5 Ways to Say Thanks to Your Feet

As Thanksgiving approaches, we at Pasco-Hernando Foot & Ankle can’t help but remind our patients that healthy feet are a great gift. Sometimes we fail to remember how important our feet are until they start to hurt. This November, show some gratitude to those two amazing structures that enable you to live the active life you love.

1.  Wear shoes that fit properly—you’d be surprised how you can avoid many foot problems by doing this one simple thing. Get your feet professionally measured whenever you buy new shoes because foot size can increase over time. Remember too that it’s common for one foot to be bigger than the other. You should always buy shoes to fit the larger foot.

2. Consider custom orthotics—these shoe inserts made from a custom mold of your feet can relieve foot pain from many conditions such as flat feet, plantar fasciitis, and Achilles tendonitis. Ask the foot doctor if orthotics can increase your comfort when walking and exercising.

3. Make healthy lifestyle choices—not smoking, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight can all improve the health of your feet. Take on just one new healthy habit and stick with it!

4.  Commit to regular foot exams—the best way to treat foot disorders is to head them off at the pass. By looking your feet over daily for unusual symptoms such as bruising, swelling, discoloration of the skin or nails, and slow-healing wounds, you can alert the podiatrist to a potential issue and get it treated at its earliest stage.

5. Listen to your feet—they have ways of letting you know if something is not right. If feet feel swollen and achy, you may have been on them too long. Take a break and elevate them for 20 to 30 minutes. Don't delay getting them checked out if you have persistent foot or ankle pain or other concerning symptoms. Make an appointment at our Hudson office by calling 727-868-2128 or 352-683-5799 so that our podiatrist, Dr. Lawrence J. Kales, can examine your feet and find the source of your discomfort.