Think Feet!Small steps to healthy feet

Foot facts!• You put one and a half

times your body weight through your foot with each step you take

• A pair of feet have around 250,000 sweat glands

• In a lifetime the average person walks more than 100,000 miles = more than 4 times around the circumference of the globe

Common foot conditionsToenail problems:

• fungal infections• Thickened• In-growing

Common foot conditions• Deformity – hammer toes, bunions

Common foot conditions• Athletes foot

• Can be treated with antifungal cream, spray or gel such as Lamisil

Common foot conditions• Corns and Callus• Caused by pressure from shoes or

high pressure on the soles of feet when walking

The aging foot• Changes to the foot shape - toe deformities due to muscle wasting and ligament changes

• Some flattening of the foot leads to it lengthening, altering the size of shoe that fits

• Joint changes – arthritis

The aging foot…• Skin changes

– Thinning of the skin– Reduced flexibility– Less fatty padding on the soles of the

feet• Walking pattern alters

– Shortened stride length– Less flexible joints

Self foot care• Good foot hygiene – washing in mild

warm soapy water and drying well• Skin care – applying a moisturizing

cream daily avoiding between the toes

Self foot care• Nail care – cut inline with the end of

the toe OR file them once a week to keep them short, especially if difficulty seeing or reaching them

• Daily foot inspection• Supportive shoes

Footwear • A supportive shoes should be worn for the majority of the time

• Limit the use of ‘fashion’ shoes which can cause problems by not fitting the foot shape causing high pressure on the toes and balls of the feet.

What to look for….

• Breaks in the skin• Bleeding or dark areas under hard skin• Inflammation• Weeping area of skin• Unexplained colour changes• Pain when you usually have loss of feeling

TAKE ACTION: Cover with a dressing and seek medical advice from your GP surgery

or Podiatrist

Common myths• A corn has a root so if you don’t get

the root out it will re-grow• If you have diabetes you should not

cut your own nails• Cutting the corners of the nail help

an in-growing toenail• Soaking your feet softens the skin

How can diabetes can affect the feet?• Raised levels of glucose in the blood

stream can over time lead to damage to the long nerve fibers to the feet reducing the feeling in them. This nerve damage is called:Peripheral Neuropathy

• The blood vessels down the leg supplying the foot can become narrowed (furred up) leading to poor circulation:Peripheral Vascular Disease

• Lack of feeling can lead to unnoticed damage which can in turn if left untreated can lead to foot ulceration

• Lack of blood supply reduces healing of damaged skin

• Infection can be difficult to recognize and treat. If not controlled can cause severe damage to the tissues. This can lead to amputation

How can nerve damage and poor circulation affect the feet?

Infection developed in an open wound under their toe which had to be amputated to stop it spreading further

Diabetes and your feetThis person has diabetes and can not feel pain from their feet

DiabetesIf you someone has diabetes at their annual diabetes review both feet should be checked for signs of changes

Testing the sensation with a nylon filament

Diabetes and your feet

• Checking the blood supply to the feet by feeling for pulses

• Looking for deformities and skin changes

• Checking footwear suits your foot shape

What does a Podiatrist do?• Assess, diagnose and treat disorders

and diseases the affect the foot.

• The title ‘Podiatrist’ is protected and means that they have undertaken a university degree and are registered with the Health Professions Council which is a regulating body

• NHS Podiatry provide a service for people who are at high risk of developing foot problems

Think Feet!• Basic foot care can maintain healthy

feet• Preventing foot problems and early

recognition can reduce the risk of developing more severe conditions

• If you have diabetes and your annual foot check shows signs of a problem a podiatry assessment and agreed care plan is important