Living Your Senior Years? How To Protect Your Feet This Winter

If you're a senior, you have to take extra precautions during the winter, especially where your feet are concerned. You might not realize this, but winter can wreak havoc on your feet. Now that winter is almost here, it's time to take steps to protect your feet. Here are four steps you can take that keep your feet healthy this winter. 

Schedule a Foot Examination

When you're a senior, it's crucial that you start the winter with a foot examination. Your foot doctor can identify issues that might cause problems for you during the winter. This is especially important if you've been diagnosed with diabetes, or if you have poor circulation in your feet. As an added precaution, you should also schedule a foot examination whenever you notice changes in your feet. 

Keep Your Feet Clean and Protected

If you want to avoid problems with your feet this winter, the best thing you can do is keep them clean and dry. Winter can cause a variety of problems, including dry skin, sores, and cracks. Most of those problems can be alleviated by keeping your feet clean and protected throughout the winter. First, wash your feet on a daily basis, paying close attention to the spaces between your toes. Second, dry your feet thoroughly after you bathe. Be sure to let them air out for a few minutes to ensure that they're dry. Finally, apply a generous amount of foot moisturizer to your feet, including the spaces between your toes. It's a good idea to apply a good foot moisturizer to your feet twice a day; once in the morning and once again before bed. 

Inspect Your Feet Once a Day

Now that winter is almost here, it's a good idea to start inspecting your feet on a daily basis. You might know to inspect your feet for signs of sores, but there are other issues you should inspect for as well. When you inspect your feet, you should also check for signs of unusual discoloration, such as purple or red. Discoloration can be a sign of poor circulation in your feet. You also want to inspect your toenails. If you have ingrown toenails, you should have those taken care of by your foot doctor. Ingrown toenails can lead to foot sores and infections. 

Give Your Feet Some Exercise

Finally, now that the weather has turned cold, you might not be able to get out and exercise as much as you'd like to. However, you'll still need to give your feet some exercise each day. Luckily, you can use yoga, resistance bands, or even walking around inside your home, to give your feet some daily exercise. Daily exercise throughout the winter will help maintain proper blood flow and circulation in your feet. 

Contact a local foot doctor to get more tips.

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