The Naked Truth About Foot Care
By Russ Wild

Check Your Feet!

Unless you happen to step on a sleeping bear, your feet will probably never kill you. Maybe that's why foot disease, unlike, say, SARS or Mad Cow Disease, never makes headlines. But foot problems are among the most common ailments known to bipedal human beings.

According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, three in four Americans will have foot health problems at one time or another in their lives. Unfortunately, among readers of AARP Segunda Juventud the number will be even higher.

That's in part because diabetes, the genetic curse of so many Hispanics, can wreak havoc on all of the extremities, especially the feet. In addition, the natural protective skin and fat on the soles of our feet thin with age, so that the older we become, the more likely we are to experience podiatric woes. The end result:

Problems below the ankle may be a warning sign of a potentially serious condition such as diabetes, or nerve and circulatory problems

"I see many people, especially older people, with foot problems," says Juan Romagoza, M.D., executive director of La clínica del pueblo, a not-for-profit health clinic for Hispanics in the Washington, D.C. area. "The Hispanic community is not giving appropriate attention to the care of feet."

For that reason, we suggest the following ways to give foot problems the boot:

Shed Weight
The foot is a complex structure of 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, and 19 muscles. The more pounds that structure needs to support, the more likely it is to suffer problems, from aches and pains to blisters and sprains.

"Many of my patients are overweight," says Joseph Caporusso, D.P.M., a podiatrist in McAllen, Texas, 10 miles from the Mexican border.

Shed pounds, and your feet will smile.

Walk Away From Pain
The best way to shed pounds, of course, is to eat less and exercise more. Walking is perhaps the best exercise for your feet. It not only will help you lose weight, but also improves circulation, and doesn't stress those 33 foot joints, as can jogging or heavy aerobics.

Soothe Your Soles
Occasionally achy feet can happen to anyone, most often as a result of too much activity. If you have to be on your toes throughout the day, soothe your feet as the sun goes down, kick off your shoes, elevate your legs (to help your circulation), and give yourself a vigorous foot massage, suggests Dr. Romagoza.

Be a Smart Shoe Shopper
Wearing ill-fitting shoes or the wrong type of shoes are other common causes of foot pain.

• Shop for shoes in the afternoon, not in the morning. Your feet tend to swell a bit with walking, so you'll get a better fit later in the day.

• Judge the fit while standing, not sitting.

• Make sure the shoes are long enough. A lot of people measure the length of a shoe by checking the placement of their big toe against the end of the shoe. But often, the second toe is longer, so you also need to make sure that second toe isn't scrunched in there.

• Make sure the shoes are wide enough in the toe box. Squished toes cause more than corns and blisters; too much pressure on the big toe can create a bunion.

• Don't pay any attention to the numbers on the box. Test shoes-both shoes- carefully for fit. Many people have one foot larger than the other. "Don't go by the size marked. Shoes are made all over the world these days, and the sizing can be off by a wide margin," warns Nicholas Romansky, D.P.M., foot doctor for both the Men's and Women's U.S. Olympic and World Cup soccer teams.

• Look for good cushioning and support in a heel. There should be at least a half inch of rubber, and the sides of the heel should be firm, at least as firm as a tennis ball.

• Avoid lug soles, the type typically used in hiking and construction boots. Their knobby bottoms tend to catch on carpets and snag small stones, leading to knotty problems, like twisted ankles. Stick with smooth or wavy-soled shoes.

• Choose a shoe with laces, and use them. The teenagers in your family may think that undone laces look hip, but raw, irritated skin from loose shoes is very unhip.

• Don't be cheap. "You don't need to spend $135 for a pair of shoes. You can get a fine pair for $35," says Dr. Romansky. "But your shoes should always be in good condition, and they will generally stay in good condition for only about four to six months of wear. After that, you should invest in a new pair."

Wear the Right Socks
"Good socks are critical," says Dr. Romansky. "You don't want all cotton, but rather, a cotton and synthetic mix."

There are about 250,000 sweat glands in a pair of feet, and they excrete as much as half a pint of moisture a day. Synthetics help to keep your feet from basting in their own juices, and creating an environment that promotes blisters, cracking, and fungus.

Some of Dr. Romansky's favorite brands of moisture-wicking socks include CoolMax^®, Ultimax^®, WrightSock^® and Thorlo^®.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat
"Many people jump in and out of the shower and never soap their feet," says Dr. Romansky. "But washing well and toweling off exfoliates the skin, and that can help ward off problems such as calluses, corns, warts, and fungus."

To help prevent cracks, after each bathing, apply a moisturizing lotion that does not contain alcohol or perfume.

Look to Your Feet 
Feet can mirror your general health. Problems below the ankle may be a warning sign of a potentially serious condition such as diabetes, or nerve and circulatory problems. Possible signs of trouble include pain, swelling, blisters or cracks that won't heal, or a lack of hair where once you had hair. One of the most telling signs of diabetes is numbness, or a pins-and-needles sensation in the foot.

"I once had a guy with a one and a half inch screw in his foot, and he didn't even feel it," says Dr. Romansky.

Call your doctor at the first sign of trouble.

By following all the tips above, your healthy feet should last you a lifetime. Of course, you should still be careful not to step on any big screws, or bears...

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