How an Active Grandmother Keeps Moving
As I grow older it seems that I grow busier. Expanding life experience and staying mentally engaged and physically active is a priority. My goal is to combine the curious mind of a twenty year old with the wisdom of forty years of life experience.
But, my feet hurt. I have calluses and an occasional corn. A neuroma makes each step painful.
To keep moving mentally and physically I can’t let foot pain slow me down.
Why didn’t my feet hurt when I was younger?
Think of how many miles you have walked. Just like you have changed your feet have changed too. Changes occur specific to you including injury, health, weight and lifestyle. Some changes are universal to aging:
- Fat pads that protect the bones of your feet have disintegrated. This can cause general achiness and bones rubbing against shoes forming calluses. The calluses are nature’s way of compensating to protect bones when the pad is gone.
- Your bones are less dense. This can cause arthritic conditions and you can fracture a bone more easily. There are 26 bones in your feet and they absorb your entire body weight with each step.
What are the best foot care practices?
- Self-care is the best care.
- Address problems that are not resolved with self-care early with a medical professional.
How do I take care of my feet?
- Keep the skin clean, smooth and crack free. The two minutes you invest each day offers long term protection against lots of nasty stuff. Cracks are pathways to fungal and bacterial infections.
- Cut my nails straight across. Rounding corners encourages ingrown nails.
- Pad to compensate for loss of fat pad in my feet.
- Improve shoe comfort with orthotics.
- Pre-treat areas that tend to get painful during the day.
- Make sure my shoes fit properly and are comfortable. Too small will hurt, and too large is a greater risk for falls.
Yes, I have ditched my four inch heels! After all aren’t sneakers all the rage?
Written by a real person (not a marketing agency) for real people.