Feet Are Your Foundation

That’s right. Just like your own house, condo, or apartment building rests on a solid foundation, your entire body rests upon your own two feet. They’re more than just the things you stand on all day.

If your feet hurt, you start to lose your passion for activities you used to enjoy; shopping, walking, running, basketball, etc. You might fall behind on projects at home or daily errands because it’s just easier to stay on the couch. You have to decline invitations to go shopping, hiking, or attend social functions with your friends because you know you can’t keep up anymore.

Just like a home foundation, if you do nothing about your foot pain, the problems will only get worse—and harder to treat in the future

A sports injury or source of chronic discomfort isn’t given the time it needs to heal may get more and more painful the more you try to ignore and push through it. For example:

• Stress fractures can deepen until they become traumatic breaks
• Ankle sprains that don’t heal properly may lead to weak and unstable joints that get injured repeatedly.
• A once-mild ingrown toenail can eventually develop a nasty infection.

And of course, if pain is keeping you from staying active and getting exercise you need, it can result in a vicious cycle. You develop a more sedentary lifestyle, increasing your risk of developing countless health conditions and making it even harder to get started again.

In other words, the point we’re trying to make is that proper foot care is an extremely important part of your overall health.

Care for your foundation by:

• Wearing good shoes. Poor footwear is a major contributor to all kinds of painful conditions—everything from heel and arch pain to deformities like bunions. Shoes that are too tight, poorly made or flat-heeled are among the most common offenders.
• Wearing your custom orthotics. Orthotic devices are one of the most effective tools for addressing structural deficiencies in feet. They come in many shapes and styles based on what your feet need most—shock absorption, motion control, arch support, etc.
• Maintaining a healthy body weight. Things tend to be big in Texas—and, unfortunately, that includes us, too. Texas is ranked eighth in the U.S. for percentage of the adult population overweight or obese. The heavier you are, the more weight and pressure you put on feet and the quicker they break down and cause pain.
• Practice good foot hygiene. Simple hygiene tasks like washing your feet daily, applying moisturizer before bed, keeping your toenails neatly trimmed, and avoiding going barefoot in public can greatly reduce your risk of developing skin and toenail conditions like athlete’s foot, warts, fungal toenails, and ingrown toenails.
• Seek treatment promptly if pain persists. Minor aches and pains may come and go, and can often be resolved with a little TLC at home. However, if foot pain is severe enough to interfere with daily life or lasts longer than a week, please come see us. It is more likely to linger and get worse without professional treatment.

Get the Treatment you need today!