Medicine
and health awareness have progressed so rapidly since 1900 that life expectancy of
the average American has increased by about 30 years. Older persons have become an
increasingly significant proportion of our total population -- and their numbers
are growing rapidly. In 1900, for example, there were three million Americans aged
65 or older. By 2000, older people outnumbered children for the first time in
history.
If
older people are to live useful, satisfying lives, they must be able to move
about. Mobility is a vital ingredient in the independence that is cherished by our
aging population, and foot ailments make it difficult or impossible for them to
work or to participate in social activities.
According
to the US National Center for Health Statistics, impairment of the lower
extremities is a leading cause of activity limitation in older people. As if foot
problems weren't enough of a nuisance, they can also lead to knee, hip, and lower
back pain that undermine mobility just as effectively. The NCHS says one-fourth of
all nursing home patients cannot walk at all and another one-sixth can walk only
with assistance.
Mirror
of Health
The
human foot has been called the mirror of health. Foot doctors, or doctors of
podiatric medicine (DPMs), are often the first doctors to see signs of such
systemic conditions as diabetes, arthritis, and circulatory disease in the foot.
Among these signs are dry skin, brittle nails, burning and tingling sensations,
feelings of cold, numbness, and discoloration. Always seek professional care when
these signs appear.
Foot
Problems Can Be Prevented
For
reasons that are difficult to fathom, many people, including a lot of older
people, believe that it is normal for the feet to hurt and simply resign
themselves to enduring foot problems that could be treated.
There
are more than 300 different foot ailments. Some can be traced to heredity, but for
an aging population, most of these ailments stem from the cumulative effect of
years of neglect or abuse. However, even among people in their retirement years,
many foot problems can be treated successfully and the pain of foot ailments
relieved.
Whether
due to neglect or abuse, the normal wear and tear of the years causes changes in
feet. As persons age, their feet tend to spread, and lose the fatty pads that
cushion the bottom of the feet. Additional weight can affect the bone and ligament
structure. Older people, consequently, should have their feet measured for shoe
sizes more frequently, rather than presuming that their shoe sizes remain
constant. Dry skin and brittle nails are other conditions older people commonly
face. Finally, it's a fact that women, young and old, have four times as many foot
problems as men, and high heels are often the culprits.
Observing
preventive foot health care has many benefits. Chief among them are that it can
increase comfort, limit the possibility of additional medical problems, reduce the
chances of hospitalization because of infection, and lessen requirements for other
institutional care.
Keep
Them Walking
Studies
show that care for a bedridden patient costs much more than care for an ambulatory
patient. In their private practices and in foot clinics, podiatric physicians are
providing services designed to keep older people on their feet, and they serve in
hospitals and nursing homes across the country.
Records
indicate that amputations and other forms of surgery due to infections of the
feet, many brought about by diabetes, have been significantly reduced in recent
years because of early diagnosis and treatment. Further reduction in this area is
a goal of Healthy People 2010, a US Department of Health and Human Services
campaign endorsed by podiatric physicians, to encourage understanding and
application of preventive medical practices.
Foot
Health Tips
Properly
fitted shoes are essential; an astonishing number of people wear shoes that
don't fit right, and cause serious foot problems.
A
shoe with a firm sole and soft upper is best for daily activities.
Shop
for shoes in the afternoon; feet tend to swell during the day.
Walking
is the best exercise for your feet.
Pantyhose
or stockings should be of the correct size and preferably free of seams.
Do
not wear constricting garters or tie your stockings in knots.
Never
cut corns and calluses with a razor, pocket knife, or other such instrument;
use over-the-counter foot products only with the advice of a podiatrist.
Bathe
your feet daily in lukewarm (not hot) water, using a mild soap, preferably one
containing moisturizers, or use a moisturizer separately. Test the water
temperature with your hand.
Trim
or file your toenails straight across.
Inspect
your feet every day or have someone do this for you. If you notice any
redness, swelling, cracks in the skin, or sores, consult your podiatrist.
Have
your feet examined by a DPM at least twice a year.
Your
podiatric physician/surgeon has been trained specifically and extensively in the
diagnosis and treatment of all manner of foot conditions. This training
encompasses all of the intricately related systems and structures of the foot and
lower leg including neurological, circulatory, skin, and the musculoskeletal
system, which includes bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves.
