What do the following scenarios have in common?
Slipping shoes on after being in the pool or at the beach
During sports seasons, the kids are wearing different shoes and
getting their feet wet from sweat or post-practice showers
You wearing that perfect pair of heels that looks good but
doesn’t fit so well
…all of these scenarios may end the same way…with a blister!
What exactly are blisters? They are painful, fluid filled lesions
(Ew!).
More importantly, what are common causes of blisters?
Shoes that don’t fit well
Stiff shoes
Wrinkled socks that rub against your skin
Excessive moisture
Foot deformities
Now that you know everything you ever wanted to know about blisters,
check out these nifty tips that will help you to prevent them
but also care for them if they do appear:
Dry your feet thoroughly after swimming, bathing, working
out, etc.
Always wear socks, which can act as a cushion between your
feet and shoes.
Wear shoes that fit! (Those heels might look real
nice, but if they don’t fit, your feet will turn on you by the end of
night!)
Stay away from popping blisters. Instead, carefully
do the following:
Open a corner of the blister closest to the bottom of the
foot with a sterilized utensil, such as a sewing needle
Drain
Apply antibiotic cream
Cover with a bandage
Check the blister on a regular basis to make sure that it’s not
getting infected.
TIP: Let blisters know that they are not welcome!
Take care of your feet – they’ll love you for it!
Be careful though as blisters are not to be confused with warts;
Instead of being fluid filled, and soft, warts are a painful thickening
of the skin, and generally stays to the sole of the foot.
Unlike blisters, warts are caused by a virus which can enter the skin
through a cut or abrasion.
How can you avoid warts in the first place?
Don't walk barefoot
Change your shoes daily
Keep your feet clean and dry - which may be difficult if you have
sweaty feet - use a powder if this is occurring
Don't do these things:
Don't use home treatments
Don't try to dig the warts out, even though it may be tempting; a
podiatrist will know how to deal with them
Podiatrists use laser treatments, or Duofilm, a
liquid 'aspirin' type wart remover.
There is one other foot condition that you might think is a wart,
but is not: Calluses or Corns
The determining way to tell if you have this condition is a painful
thickening of the skin, over bony protrusions, or at points of pressure
from your shoes. They can also occur on the bottom of the foot, much
like warts do.
What causes them?
Repeated friction and pressure from rubbing against bony
areas or lumps in your shoe.
Tight stockings
Tendon Imbalance
And NOT YOUR FAULT: Heredity
How to avoid them:
Avoid tight-fitting shoes, socks and hosiery - just as
with blisters.
Wear supportive shoes with a roomy toe box, and low heel -
which is more comfortable anyway.
Do not use heating devices on feet; instead soak in
cool water and ice - on the other hand, soaking them with warm
water, and then using a pumice stone to scrape off the extra skin
is good to do.
You can use over the counter creams - but don't use
medicated callus corn remover pads
You can also ask a podiatrist for anything using Pendinol's
Ureacin-10 cream and AmLactin Moisturizing Lotion (read
the ingredients on over the counter lotions to see if these ingredients
are contained)
TIPS: Be sure to wear COMFORTABLE shoes, and if possible, soft
pads to avoid hard bottoms of leather soled shoes from creating heel
strike, or calluses if you have uneven or bony feet. This is especially
useful if you spend your days standing in thin soled, hard shoes.
And please, wash your feet often!
Source: “Summer Foot
Fixes”, American Podiatric Medical Association.
Posted In: Fitness
: 10/27/2011
Loading...
by Shannon Miller
Girlfriend Sayings
An Electric Car for the Family
Top 10 Beaches in the World
Top 10 European Ski Resorts
Top 10 High Demand High Paying Jobs in Australia