2015: A new year, A new you, and new feet

2015: A new year, A new you, and new feet

As the New Year approaches many people make New Year’s Resolutions. Usually the resolutions are related to health and fitness. Foot health is related to one’s overall health. Many people run to the gym and start eating better right after January 1, but seeing your doctor is also related to your overall health. Most people go to their doctor’s’ for regular checkups, for example getting mammograms and Pap-smears yearly are common, but when was the last time you went to the podiatrist for a general foot checkup.

Many people think that they should only visit a podiatrist when they have a problem, but as podiatrist I belief it is just the opposite. Many foot related problems and injuries are avoidable with a regular checkups and exams. Many foot ailments occur with overuse, improper shoe gear and abnormal foot biomechanics.

Seeing a podiatrist for an exam is painless and most likely you will learn more about your feet than you ever thought was possible. A quick exam of your shoes and sneakers, and the way you walk barefoot can tell a lot about your foot. Many people go to the pharmacy and go to the foot care aisle and buy miscellaneous products to help their foot problems. To be honest I see many patients in the office who have tried these products and many times they have made their foot problems worse.

A big part of getting healthy in the New Year is working out. I personally love to exercise and I tell my patients all the time it is important to change your sneakers 2-3 times a years. In addition, custom molded orthotics is important to keeping your foot in a neutral position. Post people have flatfeet, some have high arches and few people have perfectly normal feet. Therefore, most people would benefit from a pair of orthotics. I personally have been wearing custom molded orthotics in my shoes for the past 25 years, without them I tend to have more pain and problems.

Many patients, who are adults, will tell me about their children’s foot problems. People are surprised to hear that I see many children. The truth is many foot problems begin in youth but are not noticed until adulthood. Therefore, having your child see the podiatrist is very important. Flatfeet are normal in an infant and even a toddler, but as your child approaches young adult hood, flatfeet isn’t normal and this should be addressed. One more thing that is important is to look at your feet, because one’s foot type in genetic. So if you are having problems with your feet, there is a 50% chance your child will also.

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o now that the New Year is upon us make it a priority to call your local podiatrist and ask for a consultation and a general foot exam.

To book an appointment with us and for more information please visit our website at www.foonj.com