7 Holiday Tips for Happy, Healthy Feet

The holiday season is a time for good health and good cheer. Why not extend these qualities to your feet? After all, they support your weight and allow you to stand, walk, run, and jump — all necessary things to let you live your daily life.

At Chicagoland Foot and Ankle, our board-certified podiatrists diagnose and treat all manner of foot conditions, including athlete’s foot, heel pain, bunions, and plantar warts. We offer treatments ranging from orthotics to ankle surgery, depending on your needs.

As we head into the holiday season, we want to encourage you to adopt practices that keep your feet healthy and happy. To that end, we focus this blog on seven tips to keep your feet comfortable and pain-free throughout the holidays and during the rest of the year.

What is foot hygiene?

Foot hygiene means taking good care of the health of your feet, including paying attention to any areas where problems may develop.

Two foot-related conditions directly due to a lapse in proper hygiene are ringworm and fungal nail infections.

Ringworm

Ringworm is medically known as tinea pedis and colloquially known as athlete's foot. It’s a fungal infection of the skin on the feet due to fungi that thrive in warm, dark, and moist environments, like pool decks, locker rooms, and sweaty socks.

Tinea pedis can affect any part of your foot, but it most commonly affects the space between the toes, leading to itchy, cracking skin. Good hygiene can prevent an infection. Don’t walk barefoot in public places, wash your feet regularly and dry thoroughly, and change your shoes and socks regularly.

Fungal nail infections

Fungi can also infect the nails on your feet, entering through small cracks in the nail itself or in the skin surrounding it. The infection causes the nail to become discolored, thick, and very brittle. 

Good foot hygiene, including not walking barefoot in public places, is important here, too.

Tips for healthy feet this holiday season

Here are seven ways to ensure your feet remain healthy and you remain happy during the holidays and throughout the year.

Inspect your feet regularly

Look for bruises, cuts, calluses, and corns, and pay attention to changes in color, texture, or appearance. This is especially important if you’re a diabetic, as the disease can cause a loss of sensation in the extremities.

Maintain good foot hygiene

This includes regularly washing and drying between your toes. If you’re a diabetic, you should do this every day, and use warm — not hot — water to avoid scalding your skin.

Hydrate your skin

Hydration is especially important in warm weather and when you wear open-toed shoes. These can lead to your skin losing moisture, which may cause cracking or the formation of fissures. Use a lotion or cream, but don’t put it between your toes, as it can trap moisture there. 

Buy proper-size shoes

Look for shoes with a wide toe box and plenty of arch and heel support, especially if you’re shopping for athletic shoes. Buy shoes late in the day, as this is when your feet are at their largest. 

If you’re debating between different pairs, opt for the ones that feel the most comfortable.

Never ignore foot pain

Heel or arch pain may be symptoms of an underlying condition like plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the band of tissue under your foot that connects your heel to your toes. 

If a couple of days of ice and rest don’t resolve the problem, make an appointment to come into one of our offices so we can diagnose and treat the problem.

Cut toenails straight across

When clipping your nails, cut in a straight line. Don’t cut into the corners, as this could cause an ingrown toenail, which can be painful and lead to an infection, especially if you have diabetes. Gently file away rough edges with an emery board.

Alternate your shoes each day

Your feet contain sweat glands, which means your shoes will absorb moisture from your feet. Switching between pairs of shoes allows each pair to dry completely before you wear them again.

Do you want more tips about how to care for your feet? Are you having a problem that needs medical attention? At Chicagoland Foot and Ankle, we can help. 

Call any of our locations (Mount Greenwood and Portage Park areas of Chicago, as well as Orland Park, Bartlett, Niles, and New Lenox, Illinois) to schedule a consultation, or book your appointment online today.