Wear comfortable shoes whenever possible, especially when walking long distances. Lose extra weight to reduce added stress. Take over-the-counter medications to help reduce pain and swelling. Stretch for a few minutes in the morning to reduce joint stiffness. Any of these can be symptoms of conditions that require medical treatment.ĭo what you can. Monitor your feet for wounds, numbness or excessive swelling.
Both provide support and padding for the feet, which is especially helpful for those who must stand for long periods of time or who participate in activities that put extra pressure on their feet. Non-custom insoles, which are not as sturdy, usually cost between $20 and $70. Podiatrists offer custom-made insoles, which range from $200 to $800 a pair. Orthotics or shoe inserts can support falling arches and increase comfort. “If you have it, see a foot specialist so it can be diagnosed and treated.”Ĭonsider orthotics. “Foot pain is never normal,” says Williams. Many people live with foot pain or do not seek medical attention until the discomfort is too great for them to endure. There are a number of steps one can take to lessen foot pain or mitigate the effects of deteriorating ligaments, arthritis and other foot issues.ĭon’t minimize or ignore foot pain. Unfortunately, toenail fungal infections plague up to one-third of all older people, and corns, calluses and other foot deformities also are common. Circulatory problems related to heart disease can also affect the fee, and obesity places extra stress on the feet and ankles.
FOOT TURNING OUTWARD IN ADULTS SKIN
If the skin of the foot breaks unnoticed, wounds can easily become infected. Many diabetics suffer from diabetic neuropathy, a condition characterized by the loss of sensation in the feet. Older people with chronic conditions are much more likely to develop foot problems. Gout, a metabolic disease characterized by intense swelling and pain at the big toe joint, is another type of arthritis. For those who experience pain that they can't tolerate, over-the-counter medication or other treatments may help. Approximately half of older people will develop osteoarthritis in one or more of the 33 joints in their feet, although not everyone will experience symptoms. Osteoarthritis can develop after years of general wear-and-tear and stress or injury to the joints. Because bunion surgery "is invasive and has a long recovery time, I recommend it only if the pain is so bad it interferes with daily life,” say Williams.Īrthritis is another reality for the aging foot. “Bunion splints aren’t much help – so unfortunately, surgery is the only way to successfully reposition the toe. Family history often plays a role.īunion pain can become quite severe, making walking difficult. Hammertoe, a condition that frequently accompanies bunions, is when a toe – most frequently the second toe - is pulled back and upward in relation to the other toes.īunions are more common among women (more than 30 percent overall suffer from them) because of their shoe-wearing habits, but men suffer from them as well. Shifts in foot shape can also cause bunions, a bony protrusion on the side of the big toe that grows as the toe drifts out of position. So wearing well-fitting and more ‘sensible’ shoes, at least most of the time, will be much more comfortable.” “Shoes with a narrow toe box – and of course, high heels - can also become more difficult to wear. “Unfortunately, many people, especially women, don’t realize that foot size can change, so they buy the same size shoe year after year without stopping to ask, ‘do my feet hurt when I put these on?,’” says Williams. The result: often an increase in shoe size by a half-size or more. In feet, this manifests as a decrease or ‘’falling’’ of the arch, which flattens and lengthens the foot and toes. Over time, the body’s ligaments and tendons lose their strength and ability to spring back. The most obvious sign your foot is aging is its changing size and shape, says Williams. “But understanding the changes feet undergo over time can help minimize age-related issues and pain.” Joan Williams, orthopaedic surgeon and foot specialist at UCLA Orthopaedic Center in Santa Monica. “Regular foot care at every age is important,” said Dr. Most Americans will have walked 75,000 miles by the time they reach the age of 50 – the equivalent of trekking around the Earth on the equator three times.īut all this walking results in significant wear and tear on our feet.
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