Focus on your feet during National Foot Health Awareness Month
Your feet stand up to a lot of wear and tear every day. All that activity can lead to blisters, cuts and sores that are easy to neglect – until they become painful.
The sooner a wound heals, the more quickly you can return to activities you love. That's why special attention to your feet can go a long way toward keeping a spring in your step and avoiding problems down the road.
Step up prevention
Here are tips to give the tops, bottoms and in-between parts of your feet a quick checkup and keep you on your toes and out of pain:
- Check your feet daily for red spots, cuts, swelling, blisters, sores or other injuries.
- Wash your feet every day and dry them with care, especially between the toes.
- Wear properly fitting shoes that do not rub or pinch your feet.
- Wear socks with your shoes, and never walk barefoot or while wearing only socks.
- Get moving to increase circulation in your feet. Talk with your healthcare team about the right physical activity for you.
Slow-healing wounds need attention
Does it seem like a blister or sore on your foot takes forever to heal? For slow-healing wounds, remember the 50/30 rule: 50 percent healed after 30 days or check with your doctor.
People with chronic health problems (like diabetes, peripheral arterial disease and other vascular conditions) are at greater risk to develop a wound that won't heal. That's why it's important to get medical attention before a wound becomes infected or causes serious health risks.
Wound care experts at Goshen Wound & Hyperbaric Center recommend people at risk for foot wounds choose proper footwear, eat a healthy diet and maintain healthy glucose levels to prevent chronic problems.
Nearly 7 million people in the U.S. live with a chronic wound today. One in four suffers from diabetic foot ulcers. Chronic wounds can lead to infection, limb loss and even loss of life.
Advanced therapies in wound care
If you have a foot sore that doesn’t heal, talk to your doctor. It's the best way to get on a path of care that will relieve pain and keep you moving through life.
Your doctor may refer you to wound experts who provide advanced care, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, compression therapy, edema management and non-invasive vascular assessment.
At Goshen Wound & Hyperbaric Center, the team of board certified surgeons and podiatrists treat patients with complications from diabetes, vascular disorders and trauma. Their goal – help you heal quickly and enjoy everyday life to its fullest.
For more information on diabetic foot ulcers or chronic or infected wounds, contact Goshen Wound & Hyperbaric Center, (574) 364-4560.