Every season brings unique challenges for
your foot health. Since your foot health is an essential part of your overall
health, you need to protect your feet all year long and winter is no exception.
Whether you’re facing extreme cold and dampness or slogging through deep snow, your
feet need to be properly cared for. Here are five winter foot care tips that
will keep your feet healthy all winter long and ensure that they are ready for
action when spring arrives.
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| Image Courtesy: Pixabay |
1. Stick to a Regular
Foot Care Regime: Having a regular foot care regime is the easiest way to
ensure foot health and prevent problems. To begin with, give your feet a
relaxing bath after a tiring day. Keep your feet clean and dry and your nails
neatly cut and filed. You may use a pumice stone from time to time to avoid
buildup of hard skin. However, it’s advisable to soften the stone at first with
water and then use it on your heels. Since your skin tends to get dry in winter,
make sure you apply a good moisturizer on your feet.
2. Plan to Combat Dry
and Cracked Heels: Dry and cracked heels are a common problem in winter. A
simple solution is to rub Vaseline on your heels after bathing or showering as
it works as a seal locking the moisture in. For utmost effectiveness, you could
wear socks or use plastic wrap to cover your feet overnight.
3. Opt for a Nail Polish
Vacation: You may be tempted to use nail polish to make your nails look pretty
but give it a miss from time to time this winter. Since nail polish can trap
bacteria inside your nails, it can trigger discoloration, cause infection, weaken
your nails, etc. As winter season means your feet will be spending more time in closed
shoes and socks than they do in the summer, your toenails will have lesser
access to air this season. By not using nail-related beauty products, you can
let your nails counteract this, thus ensuring that they stay healthy.
4. Make Sure Your Shoes
Are Dry and Fit Well: Spending a lot of time outdoors in the damp weather or
snow could make your shoes wet. Wearing wet shoes will not only make your feet
feel colder but will also give bacteria an ideal place to thrive. So, you
should remove your wet shoes as soon as you get home and put them somewhere
warm (say, by the radiator) to ensure that they get dry. It would be wise to
have more than one pair of shoes so that you can rotate them daily. It’s also
important to use footwear that offers you a snug fit. Wearing properly fitted
skates and boots would help prevent chafing, blisters, and foot or ankle
injuries.
5. Choose Your Socks
Wisely: Since your feet are likely to stay in closed shoes for a long time this
season, invest in socks with moisture-wicking properties (such as breathable bamboo
socks). Though you may be tempted to use cotton socks, you should remember that
despite cotton being a natural fiber, it absorbs sweat in socks rather than
wicking the moisture away. You should ensure that you change your socks daily
and wash them regularly so as to prevent the spread of bacteria. If you prefer wearing
two pairs of socks to offer your feet more protection and double the effects, remember
to avoid tight socks as they would adversely affect the blood
circulation in your feet.
This winter, keep these foot care tips in
mind to ensure healthy and active feet.
