You and your feet may be the dynamic duo—well, trio—that you never realized. And the humble heroes of your feet, your toes, deserve some extra love.
Your toes keep you balanced and stable and propel you forward as you walk—they literally put an extra spring in your step. So how can you reward them? We’ll walk you through how to keep your toes in tip-top shape.
1. Soak Them
Your toes may love a cozy nighttime soak just as much as you do. Letting your feet rest in warm—but not too hot—water can reduce swelling. Just imagine it: you come home after a long workday of standing and walking around and dip your toes into a lovely little bath. What a relief.
Plus, a nice soak does wonders for the skin on your feet, loosening and removing the dry and dead stuff. All of those hardened layers should soften up just like that. No expensive pedicure needed.
2. Trim Them
It’s true—the way you cut your toenails matters way more than you thought.
Use high-quality nail clippers rather than scissors. Cut straight across your nail and then round the corners just a tad. If it looks like you’ve hacked the way across your nails, you might find yourself with painful ingrown toenails, which can sometimes cause infections.
And no matter how tempting it may be to trim them up, it’s best to leave your cuticles be since they stop bacteria and fungus from accessing your nail bed, the tenderest part of your nail.
3. Support Them
We’ve said it multiple times, and we’ll just keep saying it: Wear good shoes. After all, your toes will spend quite a bit of time in them since, hopefully, they’ll last you at least a year.
Before you buy a pair of shoes, take a second to think about the size, fit, design, and material—they all matter. Too tight, and your toes will feel like they’re stuck in jail. Go for a pair that lets your feet breathe and doesn’t make you regret every step you take.
Choosing shoes that offer you the ease of movement and the support you need gives you one less thing to worry about. Sturdy shoes make for happy toes.
4. Soften Them
Moisturizing your toes, especially when they’re rough and dry, can help them stay healthy and comfortable. A little lotion or oil can prevent itchiness, hydrate your cuticles, and help prevent cracking.
And you know that your toes love a good massage along with the lotion. Massaging can improve your circulation, relieve tension, and help you relax by stimulating your muscles and tendons.
5. Clean Them
Keeping your toes clean is a must, especially if you’ve got sweaty feet or any of that toe fungus lurking around.
Start with fresh socks every day—your toes deserve better than yesterday’s leftovers. If your shoes get damp, swap them out for dry ones. Nobody likes soggy soles.
For an extra layer of protection, you can even sprinkle some antiperspirant powder right into your shoes to soak up that extra sweat. Think of it as deodorant for your feet. And a huge bonus—your toes won’t be the reason anyone in the room wrinkles their nose.
6. Notice Them
One of the best things you can do for your toes is just to notice them. A regular self-examination can alert you quickly of any concerning irregularities. Particularly, take note of:
- Color: If your toenails are yellow or brown, that could be a clue that you might need to look into toenail fungus removal. And a black stripe should be checked out quickly since it could indicate a few different serious issues like skin cancer or lupus.
- Bruises: Maybe you just stubbed your toe, but if you notice repeated bruising, it could signal a problem with circulation or the fit of your shoes.
- Bumps: Any lumps could be blisters, bunions, corns, or even cysts. And bumps that are hard and painful might be a sign of bone issues or deformities.
- Tenderness: Pain around the nail area could be due to ingrown toenails or infections.
Checking your toes regularly helps catch potential health issues before they worsen and can save you from having to undergo corrective toe surgery or other unpleasant procedures.
They may be fairly low-maintenance on the day-to-day, but you demand a lot from your feet. Think chasing after the dog who got off his leash for the third time this week, running through a crowded airport to get to your gate on time, and taking the stairs every day at work this month to meet your goal.
So if you spot anything unusual, it’s a good idea to have it checked out by a Utah podiatrist—better safe than sorry. It’s not just important to keep feet healthy for movement and everyday function but also to prevent a range of foot problems.
Your feet carry you through life, so why not treat them like royalty?
