Foot care, foot health and foot care products

The best way to care for your feet is to wear good footwear that does not overly constrain or strangle the feet. You should always protect your feet from abrasion, excessive hot or cold temperatures, ultra violet rays, shocks and impacts.

In the modern world, feet perform better when protected and supported by the right kind of footwear, but they can be damaged by the wrong kind of footwear.

There are a number of different product types that can be used to help maintain foot health and remedy pain, or offer temporary pain relief in connection with certain complaints. These preparations can be bought in the form of creams, gels, powders and sprays.

DIY foot treatment and common sense

You should only treat your own feet (without medical advice) for minor injuries and complaints. These complaints can include aches, tiredness or soreness and your feet may benefit from a cold compress or an ice pack (not ice directly) if they are swollen.

• Ice can often reduce swelling and ease discomfort, but some people find that the application of gentle heat from a hot water bottle can also offer relief.
• Cold gels, pain relieving medication and anti-inflammatory medication can also be used to remedy pain and swelling of the feet.
• In the case of women, if the feet or lower legs are sore, swollen or achy, high heeled shoes should be avoided, or their use reduced.
• The use of new extra padded in-soles, or orthotic inserts, may make some items of footwear more comfortable, particularly those worn for prolonged periods of time.

In all instances, if the pain is repeated or becomes a regular occurrence, medical advice should be sought as soon as possible.

Attempts should also be made to identify the source of the pain, e.g. like a specific pair of shoes, or a walking activity that takes place on a regular basis.

A few specific problems for off-the-shelf, or on-line treatments

Hard skin

Hard skin can occur on the solo of the foot and also on the heel and on the top of the foot (under the footwear’s collar and tongue).

Hard skin can look unsightly and may cause an unpleasant sensation. If left untreated, hard skin can form calluses or result in cracked or broken skin.

Hard skin can be treated by ensuring that the feet are always given "time off" to breath. They can also be soaked in warm water and treated with oil, or rubbed with a pumice stone.

The feet should always be dried thoroughly and moisturising creams and lotions can be used to soften the hard or dry areas. The other option is to see a chiropodist.

Heel problems

In the case of "cracked" heels, the cause is often very dry skin and this is accentuated by wearing open shoes or sandals. Those who are overweight, smoke, or have diabetes can be prone to cracked heels as their natural oxygen supply to this part of the body may be lower than average.

Using one of the special purpose "dry heel" creams designed to treat this symptom is one of the best and easiest remedies.

There are a number of propriety dry and cracked heel foot creams available.

Fungal infections of the foot

Fungal infections of the foot are very common and normally easily treated with easy to apply creams. These lotions are effective, but may need to be used repeatedly.

Corns and calluses

Corns and calluses can develop anywhere on the feet and usually result from pressure points or areas subjected to constant rubbing. There are hard corns and soft corns and the way in which they are treated depends upon their nature and position.

Hard corns are best treated using corn plasters that relieve the localised pressure on the affected area. They can sometimes be softened with lotions, but a chiropodist’s assessment is always a good first measure.

Medicated corn plasters (that contain salicylic acid) can sometimes be used to soften hard skin, but these plasters can cause problems with soft corns and corns that are on soft or sensitive areas of the foot. Again, a chiropodist’s diagnosis is always a good first measure to take.