Think Feet!
Small steps to healthy feet
Foot facts!
• You put one and a half times
your body weight through
your foot with each step you
take
• A pair of feet have around
250,000 sweat glands
• In a lifetime the average
person walks more than
100,000 miles = more than
4 times around the
circumference of the globe
Common foot conditions
Toenail problems:
• fungal infections
• Thickened
• In-growing
Common foot conditions
• Deformity – hammer toes, bunions
Common foot conditions
• Athletes foot
• Can be treated with antifungal
cream, spray or gel such as Lamisil
Common foot conditions
• Corns and Callus
• Caused by pressure from shoes or high
pressure on the soles of feet when
walking
The aging foot
•Changes to the foot
shape - toe deformities
due to muscle wasting
and ligament changes
•Some flattening of the
foot leads to it
lengthening, altering
the size of shoe that
fits
•Joint changes –
arthritis
The aging foot…
• Skin changes
– Thinning of the skin
– Reduced flexibility
– Less fatty padding on the soles of the feet
• Walking pattern alters
– Shortened stride length
– Less flexible joints
Self foot care
• Good foot hygiene – washing in mild
warm soapy water and drying well
• Skin care – applying a moisturizing cream
daily avoiding between the toes
Self foot care
• Nail care – cut inline with the end of the
toe OR file them once a week to keep
them short, especially if difficulty seeing or
reaching them
• Daily foot inspection
• Supportive shoes
Footwear
• A supportive shoes
should be worn for
the majority of the
time
• Limit the use of
‘fashion’ shoes which
can cause problems
by not fitting the
foot shape causing
high pressure on the
toes and balls of the
feet.
What to look
for….
•
•
•
•
•
•
Breaks in the skin
Bleeding or dark areas under hard skin
Inflammation
Weeping area of skin
Unexplained colour changes
Pain when you usually have loss of feeling
TAKE ACTION: Cover with a dressing and seek
medical advice from your GP surgery or
Podiatrist
Common myths
• A corn has a root so if you don’t get the
root out it will re-grow
• If you have diabetes you should not cut
your own nails
• Cutting the corners of the nail help an ingrowing toenail
• Soaking your feet softens the skin
How can diabetes can affect the
feet?
• Raised levels of glucose in the blood stream
can over time lead to damage to the long
nerve fibers to the feet reducing the feeling
in them. This nerve damage is called:
Peripheral Neuropathy
• The blood vessels down the leg supplying the
foot can become narrowed (furred up)
leading to poor circulation:
Peripheral Vascular Disease
How can nerve damage and poor
circulation affect the feet?
• Lack of feeling can lead to unnoticed
damage which can in turn if left
untreated can lead to foot ulceration
• Lack of blood supply reduces healing
of damaged skin
• Infection can be difficult to recognize
and treat. If not controlled can cause
severe damage to the tissues. This
can lead to amputation
Diabetes and your feet
This person has diabetes and can not feel pain from their
feet
Infection developed
in an open wound
under their toe which
had to be amputated
to stop it spreading
further
Diabetes and your feet
Diabetes
If you someone has diabetes at their
annual diabetes review both feet
should be checked for signs of changes
Testing the sensation with a nylon filament
• Checking the blood
supply to the feet by
feeling for pulses
• Looking for deformities
and skin changes
• Checking footwear
suits your foot shape
What does a Podiatrist do?
• Assess, diagnose and treat disorders and
diseases the affect the foot.
• The title ‘Podiatrist’ is protected and means
that they have undertaken a university
degree and are registered with the Health
Professions Council which is a regulating
body
• NHS Podiatry provide a service for people
who are at high risk of developing foot
problems
Think Feet!
• Basic foot care can maintain healthy feet
• Preventing foot problems and early
recognition can reduce the risk of
developing more severe conditions
• If you have diabetes and your annual foot
check shows signs of a problem a podiatry
assessment and agreed care plan is
important