Putting Your Best Foot Forward

Healthy Feet are important for feeling good and staying active. So if you neglect your feet, that can lead to unnecessary pain and other foot problems, says Elizabeth Kurtz, DPM, a podiatrist in Chicago and spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA).

Fortunately, it’s easy to keep your feet healthy. Use these tips to keep yourself active and your feet pain-free.

Keep your feet clean and dry. Healthy feet start with good hygiene. Thoroughly clean and scrub your feet with soap and water when you bathe. Afterward, dry them well. Fungal organisms love moisture, so depriving them of any wetness will make it more difficult for them to thrive. “Be sure to dry well between each individual toe,” says Dr. Kurtz. “Any excess moisture between the toes can create a great environment for a fungal infection to begin.”

Examine your feet for problems. Perform a foot self-exam once a week when you take a bath or shower, recommends Kurtz. As you’re drying off your feet, take a good look on the soles for any scaling and between your toes for peeling areas. That could signal athlete’s foot. Also look for discoloration of the nails, which could indicate a nail fungus.

Cut toenails properly. Cut nails straight across and avoid trimming too close to the skin or drastically rounding the corners of the nails, which can cause painful, ingrown toenails.

Don’t hide “ugly” toenails with polish. A discolored, thick, cracked, or crumbling nail could signal a nail fungus. Applying nail polish to an infected nail could make the problem worse.

Protect your feet in public areas. Be sure to wear shower shoes at the gym, in locker rooms, and at public pools. These places tend to be breeding grounds for fungi that can lead to infections.

Avoid sharing footgear. “You can get fungal infections by wearing other people’s shoes, as well as socks worn by another person,” says Kurtz. This includes rentals. Always wear your own footgear to help keep your feet healthy.