Wednesday, August 17, 2016

It's National I Love My Feet Day (August 17th)

National I Love My Feet Day is a recent addition to the Calendar of Events for the Year.  August 17th marks that Day.

But, and I add this caveat with all seriousness, it should not be relegated to one day only.  Feet play an important role in everyone's life, everyday.  

foot skeleton diagram
Not only do our feet help us to move around, keep us upright, balance us, (even when we've partied a little too hard), but they also have the most bones, of any structure of our bodies.  

That's why when our feet hurt, everything else seems to hurt too.  Did you know that the foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments?  (wikipedia)

That's a lot of "stuff" happening down there.  Most people don't give a second thought to their feet, that is, until the foot or both feet are not working well.  Then all of a sudden we realize there is that body part down there, that needs some attention.

I know from my own experience that my feet would walk, run, help me dig in the garden, and a host of other activities that I took completely for granted, until one of the tendons in my feet started to act up.

Common Problems with Feet!

Yes, I'm talking about Plantar Fasciitis , the tendon the runs across the bottom of the foot from the toes to the heel, when that happened, all of a sudden, I became aware of my feet.  Every step I took reminded me that they were there.  The pain was enough to drive me to tears.  
bottom of the foot diagram

My Podiatrist/Chiropodist, made me some inserts to put into my shoes, to make it easier for my feet to walk, run and play again.  He also pointed out that I have not been taking care of my feet the way I should have been.  

My feet had very hard calluses that would crack and become uncomfortable.  He suggested to me that I should regularly soak my feet in warm soapy water(no longer than 10 minutes), scrub them well with a pumice  stone and then dry them off completely (especially between the toes) and at night, lather the heels with lotion high in Lanolin  or shea butter.   Do NOT lotion between the toes.....If you are using a very greasy cream, put on a pair of cotton socks at night,  make sure they are loose and don't bind at your ankle.

Through the day wear comfortable shoes that fit well. For me, I added my inserts into my shoes for better walking ability.  At my age(60+), flip flops are NOT recommended foot attire.  Oh if you are just sitting in the garden, bare feet and flip flops are okay, but not if you are planning a walk, hike or any kind of other "work" for your feet(like digging in the garden).

Athletes' Foot Fungus


If you have athletes' foot fungus, make sure that you are taking care of it.  There are many products that are natural that will help to keep this fungus under control.  The feet have hundreds of sweat glands and because they can excrete up to 1/2 cup of water a day, the feet become the perfect place for fungus to grow.  You may notice itching between your toes, or flaky skin under your feet, dry itchy patches along the sides or on top of your toes, these are all signs of Athletes' Foot.  There are many homeopathic remedies for this including Tea Tree Oil products, Vicks-vapor Rub, mint sprays and more.  Talk to your doctor or experiment with what works best for you.  Foot fungus will not cause damage if left untreated, but it is uncomfortable, and with a little extra work on your part, your feet can be fungus free.

Toe Nail Fungus


Toe nail fungus is also a problem for many people.  The nails of the feet become yellowed and thickened.  They may become deformed as the fungus under the nails grows.  Nails will become brittle and hard to cut.  If you suffer from toe nail fungus, it's best to see a doctor and follow his instructions.  Prescriptions for treating toe nail fungus are available, but they take a long time to do the job, in part because the toe nails don't grow that fast.  These drugs are also hard on other body parts, ask your doctor.  There are homeopathic remedies for toe nail fungus as well. One of the most important parts is keeping the whole foot clean and well maintained so that the chances of getting toe nail fungus are reduced.  Tea Tree Oil again with it's antibacterial properties is recommended many times for toe nail fungus.


Good Foot Care is mandatory for Good Foot Health.  


Once you get into the routine of taking care of your feet, you may find that you actually enjoy the relaxing nature of this exercise.  Sitting and relaxing with your feet in a tub of nice warm soapy water, while watching your favorite sports or reality show, can be a nice way to unwind.  Have all the tools you need together and enjoy the relaxing heat and whirlpool effects of a nice foot bath.  After 10-15 minutes, gently scrub with a pumice stone to loosen dead or callused skin! Then a quick rinse off and a warm towel to dry your feet (don't forget between the toes), and then some lotion for those heels and tops of your feet.  Nice cotton socks and then just relax and enjoy.  Total time required for good foot care 30 minutes (or more, if you really enjoy a foot massage).  




Feet if well taken care of, will keep you moving through the day, without too much trouble.

If you are Diabetic you must be extra careful with your foot care regime.  If you are under a doctors care, they could recommend a foot clinic for you to keep on top of any issues that may arise.  Because Diabetes can affect your circulation, the feet and hands can become much more prone to difficulties and with that, much harder to treat.  If you are diabetic please be under a doctors care, but especially for your feet because small issues can become very large issues for the diabetic with foot problems.

Please note:  This is meant as general information and not medical advice.  If you are having problems with your feet in any way, see your doctor.  He/She will give you advice for your particular problems.

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Just for fun: Feet are also a method of measurement!

Did you know:
The tallest man with undisputed credentials is  Robert Pershing Wadlow, (born 6:30 a.m. at Alton, Illinois, USA on 22 February 1918), who when last measured on 27 June 1940, was found to be 2.72 m (8 ft 11.1 in) tall, and wore a size 27 shoe.*   Can you just imagine having Feet Problems with these feet?  


* This bit of information was found in the 60th anniversary edition of Guinness' Book of Records.






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17 comments:

  1. I once developed plantar fasciitis from wearing worn out, poor support shoes, so I know how important good footwear is (having learned the hard way). We need to celebrate National Love My Feet Day EVERY day, I agree.

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    1. Oh Miss Elf, I so agree having had the same problem. Plantar fasciitis is a very painful condition. Orthotics (special inserts for feet) certainly helped me with my pain and let me enjoy walking again. It also taught me to take care of those ten toes and two feet as well.

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  2. An excellent reminder that we should take care of our feet! Like so many body parts, I take my feet for granted until I have a problem. So many of those problems could be avoided with just a bit of care.

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    1. You are so right Miss Mouse...taking care of our feet should be something we do daily.

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  4. Many years ago!!! I did a lot of running, I would run 6 miles a day and double that on weekends. Okay enough about how fit I was, my point is, at one point my running shoes wore out but I kept on using them. It was a big mistake because I developed all kinds of foot problems. Once I realized it, I started running in New Balance shoes, and problems solved. I do agree take care of your feet!!

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    1. You are lucky Sam, that you were able to fix the problem with just a pair of shoes. Most of the time, it takes a lot more than that. Do you use a foot bath at all? Athletes are probably the worst for taking care of their feet......hence the term athlete's foot.

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    2. Not so much running on these feet any more!! Only to chase my grandchildren around. I never never tried a foot bath, perhaps I should.

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    3. Once you do Sam you will be hooked. They are very relaxing and when you go to sleep you just feel so warm and soothed. You'll get a better nights sleep I bet!

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  5. I've had plantar fasciitis in the last couple of years, too. Now I use inserts in all my shoes and they really help. I think my husband and I both (he has foot problems, too) would really benefit from one of those heated "Pedicure Spa" foot baths. Something else good to add to my wish list!

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    1. Susan I have had one for years and it really is a God-send. On a weekly basis I make sure my feet get into that tub, for a nice massaging soak. And then I dry and lotion my feet up. I havne't had foot fungus or toe fungus now for over 3-4 years. I will keep it up. Nothing hurts as much as when your feet hurt.

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    2. Olivia, my mom has had bad feet for many years and that's exactly what she told me when mine started hurting, that nothing hurts as much as when your feet hurt. She suggested not putting off the doctor visit and she was right.

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    3. Did he give you heck for not taking care of your feet? You know from all the people I have talked to, including my chiropodist,it is one of the most neglected parts of the body until it starts to hurt, then watch out!
      Hope you are starting to take better care of them. Especially when we are getting so much better in life....(not older, did you notice, I didn't mention that part?) OOpps I guess now I did.

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  6. When it's National I Hate my Feet Day then I'll celebrate :) - now I think my feet are small after reading about size 27, whoa!!

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    1. That's what I said when I read that. Can you imagine putting those into a small foot bath meant for feet no bigger than a size 13? Then again at 8 feet and some, he'd have trouble getting into a bath tub even.

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  7. This is a very timely post. I have to deal with many of these problems. My toe hurts so much most days I wonder if something has gone wrong with my partial joint replacement. Other days it gets better when I use the magnesium oil.

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    1. Glad to hear that Barbara, but a good foot soak with the magnesium oil afterwards would be even better. The foot bath that I got, when it was given to me, I did not appreciate it. Once I started to use it, I changed my mind. I have had a foot bath in my home now for over 15 years and it gets used on a regular basis. Even my husband started to use it....

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