Foot care is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Podiatrists provide routine examinations, ensuring that any developing issues are spotted and dealt with promptly.
Seniors whose feet are comfortable allow them to participate in community activities and pursue hobbies without worry. This facilitates social interactions and strengthens family bonds. It also allows them to enjoy leisurely walks, reducing the risk of falls. Read on to learn about how podiatrists ensure optimal foot health for the ageing population.
1. Daily Inspection
Visiting a podiatrist regularly is an effective way to keep your feet in good condition. This is especially important for those with diabetes. Podiatrists can provide foot inspections, educate on proper foot care and help to detect any diabetic foot complications as early as possible.
A podiatrist can also identify if the person is at risk of falls as a result of poor balance, muscle strength or sensory perception. They can guide them on how to change their environment and incorporate exercises that improve balance, flexibility and strength.
Podiatrists can recommend appropriate footwear that offers proper support and cushioning to prevent a variety of problems like corns, calluses, ingrown toenails, bunions and heel pain. They can also recommend medications and perform minimally invasive procedures if needed.
2. Gentle Cleaning
Podiatrists are tertiary-qualified medical professionals who specialise in the foot and its surrounding governing structures. They complete four years of undergraduate study at one of nine podiatric medical schools and undergo extensive postgraduate training.
They can safely remove hard skin and trim toenails, and they can also recommend shoe modifications or other treatment modalities for conditions like hammertoes or flat feet. They can even provide specialised laser treatments for fungal infections.
They are also experts in managing diabetic foot complications. They can work alongside other healthcare professionals, including family physicians and vascular surgeons, to prevent and treat diabetic foot ulcers and neuropathy. They can help patients manage their diabetes, monitor foot symptoms and educate them on how to best look after their feet.
3. Appropriate Footwear
A podiatrist will advise on appropriate footwear, ensuring the right amount of support, cushioning, and fit to help minimise foot discomfort, nail issues or skin problems. They will also provide hygiene tips to avoid infections and offer advice on a variety of non-invasive modalities to ease pain.
Visiting a podiatrist based in Sunshine Coast is essential in the management of foot health, as it can ensure early detection and treatment of conditions like bunions, which develop when the fatty padding on the feet diminishes due to ageing or wearing shoes with inadequate support. This can prevent minor symptoms from escalating into major ones, avoiding more serious health complications down the track.
4. Medications
A podiatrist is often the first professional to spot signs of systemic health issues, such as diabetes, in the feet and ankles. This proactive approach can help prevent minor concerns from escalating into serious conditions and thereby improve the quality of an individual’s life.
Podiatrists can also recommend effective medications to manage common foot and ankle issues like fungal infections, dry and cracked skin, or achy joints. They can also advise on exercise strategies that promote healthy, pain-free feet without placing excessive stress on them. In severe cases, a podiatrist in Mooloolaba can perform surgical interventions to correct structural abnormalities. These procedures can enhance an individual’s quality of life, helping them remain active and fit for longer.
5. Orthotics
Orthotics can be used to treat a variety of conditions, from removing pressure spots to relieving the Achilles tendon of its stress during movement. These devices can also help control abnormal foot motion, like the ‘in-toeing’ that many have already experienced before.
These medical-grade orthotics are bespoke, crafted for your feet and based on the results of a comprehensive podiatric evaluation. Premade orthotics, which are found in shoe stores, can sometimes do more harm than good by not addressing your specific foot structure or pathology. Wear your orthotics for short periods at first and gradually increase the duration to let your feet get accustomed to them.
6. Exercise
Adding basic foot-stretching exercises to daily routines plays an important role in promoting flexibility within the feet. This reduces the risk of developing podiatric conditions associated with poor flexibility.
Tendons serve as dynamic connectors, enabling the intricate dance of muscles and bones to generate movement. Podiatric experts assess the integrity of these tendons to avoid complications like peroneal tendinitis.
Podiatrists also educate individuals on how to optimise their foot health through regular exercise. For example, choosing low-impact exercises such as swimming or cycling will reduce strain on the feet while promoting cardiovascular fitness. This is important to prevent conditions such as neuromas from causing pain and limiting mobility.
Needless to say, podiatrists play a crucial role in ensuring optimal foot health, particularly for the ageing population. Through routine examinations, they detect and address potential issues early, helping to prevent more serious complications. By recommending proper footwear, performing gentle cleaning, and providing tailored orthotic solutions, podiatrists help maintain foot comfort and functionality. They also manage systemic conditions like diabetes, collaborate with other healthcare professionals, and advise on appropriate exercises to enhance overall well-being. Regular visits to a podiatrist empower seniors to remain active, engaged, and independent, thereby improving their quality of life and fostering stronger social and familial connections. Maintaining healthy feet is essential to leading a healthy, active lifestyle, and podiatrists are indispensable in achieving this goal.
