Stepping into Health: The Surprising Link Between Foot Care and Quality of Life!
Pain influences mobility and this in the emotional aspect. The use of inadequate footwear, weight gain and lack of hygiene are some of the causes that can lead to pathologies. How to take care of this aspect of health?
Although foot pain is more common in older adults, it can occur at any age. Joint pain can be a common problem due to the deterioration of the body over the years, but it can be made worse by harmful practices, such as wearing the wrong size shoes.
Other factors, such as working from home in more comfortable shoes followed by a return to formal shoes when returning to the office, and a lack of footwear alternation, increase the likelihood of seeing a podiatrist, according to the health magazine, Farmacia Profesional.
The repercussions of foot neglect go beyond aspects such as the correct functioning of the joint and pain in these structures of the body. According to experts, pathologies in this area are related to a poorer quality of life, since they reduce physical activity and, in more serious cases, can lead to surgery to treat the problem.
Quality of life is worse when the feet are neglected
Everyday habits, such as forgetting to check feet until problems arise, can lead to late diagnosis of conditions that have worsened over time. Research published in Scientific Reports identified that foot pathologies decrease the quality of life of those affected compared to the general population.
The study used the Spanish version of the Foot Health Status Questionnaire to analyze this relationship and found that the use of inappropriate footwear can increase the probability of suffering from these pathologies by up to four times. Between 56% and 64% of the more than 70,000 patients analyzed presented podiatric problems. The findings of this research emphasize that foot diseases, even without being associated with systemic diseases, have a negative impact on patients’ lives, affecting areas such as vitality and physical activity.
Another study, published in the scientific journal BMJ Open, revealed that women with foot problems suffer a more negative impact on related quality of life compared to men. The research found that foot ailments, such as deviation of the big toe, scientifically called hallux, heel inflammation, plantar arch, heel pain, chronic ankle instability and onychomycosis, are the main obstacles to joint health and function.
In addition, the high prevalence of foot pain was identified as a common symptom. A study published in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, applied to 16,000 people, found that the prevalence of foot and ankle discomfort was more than 184,000 cases per 1,000 people over the age of 55 surveyed.
The study reported that foot and ankle complications increased difficulty going up and down stairs by 71% and difficulty getting up after sitting by 44%. The conclusion revealed that such conditions impact functional abilities and limit people’s quality of life and independence.
How to take proper care of the feet?
To prevent the adverse conditions that come with poor foot care, there are some recommendations from specialists that include paying special attention to the type of footwear. Comfortable shoes are square-shaped, with an extra centimeter longer than the longest toe and should not be tight. Changing shoes is essential to avoid damp environments conducive to infections such as athlete’s foot.
It is also advisable to avoid an accelerated increase in body mass, as this makes the appearance of podiatric problems more likely. Conversely, patients with injuries such as Achilles tendonitis or inflammation of fibrous tissue (plantar fasciitis) could be those who have suddenly increased their physical activity without adequate prior training, according to experts at Homerton Hospital in the United Kingdom.
Barefoot walking is an activity that could be detrimental to foot health, due to exposure to contaminated surfaces that could lead to skin infections. For this reason, specialists recommend wearing shoes when moving around, in addition to daily washing and frequent nail trimming. Regarding the use of socks, they should be changed at least once a day, as recommended by the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Drying feet thoroughly and avoiding wet surfaces will keep fungal infections, such as athlete’s foot, away from these joints. Finally, regular checkups are one of the keys to maintaining proper hygiene before seeing a podiatrist for a serious condition, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).