It might be decades since you were in school, but you probably still remember the first day each year when the teacher laid out the classroom rules everyone was expected to follow: arrive on time, raise your hand, listen to directions, cooperate, do your assignments, don’t carve on the desks, and so on. You may even long for the days when life seemed more organized and predictable. Since you’re feeling a bit nostalgic, here are our Rules for Geriatric Foot Care you should follow:

1. Clean your feet every day. You want to wash away any bacteria, fungi, and dirt to keep your skin and nails healthy. Use mild soap and warm water, dry well, and follow with a moisturizer to keep skin smooth and supple.
2. Do foot checks regularly. Keep an eye out for cuts, sores, blisters, calluses, rashes, discoloration, warm or cold spots, or anything else that could indicate a problem. If you have diabetes, it is best to do this daily.
3. Get regular pedicures. If you have trouble bending over to do this yourself, get a loved one to help or go to a reputable salon with good disinfecting practices. Keep the nails trimmed straight across, and not too long or too short—just a bit of the white edge showing is best. Our diabetic patients should have nail care done at our office to avoid complications.
4. Wear the right socks and shoes. Comfortable, breathable shoes that support and protect your feet, and socks that wick moisture away, can help keep feet dry to avoid fungal infections. Make sure they fit well—no pinching or pressure points.
5. Put your feet up while sitting. This helps with blood flow, as does not crossing your legs, getting enough moderate exercise, and eating right.
6. Try a foot massage or warm foot bath to soothe, relax, and warm your feet and promote better circulation.

Foot care for seniors is designed to help avoid some of the most common foot problems as you age: fungal infections, dry skin, corns and calluses, warts, ingrown toenails, and bunions and hammertoes. Faithfully following our rules may help you avoid many of these troubles. If they happen in spite of your best efforts, don’t hesitate to call Parker Foot & Ankle in Houston, TX at (281) 497-2850 and we’ll help you put them right.