Understanding the Importance of Nail and Foot Care
When it comes to feet, you often don’t give them much thought – yet when a problem occurs, it can slow you down or even stop you in your tracks. Your feet do more than simply take your body from point A to point B.
They do more than give you mobility and freedom. They’re essential to helping maintain your body’s balance. The pressure your feet are able to exert when standing or moving determines whether you’re off balance (or not) when you walk. Did you know that if your feet don’t work the right way, it can lead to problems in other parts of your body?
Without healthy feet, your ankles can ache (you can end up twisting your ankle more easily) and the balance in your knees can be off, leading to painful movements in your knees.
Without your feet being at their best performance, it can lead to back, shoulder and even more body performance problems. When you walk or run, you’re probably not even aware of all that your feet are doing for you.
As you walk from a carpeted floor to a concrete one, your feet are taking the brunt of the change in impact and absorbing it to protect your ankles, shins, knees and back. When your feet aren’t taken care of, they can’t do their job right – which means other parts of your body will then begin to feel their pain.
If you don’t put regular effort into nail and foot care, you’re asking for trouble for the rest of your body. Something as seemingly small as an ingrown toenail can make you walk off balance and lead to back strain or a pulled muscle in your back.
Having an ingrown toenail can be caused by accidentally clipping your toenails the wrong way. An ingrown toenail can be caused by wearing shoes that are too small or too narrow. It can also be caused by getting a toe injury (such as stubbing the toe or dropping something on it).
One of the most common problems associated with feet and toenails is fungal outbreaks. Athletes foot is easy to get and if caught and treated early, easy to get rid of. Another fungus of the feet and nails is one that’s often overlooked by people and misdiagnosed by doctors.
You may have seen pictures of yellowed, brittle toenails and thought it was a fungus. What you may not know is that it can be a sign of nail ringworm. Contrary to its name, ringworm is not a worm at all but a fungus. Having one on the nail can make it look thick and discolored. Any time you have a change in the color of your nails, you should seek treatment for it.
Nail and foot care involve more than just treating your feet to soak baths and spa treatments. You should take care that your feet are warm and dry in the winter, but not to the point where your feet can sweat and cause moisture. In the summertime, wear shoes that allow your feet to stay dry in hotter temperatures. Wear shoes that fit your feet and avoid ones that pinch the sides or toes of your feet.
Best Nail and Foot Care Products
