Good podiatric health is a key factor in any older person. The feet help us maintain balance and are vital to walking, and through these functions, they play a critical role in our mobility. Yet, their care is often relegated to the background, and we only worry about them when they start to fail.
Older people are one of the groups that suffer the most problems with their feet, which can have the most harmful consequences for their health.
However, you don’t need to suffer in silence, as aged feet can be treated with ease. Some of the most common foot ailments in the past half-century are:
Bunions
– Foot deformities are caused by the expansion of tissue and bone around the big toe joint.
Plantar fasciitis
– A painful inflammation found in the connective tissue on the sole.
Arthritis
– A painful and painful condition that occurs in the joint of the big toe.
Diabetic foot infections
– Complications arising from numbness or poor circulation.
Diabetic neuropathy
– A burning pain in the foot as a result of a diabetic condition.
Toenail fungus
– The problem of thickening and discoloration of the nails.
Hammer of a finger
– A deformity where the little fingers end up bending or bending.
Athlete’s foot
– A common infection that causes red, scaly, and itchy skin.
The feet are, without a doubt, one of the parts of the body that we punish the most. Our balance depends on them to a greater extent since they are in charge of moving us. Also, they condition the posture that our body acquires.
During this stage of life, taking care of the feet is essential to maintain well-being since it is inevitably a point prone to presenting negative manifestations due to age. That is, the older man’s foot is in itself afoot at risk. Therefore, to reduce the risk of the appearance of possible pathologies and problems at this age, it is necessary to carry out a continuous maintenance exercise from an early age, which begins by following the following recommendations:
Choosing the proper footwear is one of the most critical issues to consider throughout senior foot care. In the third age, particularly the most convenient is sufficiently flexible shoes, which exercise as good support and allow a comfortable footprint. At these ages, the feet tend to swell. Therefore, elastic materials that do not squeeze the feet will be the best choice and always natural.
- Maintaining a hygiene routine is another aspect that must be considered the most in foot care. In the case of advanced ages, there is a greater probability of fungal formation. Therefore, after each wash, it is essential to carry out proper drying, focusing, above all, on the crevices between the toes to avoid maceration.
- One of the most frequent problems is ingrown toenails. For this reason, we must always pay attention when cutting them throughout our lives. The right thing to do is to do it straight, to avoid malformations and difficulties when walking. If you already suffer from ingrown toenails, for one or other reasons, the idea is to put yourself in the hands of a specialist.
- Another of the most frequent problems of age is poor circulation that affects our lower extremities. Therefore, all those socks or stockings that impede circulation should be avoided, as they will favor the appearance of varicose veins. So, it is best to use cotton socks since it is a natural material that allows the foot to breathe correctly.
- When we have reached a certain age, mobility and balance are affected, as we have already seen. So, preserving our locomotor system is synonymous with enhancing movement, and for this, we must consider the health of our feet and our legs as essential.
To do this, it is very important to regularly have podiatry professionals’ assistance to avoid muscle atrophy and joint wear, typical of the age, as much as possible. In the podiatry consultation, any problem with the feet or related to them will be treated, and, on occasions, podiatric insoles may be prescribed to improve balance and stability. Some of these insoles are specially made for foot conditions. Some good examples are the insoles for plantar fasciitis, which can relieve the pain and help people suffering from plantar fasciitis to get back to their normal activity level.
On the other hand, Poor blood circulation and fluid retention are the leading causes of swollen feet in the elderly.
This is given by the venous insufficiency that is usually suffered at this age, and therefore, the blood circulates more gradually and prevents it from reaching the lower extremities quickly.
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