Franklin VNA & Hospice’s Health Corner: The Overlooked Foot

FRANKLIN — Feet are like old friends, always there, dependable and sometimes overlooked. That needs to change. If feet are ignored too long, problems like bunions, ingrown toenails or sores can develop, making feet painful and a risk to one's health. If a person has poor circulation, diabetes or heart disease, it’s even more important to take care of the feet.

A Philips Lifeline article estimates that 80% of older people have foot problems. Foot pain in particular is a cause of falls, decreased mobility or total loss of ambulation, and can affect ability to travel to doctors’ appointments and seek care for other medical conditions.

With decreased ability to reach feet, or to see them due to age-related changes to the eyes, it becomes harder to maintain foot health and recognize complications arising from diabetes, gout inflammation, peripheral vascular disease, and the side effects from certain medications which can cause damage to the feet. These can cause infections that result in hospitalization or lead to chronic wounds with potential for amputation.

Regular foot care can prevent complications and allow recognition of foot conditions which need further medical attention or intervention.

Good foot hygiene includes

• Washing feet daily, and drying gently – don’t forget to dry between the toes.
• Checking feet daily for cuts, bruises, blisters, spots, lumps or bumps.
• Trim toenails straight across regularly. If trimming is difficult, a foot care clinic like Franklin VNA & Hospice’s Wednesday Foot Care Clinics are an option.
• Wear clean socks, and change them daily.
• Wear supportive shoes that fit well. If the shoes cause blisters, pinch or make feet sore, get rid of them and wear a different pair.
• Communicate with health care providers. Let providers know of changes in the feet, or any injuries. Providers include a visiting nurse, primary care provider or orthopedist.

For more information, call Franklin VNA & Hospice at 603-934-3454, or visit www.FranklinVNA.org.