Most of the time, we focus on health or skin care completely ignoring the importance of our feet. Foot care is equally important especially for diabetic people to avoid foot complications. Feet is one part of our body which is used the most. Even then, we tend to ignore it until we don't come across some serious feet problem. Feet are made up of 26 bones, held together by tendons, ligaments and muscles and wrapped in skin. Some handy and valuable tips of foot care: a) Check your feet daily for cuts, sores, red spots, swelling and infected nails. b) Do not cut corns and calluses( hardened or thickened part of the skin). Consult your doctor if you have developed corns and calluses rather than cutting them off using razor, corn plasters or some liquid corn removers. c) Make sure your toe nails are trimmed properly. Trim them straight across and smooth them using a nail file. d) If you are diabetic, consult your doctor. Diabetic patients are at more risk to developing foot complications and wounds which do not heal easily. There are three major problems which a diabetic person faces if he develops some foot disease. . Ischemia: It is poor circulation of blood. . Neuropathy: It is a nerve disease. . Infection: Precipitation Factor. Tip: Keeping your blood sugar level in good control and taking care of your feet properly can help you avoid serious foot problems. Also avoid sitting with your legs crossed as it can reduce the flow of blood to the feet. e) Scrub your feet each time you take a shower. You can also wash them using mild soap and lukewarm water and then drying them gently. f) Wear clean socks and shoes that fit you properly. Right shoes helps you put off injuries and soreness. If you feel your feet sweat more than others, go in for leather or canvas shoes but not synthetic ones or plastic shoes. Plastic or vinyl shoes do not stretch or breathe. Sandals are also a good option. Use foot powder daily. g) Quit Smoking. Smoking reduces the flow of blood to your feet. |
