October is foot health month!
Foot problems are no laughing matter and Foot Health Month is the perfect time to act, especially if any of this article applies to you. At Sergio Gonzalez Podiatry, we strive to fix every foot problem that walks through the door, no matter how big or small. For appointments call 3425 1777 or email admin@sgpodiatry.com.au
Feet and Ageing: 5 tell-tale signs you need to see a podiatrist.
- Your feet seem a lot further away than they used to (and you can’t see them clearly anymore)
Some of the unfortunate side effects of ageing is the loss of the abilities to bend and to see. This usually results in the old foot care routine turning into a 30 minute cardio workout involving inventive positions. This is great for fitness and the swear jar but can result in a few band-aids and a sore back for the next week.
- Normal nail clippers just don’t cut it any more
Toe nails can get thicker as we grow older, this is perfectly normal. Nails can also curl creating painful, ingrown toenails. It is not a good idea to rummage through the shed for the tin snips, chisels or angle grinder when this happens, it can result in an embarrassing trip to the Saint Andrew’s emergency department.
- All the shoes in the world are uncomfortable.
Well if this is the case, it’s probably not the shoes … it’s your feet. Many things can make shoes uncomfortable particularly corns, callous, ingrown toenails, bunions. The ironic thing is that these are also some of the reasons people don’t show their feet in public! Never fear, although you may feel your feet are the worst ever, they are perfectly normal in a podiatry clinic.
- Your feet hurt constantly.
The feet can become increasingly painful for numerous reasons. As people age we lose the fat pad which cushions the bottoms of the feet, soft tissue injuries like “Heel Spurs” are also more prevalent in later years, arches can collapse and old injuries can come back to haunt us.
Foot pain is not normal, it is not a normal part of growing old and there aren’t any bravery awards for the person who can put up with the most pain. If the trip to the grocery store is a test of character because of foot pain you better pay the podiatrist a visit.
- Your feet feel numb.
The inability to feel pain in the feet can seem like a good thing, unfortunately it’s not. Pain helps prevent us from injuring ourselves seriously and causing long term damage. One can lose sensation in the feet due to a host of health reasons including Diabetes, nerve damage, nutrition and Thyroid issues.
One of the problems with the loss of sensation is that you never know what you can’t feel. It is easy for a podiatrist to perform a nerve and circulation assessment and provide advice on how to deal with these issues.
