With the average person set to walk up to 920,000 steps this summer, foot
specialist TOG, is calling for us all to put our best foot forward with its
Top Ten Tips for Tip Top Toes.
Dr. Paul Barratt, Medical Director for TOG Orthotics, says: “In summer we
tend to see an increase of people visiting their doctors or pharmacists with
foot complaints. It’s not that summer is a particularly dangerous season
but because the feet are usually an afterthought: people don’t tend to
focus on them until they want to get them out on display.
“As with all aspects of health, an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of
cure. That’s why we’re asking the nation to take on board our Top Ten
Tips for Tip Top Toes. Our simple tips are so easy there’s no excuse for
not following them. As we’ve seen this past week, even celebrities such as
Victoria Beckham can suffer without proper foot care.”
Top Ten Tips for Tip Top Toes
1. Don’t ignore your feet. Really get to know your feet, and inspect them
regularly. This way you’ll easily spot any changes in their appearance
that could flag potential problems. Today’s red mark is tomorrow’s
blister!
2. Dry between your toes. You wouldn’t wash your hands and not dry between
your fingers, but not drying properly between toes is a common mistake that
can lead to foot problems. We know it can tickle, but laughing is good.
3. Moisturise feet daily – but not all over. You need to use lotions or
creams on a regular basis – especially when wearing open shoes that can
help the skin lose moisture. However, do not use lotion between toes (see
above) or on nails, instead concentrate on the heels and soles of your
feet.
4. Wear high factor (over 30SPF) suncream. The skin on your feet very rarely
gets to see the sun and so it is not acclimatised and can burn easily.
Nothing says ‘ruined holiday’ like swollen, sunburned feet.
5. Remove hard skin gently. We know it might look tough, but under every bit
of hard skin, there is a piece of soft skin just waiting to get out. With
this in mind, remove skin gently, preferably when your skin is softened by
being in the bath or shower.
6. Cut toenails properly. That is, straight across. Never cut the corners as
this can lead to problems. File sharp edges, gently, with an emery board.
7. Keep feet dry. As a rule, feet don’t like moisture and it can lead to
problems from blisters to infections. If your feet are ‘glowing’ and
your socks or tights are sweaty, change them. Similarly, if your shoes get
wet, allow them to dry out fully before wearing them again.
8. Wash – don’t soak – feet. Too much soaking can cause the natural
oils in your feet to become unbalanced leading to dry, cracked skin. Too
much wet can lead to dry? We don’t make the rules, we just share them.
9. Don’t assume flat is best. While it is generally true that a flat shoe
is better for your feet.than a stiletto, don’t assume that flat
necessarily equates to healthy.
10. Don't walk barefoot. A bit of an obvious one, but without shoes or
sandals it is easy for your feet to get injured or infected. We all remember
the days of veruccas and the rubber sock. Let’s leave those memories where
they belong.
To find out more about TOG, and TOG GaitScan™, the most technologically
advanced gait analysis system available in the world, please go to
www.togorthotics.com.
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