By: Sava Podiatry and Wellness Centers, Podiatry
Warm weather is finally here! With this hot, humid environment we tend to start wearing open toed shoes. This may actually do a lot of harm and damage to your feet if you wear them long term. We have many patients’ seeking service during the warmer months complaining of tendinitis, fungus, and dry skin. Patients don’t even realize the cause, but majority is from poor choice of shoes, such as flip flops or lack of wearing socks with closed toe shoes! This can especially be a consideration for older adults.
Flip flops cause strain to your tendons and ligaments in your foot. This is because there is no support in them. They cause the toes to curl as they are trying to grip the shoes to keep them in place. With long term use, the tendons become imbalanced and can cause strain to either the tops or bottoms of our feet.
For people that tend to wear them year-round, you can do permanent damage to the toes and cause a condition known as hammer toes. Therefore, it is very important that you choose proper shoes to wear. In picking a proper shoe, you want to make sure the shoe has some arch support. You can supplement this by custom orthotics. Orthotics are the best way to prevent any strain from occurring in your foot. The orthotics that we make here at Sava Podiatry are thin and lightweight so that you can even wear them in many of your open-toed shoes and flip flops! Your doctor will evaluate you and based on the evaluation, discuss the proper arch support and shoe necessary to maintain a healthy foot.
Flip flops can also cause dry, callused skin, especially around the heels. Constant rubbing and exposure to the environment can leave the foot dry and cracked. It is imperative to treat this condition before it gets worse because it can lead to fissures and the perfect portal for a fungal infection. To prevent this from happening, moisturize the foot daily and use sunscreen when wearing open-toed shoes.
Come see us today at Sava Podiatry and Wellness Centers to find out if you are wearing the right shoes for your feet! Perhaps your loved one is a home-bound senior who cannot get out to see us. We provide in-home services as well to those older adults and disabled adults that are in need. Our board-certified doctors will evaluate your feet and provide tips to remain healthy all year long. Call us at 678-239-4204 today!