As we enter the winter months, our lower extremities need more attention, and unfortunately, because our feet are hidden, they are most often forgotten about or overlooked. Our specialists at Feet First Foot Care LLC want to remind our senior patients to care for their feet with love and care through every stage of life. The foot-care routine we recommend for our senior patients is different than what we recommend for the rest of our patients. This is because every senior patient has a unique history, and therefore a unique treatment plan for their foot and ankle problems. In this blog article, we will myth bust senior foot care. 

Do: Inspect feet regularly. Look for cuts, redness, swelling, blisters, sores, and any changes to nails or skin. Featured on our website, is a patient education section where we share further tips and tricks for senior foot care!

Don’t: Put off getting foot pain evaluated. It’s not normal for your feet to hurt if you’re a senior. The sooner you are able to seek help and get treatment for foot and ankle discomfort, the better the chances are that more serious foot complications will not develop.

Do: Keep the blood flowing. As you get older, your blood circulation to your feet can be diminished. To encourage proper circulation:

• When sitting, prop your feet up.
• When sitting for extended periods, wiggle your toes occasionally.
• Stretch daily.
• Massage your feet regularly.

Don’t: Forget to moisturize! Seniors need to keep their feet moisturized to avoid itching, cracking, and calluses. Always use gentle soap and put on lotion after your bath or shower.

Do: Get regular foot checkups from your podiatrist. Your podiatrist can identify problems like hammertoe, bunions, neuromas, ingrown toenails, warts, or wounds before they turn into more serious problems.

Don’t: Let your feet sit in wet or cold shoes/socks. Make sure your feet aren’t moist before you put your shoes on and change your socks on a regular basis. We recommend to our senior patients in the winter to always wear warm, dry, and protective boots and to keep an extra pair of warm, dry socks handy if you go out.

To schedule an appointment with our board-certified podiatrist Dr. Adam Mucinskas DPM, call our Cromwell, Connecticut office at (860)-632-5499 or visit our website for more information.