Five Ways to Keep Your Feet Healthy During Self-Isolation

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How are things going for you at home? Hopefully, you’re taking steps to promote physical and mental wellness during your self-isolation. Good options include:

  • maintaining a regular sleep schedule

  • eating a healthy diet

  • drinking plenty of water

  • getting outside for sunshine and fresh air

  • communicating virtually with friends and family

  • reading, playing games, and engaging in other activities to stimulate your brain

But what about your feet? What are you doing to make sure they stay healthy? Here are five tips from Anne Arundel County podiatrist Dr. James M. McKee:

  1. Wear rubber-soled slippers or shoes inside. It can help prevent at-home slips and falls that might result in foot and ankle injuries. Avoid going barefoot or wearing only socks.

  2. Take note of small nicks or cuts, and carefully treat these wounds at home with antibiotic ointment and a bandage. Monitor carefully, especially if you have diabetes. This illness can lead to peripheral neuropathy, a dangerous lack of sensation in the feet, and an increased likelihood of infection that might cause the formation of ulcers, deep wounds that are difficult or impossible to heal.

  3. Keep toenails trimmed. Prevent uncomfortable ingrown toenails by using a clipper, rather than scissors. Trim straight across; don’t round the corners.

  4. Be alert to changes in the color or texture of your skin. Redness, flaking, scaling, or itching can all indicate the onset of a fungal infection. Call your podiatrist at the first sign of problems.

  5. Keep feet clean. Just like handwashing can prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, excellent hygiene is the first line of defense against pathogens that can harm your feet, ankles, and lower legs.

James M. McKee, DPM, FACFAS, and the staff at Podiatry Group of Annapolis, P.A., are thinking of you and wishing you well at this unprecedented time. Stay safe and healthy and reach out to us if an issue arises. You can still call the office at 410-224-4448 or click here for help.