WHAT SHAPE ARE YOUR FEET IN?
posted: Apr. 19, 2015.
THE AMERICAN ORTHOPEDIC FOOT AND ANKLE HAS PUBLISHED SOME INTERESTING SIMPLE STEPS FOR SELF EXAMINATION OF YOUR FEET TO SEE WHAT SHAPE THEY ARE IN WHICH I WILL SHARE WITH YOU.
1. SKIN. CHECK YOUR SKIN FOR CALLUSES, BLISTERS OR AREAS OF IRRITATION. NOW STAND NEXT TO YOUR SHOES. ARE THEY SHAPED LIKE YOUR FEET OR ARE THEY CAUSING AREAS OF CONSTRICTION THAT MAY RESULT IN BLISTERS OR IRRITATION? NOW PUT YOUR HANDS INSIDE YOUR SHOES. ARE THERE SEAMS, TACKS OR ROUGH PLACES IN THE SHO THAT CORRESPONDS TO THE AREAS OF IRRITATION, CALLUSES OR BLISTERS ON YOUR FEET.
2. CIRCULATION. LOOK AT THE COLOUR OF YOUR TOES. ARE THEY RED, PINK, PURPLE OR BLUE? PRESS DOWN ON THE NAIL OF YOUR BIG TOE UNTIL THE COLOUR BLANCHES. NOW LET GO AND ALLOW THE BLOOD FLOW TO RETURN TO YOUR TOE. THE RETURN OF NORMAL COLOUR SHOULD TAKE 2-5 SECONDS IN A PERSON WITH AVERAGE CIRCULATION.
3. FLEXIBILITY. HOW FLEXIBLE ARE YOUR TOES? TRY TO PICK UP A MARBLE (EXCELLENT) OR A SMALL DISHTOWEL (GOOD). TO TEST YOUR ANKLE FLEXIBILITY, HANG YOUR HEEL OVER THE EDGE OF THE STAIR WHILE STANDING ON THE STAIR FACING THE STAIR. NOW LET THE HEEL GO BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE STAIR. IF THIS CAUSES PAIN, STOP THE TEST. IF YOUR HEEL GOES BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE STAIR WITHOUT CAUSING STRAIN IN YOUR CALF, THAT IS EXCELLENT. IF THERE IS SOME STRAIN, THIS CAN BE IMPROVED WITH FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES.
4. PAIN. THERE SHOULD BE NO PAIN IN THE AVERAGE FOOT.
5. BALANCE. A GOOD TEST FOR BALANCE INVOLVES STANDING ON ONE FOOT, WITH YOUR ARMS OUT TO THE SIDE AND YOUR EYES CLOSED. IF YOU ARE LESS THAN 30 YEARS OLD, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO BALANCE FOR 15 SECONDS, 30 - 40 YEARS OLD FOR 12 SECONDS, 40 - 50 YEARS OLD FOR 10 SECONDS, AND OVER 50 YEARS FOR 7 SECONDS. THIS CAN BE IMPROVED WITH EXERCISE.
DR. JOHN A. HARDY, OWNER OF ACADEMY FOOT AND ORTHOTIC CLINICS PRESENTLY HAS 5 FOOT SPECIALISTS (CHIROPODISTS) EMPLOYED WHO ARE 100% DEDICATED TO PROVIDING EACH AND EVERY PATIENT WITH THE HIGHEST QUALITY FOOT CARE AND CUSTOM ORTHOTICS POSSIBLE.
IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE REQUIRES HONEST, COMPETENT FOOT CARE, PLEASE CONTACT US AT 416-465-8737