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FOOT CARE FOR MATURE ADULTS

Despite popular beliefs, aging is not the initial cause of foot pain. Seniors needn’t suffer from chronic pain and aches in their feet. Rather than accepting an incorrect notion that muscle and joint pain are natural consequences of aging, seniors should seek treatment from a chiropodist and not endure pain, needlessly depriving them of an active lifestyle.

Most common foot problems suffered by seniors are the result of inherited biomechanical problems, for example – flat or high arched feet. Only since the 1970’s have accurate, corrective measures been available to control mechanical abnormalities namely orthotics. Individuals growing up prior to that era have travelled through life without foot correction therefore developing the secondary issues of bunions, hammertoes, heel pain and arthritis.

When your feet are too sore to walk you lose strength and become at grater risk for falls. Prolonged periods of immobility are much harder to rehabilitate and can often in later years, lead to reliance on long term care institutions. Remember in Canada more than 5,000 seniors die each year from falls. ♦(Division of Aging and Seniors Public Health Agency of Canada).

Walking is the perfect exercise. What can walking do for you?

  • Strengthen your heart and lungs, and improve circulation.
  • Prevent heart attack and strokes.
  • Reduce obesity and high blood pressure.
  • Boost your metabolic rate.
  • Favourably alter your cholesterol levels.
  • Improve muscle tone in your legs and abdomen.
  • Reduce stress and tension.
  • Reduce arthritic pain and bone tissue decay.

Don’t neglect your feet when beginning walking program. Wear thick absorbent socks (cotton/poly blend is best). Wash and dry feet well each day, with particular attention in between your toes. If your toes are curled and in close contact with each other, I suggest soaking a squared gauze in rubbing alcohol and swabbing between the toes, This will help keep your in between spaces dry.

Extremely Important Note: If you have corns and calluses please, do not use the over the counter corn removing solutions found in drug stores. If not applied 100% correctly, they can eat away at healthy skin. This can cause even more pain or worse, skin breakdown, infection, gangrene, particularly in diabetics and those with circulatory problems.

Always see a chiropodist if you have corns and calluses. Chiropodists and physicians are the only practitioners qualified to safely remove these types of lesions.

AGE RELATED PROBLEMS AFFECTING SENIORS

  • Long term effects of diabetes – loss of sensation, potential ulcers
  • Circulatory Problems:
    • Pain in your legs at night or after walking a certain distance
    • Swollen ankles or legs
    • Varicose Veins
    • Chronically Cold Feet
    • Heart/Blood Pressure issues when bending down for foot care
  • Advanced arthritis:
    • May affect ability to reach your feet
    • Pain can limit your mobility
  • Neurological Disorders:
    • Parkinson Disease
    • Strokes or imbalance problems
  • Visual problems
  • Unsafe attempts at cutting nails.

FOOT CARE FOR MIDDLE AGED 40 TO 60 YEARS

Patient coming to my office will often say: “I am getting my mothers or fathers feet”. I tell them they have always had one of their parent’s feet.

What they are trying to tell me is that bunions, hammer toes, corns and callus are becoming noticeable or troublesome.

What I am trying to tell them is that their flat or high arched feet are inherited from their parents, the bunions, hammer toes, corns and callus are the time related results of uncontrolled or untreated high or low arched feet.

In other words the secondary problems, bunions etc., are virtually preventable if the flat or high arches are controlled in youth with the use of detailed corrective orthotics. When untreated feet begin to establish secondary pathology in adulthood, orthotics intervention can usually halt the progression.

You therefore needn’t develop your parents feet when you approach your senior years.
With a team approach involving you and your chiropodist, you can take a proactive approach to your foot health now and enjoy pain free happy, healthy, active feet when reach upper middle ages.