Everyone Can Find a Reason to Take Better Care of Their Feet

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New year, new beginnings, right? The tradition of making New Year’s resolutions is both universal and extremely personal. Nothing would please our board-certified podiatrists more than seeing our patients take a personal interest in caring better for their feet.  No matter who you are, how old you are, or what your health condition is, you can make that resolution:

  • Senior citizens can resolve to pay more attention to their feet. By the time they reach age 65, seniors’ cumulative steps number in the hundreds of millions - even more for anyone who works on their feet, such as waiters and retail salespeople. Look out for changes in size, color, shape, and feeling - things like numbness or discolored toenails. Changes like these can be warning signs of a more serious medical problem. Another great resolution for seniors is to take steps to prevent falling.

  • Young people are well-positioned to prevent foot and ankle problems because their feet have way fewer miles on them. If you’re pain-free now, resolve to stay that way. Wear supportive shoes that fit well, are appropriate for your activity, and don’t jam your toes together like sardines. Exercising and staying at a healthy weight are two other ways to protect your feet.

  • People with diabetes can resolve to do a daily foot exam, checking for any changes to their feet that can lead to dangerous infections and limb amputations. You can also help your feet with resolutions to keep your A1C levels in check and control your blood sugar through weight loss and exercise.

  • Anyone who suffers from foot pain can resolve to start the new year right by fixing their feet. Foot pain isn’t normal! In many cases, we can treat it with conservative methods such as physical therapy, custom orthotics, rest, icing, and a change in footwear. Or your chronic foot pain may need surgery.

Our advice to people of all ages and backgrounds is this: when pain strikes, don’t ignore it. Putting off treatment makes healing harder, so bring your foot or ankle injuries to our Monmouth County podiatry office sooner rather than later. Call Affiliated Foot & Ankle Center at (732) 905-1110 in Howell and Jackson, New Jersey. You may also contact us online for an appointment with Dr. Samantha Boyd, Dr. Hal Ornstein, Dr. Dan Phan, or Dr. Joseph Saka.