flip flops, and other shoes can injure our feet. Additionally, shoes should be made of a material that does not rub on our feet or toes,and there should not be seams that irritate our feet. It is also important to inspect the feet daily for any changes. All diabetic patients are instructed to look at the tops and bottoms of the feet each day, but this is a good practice for all of us to get into as part our our daily routines. If you notice something that is new or does not look right, it is important to see a podiatrist to get it checked out. Blisters, color changes, new swelling, new pain, drainage, and other conditions should be checked by a foot specialist. For more information on your feet, visit oakparkpodiatry.com or apma.org. Keep your feet healthy! Dr. Bender, 708-763-0580.