5 Tips To Keep Your Feet Healthy and Happy in Winter

Though the winter season brings with it a festive cheer, it also has its fair share of hazardous situations. During the colder months, we often seem to neglect proper foot care, which triggers unique challenges. Just because your feet remain hidden in the pair of boots it does not mean you should be ignorant about them in winter. While protecting them from the freezing temperatures is important, adequate foot care too should not be ignored. Here are our top five tips to maintain your foot health during the cold season.

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1. Wear waterproof shoes/boots and thick warm socks when out in the snow

In winter, snow creates a very slippery and wet environment that can lead to thermal and traumatic injuries. So, it is always advisable to wear waterproof boots/shoes with thick warm socks. It is equally important to keep an extra set of socks handy, if possible, to delay the onset of frostbite. Though depending on wind speed and temperature, frostbite may take its own time to appear, being affected by it would lead to skin discoloration, pain, wounds, nerve damage etc. So, it pays to be better equipped to avoid falling prey to falls, injuries, and frostbites.

      2. Limit exposure to below-freezing temperatures

If you are a sufferer of neuropathy or diabetes, it is always advisable to avoid frigid temperatures. Due to the lack of sensation triggered by neuropathy, you will not be able to properly sense whether the skin of the feet is safe. If you have to go outside in the snow, make sure that you are appropriately dressed with waterproof, closed-toed shoes and warm, thick socks. And once you are back from the frigid temperature, check your feet immediately for any changes. Contact your doctor right away if you see any cause for concern.

      3. Keep your feet adequately moisturized

During the colder months, skin tends to crack and get dry. Apart from being painful, skin cracks can let the cold in. So, keeping your feet well-moisturized is particularly important to keep yourself warmer. When moisturizing your feet, begin with the toes and move upwards to your heel. Remember to apply a moisturizing cream or lotion on your feet as part of your daily foot care routine if your feet tend to become dry in winter.

      4.  Give your feet a massage at the end of the day

Massage some cream into your feet to stimulate circulation and get relief from dry skin. This will not only warm up the feet but also have them feeling and looking nurtured during the season. Apart from helping your feet relax, a good massage would let you have a good look at the feet to notice any hazards (cuts and nicks, blisters, corns, scratches etc) that might have been overlooked.

      5.  Learn to listen to your feet

Your feet should not hurt all the time or be discolored, swollen, or develop blisters or calluses regardless of what you try. If you notice anything like these that are causing foot or ankle discomfort, you should let your podiatrist have a look, to get the condition diagnosed and start the right treatment without any delay.

Final words

Take care of your feet this winter using the tips above and it would surely lead to less work when the spring season finally arrives. In case you experience any issues with your feet, it is best to seek advice from your podiatrist instead of playing the doctor yourself and popping in, out-of-the-counter medications.