Introduction to Foot Care
There are times when a person has difficulty in keeping their feet clean and dry. The person may not be able to see well in order to clean the feet. A person may not be able to easily bend over or use their hands to cleanse well around the toes.
Taking good care of a person’s feet involves:
- Protecting the feet from injury
- Keeping the feet clean and dry
- Wearing properly sized footwear.
- Keeping the nails trimmed properly
Foot pain is common. A person can easily develop foot pain and problems walking, when foot care is not adequate. A simple corn or callus can turn into a more serious problem such as a foot ulcer. Foot ulcers are open sores that do not heal easily and can lead to infection as well.
Who is at Risk? Some persons are more at risk for foot problems than others. Those at greatest risk have a loss of feeling and/or poor circulation in their legs and feet. You need normal feeling or sensation to be aware when there is something pressing on the foot or when you have had a foot injury.
Good circulation is needed to ensure that any injury to the foot, such as a cut or bruise, will heal quickly. When a person has vascular disease, a condition that limits the flow of blood in the blood vessels of the legs, a simple cut heals very slowly or sometimes not at all. Persons with diabetes mellitus are prone to loss of sensation and poor foot circulation and often have difficulty fighting infections. Thus it is especially important for persons with diabetes to receive regular foot care.
