Foot Care for Seniors Part 2

The podiatrist professionals at AllCare Foot & Ankle Center in Dallas care about the state of your feet. Our foot treatments run the gamut from ankle sprains, warts, plantar fasciitis and bunions to more foot and ankle specialist care, such as diabetic foot care and foot care for seniors. In our last blog post, we offered up several tips for foot care for seniors. In this blog post, we’ll continue with our tips for seniors on how they can care for their feet as they age. Contact us today for a check-up!

MORE FOOT CARE TIPS FOR SENIORS

• Focus on circulation. It’s hard for the blood to circulate to our lower extremities due to the fact our bodies have to work against the force of gravity. This is the root cause of varicose veins as well as circulatory problems in the feet. Furthermore, seniors can suffer from chronic conditions, such as diabetes, peripheral artery disease, or mobility issues that restrict their movement. As you age, blood circulation is affected as well. Seniors tend to sit for longer periods of time than other people, which can lead to blood clots. The podiatrists at AllCare Foot & Ankle Center in Dallas recommend having regular foot massages, propping your feet up when you are resting so your body doesn’t have to work as hard, and investing in some compression socks, which will help push the blood back up to your heart. Wriggling your toes and stretching can also help. Taking these simple steps will help with blood circulation in your feet and keep them healthy.
• Listen to your feet. Oftentimes, it’s easy to ignore signs of pain or discomfort. Don’t do this with your feet. Feet can be the first place where signs of more serious conditions crop up, such as arthritis or diabetic neuropathy, which is the loss of feeling in your feet. This can complicate matters when you don’t pay attention to your feet in the first place. Regularly examine your feet for any signs of problems, such as sore, cuts, unexplained bruising, blisters, or sore areas. If you are experiencing any pain, tingling, numbness, stiffness, or inflammation in your feet or ankles, visit our professional podiatrists at AllCare Foot & Ankle Center in Dallas for an exam. You’ll want to catch any warning signs of something amiss before it becomes serious.
• Contact your podiatrist at any sign of infection, sores, etc. Seniors are prone to sores on their feet from constantly having them elevated all day. Their heels are sitting against a surface that can irritate the feet that could cause tissue in the foot to break down. Any other foot conditions such as bunions, hammer toes, discolored toenails, corns, and calluses should be checked out by the professional podiatrists at AllCare Foot & Ankle Center in Dallas. While these may be harmless, for senior especially, these problems can develop quickly into something much more serious. Most likely, your podiatrist will just recommend an orthotic or give you simple care instructions to prevent any complications.

Seniors need to be cognizant of their feet more so than others. Due to their frequent use, your feet change over time and as your body changes (if you gain weight for instance), your feet can be impacted even more. Your feet are the means by which you navigate in this world and as you age, you naturally lose mobility, strength, and function. However, with a great health and wellness program, you can slow the process of aging, which includes in your feet as well. When your feet are properly taken care of, you decrease the risk of falls and increase your overall quality of life. The foot doctors at AllCare Foot & Ankle Center will partner with you to keep you moving for life. Contact us today!