We use them every day but we don’t seem to pay them much attention unless something goes wrong. Good foot health as we age is important.

It’s kinda funny how much we use and rely on our feet, but we don’t do a whole lot to take care of them as we should. Because when we hurt our feet, well, that’s pretty much it until we get them better. When our feet are out of commission, it has a knock-on effect on our whole body from legs to hips and our spine. An ear infection can even toss off our balance and make walking harder. So here’s some things you can do to keep on walking or running or skipping or paddling or…

Tips for Good Feet Health

Start with shoes
You need the right size. Sometimes, we might try a slightly smaller or bigger size and try to compensate. With oversize we might wear extra socks or use an insert. Either way, you can cause ligament problems and even hurt your heels. Corns, calluses, Plantar-Fasciitis and bunions are all cause by the wrong shoe size. So focus on the right size and if you need them, get inserts with good arch support, which can help reduce back related issues.

Foot Exercises
Some exercises that specifically focus on your feet can be very helpful. You have a lot of small ligaments and bones in your feet. Exercises can help strengthen ligaments and reduce the risk of muscle sprains and broken bones. One way is to stand flat footed, keep your toes loose and contract your foot muscles. Another is to stand on your toes and push up, then move your ankles around. This is to strengthen your whole foot. It also helps promote ankle strength. Going for a walk every day is also very important.

To stretch out plantar fascia—the band of connective tissue—in the bottom of your feet, try out this yoga pose: sit on your shins on the floor, and then tuck your toes under you. Allow the weight of your pelvis to settle back onto your heels. If this is too much pressure, take some weight off your heels by leaning forward onto your hands, or by supporting your pelvis with cushions, folded blankets, or yoga blocks. Hold for one to five minutes. 

Another option is to grab a tennis or roga ball and roll it around the base of your feet so you get kind of a massage.

Give your feet some exercise and you’ll appreciate it much later in life. A healthy diet with lots of omega fats helps to keep joints supple as well. If you’re diabetic, it’s even more important to do foot exercised to keep blood flow optimal.

You might also enjoy this article on running and yoga.