How to care for ageing feet

We’ve all heard the sayings: when we fall in love, we are “swept off our feet” or when we don’t want to do something we have “cold feet” or that a practical person has “both feet on the ground”. What about when we have ageing feet?

Well, the Greek philosopher Socrates stated “when our feet hurt, we hurt all over” and we couldn’t agree more. Having foot pain is so uncomfortable and unfortunately, feet problems are becoming increasingly prevalent as we get older.

We use them every day and they’ve had years of wear and tear. Just because they may be shoved in your shoes each day doesn’t mean they should be neglected. They are one of the most undervalued parts of our body. Unless your foot is hurting, do you pay much attention to you feet? Be proactive. Start to practice good foot care. You don’t want current problems with your feet to lead to other more serious conditions.

Here are some practical suggestions to help you deal with your ageing feet.

Wear proper shoes

As we get older, the size of your feet can change so be sure to buy the right size shoes – typically your shoe size increases by about half a size! Your feet haven’t grown, they’ve just stretched in length or width so be sure to get your feet measured again before buying a new pair of shoes. Also, this may seem obvious but make sure your shoes are comfy! Your shoes should have plenty of support and cushioning at the heel and around your toes to make up for lost padding in your ageing feet.

Exercise often 

It is also vital to keep blood circulating in your feet as much as possible. When you wear proper shoes for an activity, you will feel much more mobile and able to be on your feet. If you do sit for a long time, try to gently massage your feet or take a warm foot bath to get the blood circulating again.

Invest in orthotics

It may be worth visiting a pediatrist to get special orthotics for your feet. A detailed foot examination can help you get orthotics to help relieve your discomfort and pain associated with ageing feet.

Practice good foot hygiene

No excuses! This may seem obvious but make sure you keep your toenails trimmed and feet clean. After a bath/shower lightly massage your feet with moisturiser to prevent dry/cracking skin. Treat yourself to a pedicure every now and then if you find it difficult to bend and cut your own to toenails – this includes men too! Different eucalyptus oils can help soothe foot discomfort and promote youthful skin structure as well.

Try foot reflexology

Try foot reflexology to provide relief to different aches and pains. This is natural healing process that targets and massages certain reflex points in the feet that correspond to organs in the body. Pinpointing these pressure points helps to alleviate tension in the body and mind. Take a look at this reflexology foot map that shows the areas on the foot and corresponding part to the human body.

Image via healthy-aging-for-women-babyboomers.com

Tell us, do you have problems with your feet? What have you done to help relieve and heal them?