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At Gentle Foot Care, we believe you should look after your feet. Since taking care of your feet significantly contributes to your overall health, it’s important to choose wisely when it comes to your footwear. Foot problems can arise from improper footwear and may lead to a host of problems in various areas of your body including hips, knees, lower back and the feet themselves. Foot problems can also take a toll on your foot function, comfort and energy comsumption. For example, shoes that are too tight can cause impingement and lead to calluses, corns, bursitis and skin breakdown. Good heel support and a firm shank to support you arch are also key. Clearly, it is important to invest in quality footwear to prevent and maintain the health of your feet and overall well-being. A good shoe will support the foot well while standing, walking or running and decrease risk of injury. Proper width, length, depth and last are also very important. At Gentle Foot Care, we have a wide variety of orthopaedic shoes in a full range of sizes to fit individual needs. You shouldn’t have to suffer with lower limb or foot pain and at Gentle Foot Care,

Canadians, regardless of age, have discovered how walking is one of the most fun, natural, and inexpensive ways of keeping your feet in top shape. The basic kind of walking often called “healthwalking” can be done almost anywhere, anytime, year around. For those who are overly inactive, don’t like strenuous activity, or have problems with obesity, walking is an excellent way to begin a fitness program. Here are some of the benefits: Walking helps control weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. A brisk walk can burn up to 100 calories per mile or 300 calories per hour. Walking also improves cardiovascular fitness. As an aerobic exercise, walking gets the heart beating faster to transport oxygen-rich blood to the muscles. The heart and lungs grow more efficient with regular walking, reducing blood pressure and the resting heart rate. Walking is even a central element of medical rehabilitation. Recovery from many ailments, including heart attack, is facilitated by a regular walking regimen. In addition, walking creates an overall feeling of wellbeing, and can relieve depression, anxiety, and stress by producing endorphins, the body’s natural tranquilizer. A brisk walk will relax you and also stimulate your thinking. And to make your regular walking

Feet are complex structures made up of bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons, nerves, blood vessels and skin. How your feet feel can reflect your general health. If they hurt, this may be signal of more serious conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, nerve and circulatory disorders, so it’s very important to be alert to the warning signs. Common feet maladies include corns and calluses, bunions, papillomas and ingrown toenails. These conditions and others can be treated painlessly and effectively by a chiropodist so to prevent further damage, it’s very important for you to address problems, small or large. One very common condition that I encounter is the ingrown toenail, a condition in which the patient’s side of the toenail grows over the edge of the nail, or the nail grows into the skin thereby causing swelling, pain and redness. The most common causes are ill-fitting shoes or improperly trimmed nails such as cutting too short or tapering the corners with the shape of the toe. Other causes include injury, large toes, frequent running, excessively tight socks or even bed sheets that are too tightly tucked! There are many over-the-counter treatments available at the local pharmacy and soaking your feet in warm,

Diabetes sufferers are prone to foot problems. It can cause nerve damage, which reduces sensation making it more difficult to sense trauma on the foot. Diabetes can also affect circulation in the legs and feet, which makes it harder for wounds to heal. Foot infection is the most common reason for hospitalization among diabetes sufferers. Wounds and foot ulcers are the primary causes of amputation for those with diabetes. People with diabetes should regularly examine their feet, but those who are particularly at risk including people who have had diabetes for longer than 10 years, males, those with heart, eye or kidney complications and those with poor glucose control need to take added precautions to avoid foot complications by visiting their chiropodist regularly. Have all foot problems treated immediately and professionally. Contact Us to arrange an appointment or consultation today! By Anamelva Revoredo B.Sc., D.Ch., IIWCC In an ongoing series, Anamelva will share her knowledge regarding common foot ailments and appropriate treatments. Most of us will encounter a problem at one time or another, so read and learn! If you’re in pain, or suffer from any of the ensuing conditions, call Anamelva today!