Dr. Joseph Hall

When you have problems with your feet, you need to turn to foot and ankle doctors who listen.

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The Role Your Feet Play in Aging Gracefully

The Role Your Feet Play in Aging Gracefully

podiatrist in Mill Creek

Our feet put in a huge amount of work to power us through our daily routines. While we put one foot in front of the other with about as much thought and effort as we do for breathing, the average person takes around 18,000 steps in a day, enough steps to make you want to stop and think about just how much work your feet put in on a daily basis. Your feet carry you through the grocery store, on the job, chasing children and pets, and enjoying recreational activities. While nearly everything else on your body has gone through visible changes over time, changes to your feet typically go unnoticed to the naked eye. Your podiatrist in Mill Creek can help you become educated about these changes so you can age as gracefully as possible.

Beneath the surface, your feet have been aging right along with you. Some aspects of the aging process are very subtle, while others are more readily noticed.Our feet put in a huge amount of work to power us through our daily routines. While we put one foot in front of the other with about as much thought and effort as we do for breathing, the average person takes around 18,000 steps in a day, enough steps to make you want to stop and think about just how much work your feet put in on a daily basis. Your feet carry you through the grocery store, on the job, chasing children and pets, and enjoying recreational activities. While nearly everything else on your body has gone through visible changes over time, changes to your feet typically go unnoticed to the naked eye. Beneath the surface, your feet have been aging right along with you. Some aspects of the aging process are very subtle, while others are more readily noticed.

Not everyone focuses on the impact of your foot and ankle health on the rest of your body, but it becomes increasingly important the older we get. Taking some time to examine and pay attention to the health of your feet can actually help you to cut back on a wide range of age related problems. Believe it or not, the foot pain you may be experiencing is not necessarily a natural part of the growing and aging process, nor is it necessarily something that you have to deal with. There are many ways that you can yourself to alleviate pain, improve your comfort level, and even help cut back on some of the smaller foot and ankle problems so that they do not turn into something worse in the future.

Within the human foot, you will find 33 joins, 26 bones and well over 120 muscles, tendons, nerves and ligaments. All of these elements need to work together to help support your body weight and keep you balanced, while also pushing you through each stride and acting as strong shock absorbers.

These are some of the common issues that come with age that you can tackle to age help your feet age gracefully:

Fat Disappears – Human feet are blessed with collagen and elastin as a cushion for the foot, almost like a built-in insole on the bottom of your feet. As you age, the collagen production will decrease, thus thinning out these pads. Without such a cushion, your feet will start to ache and give you pains throughout the day.

The best way to work on a remedy for these aches and pains will be to wear comfortable, cushioned shoes that have gel pads and reinforced insoles.

Arthritis Develops – With all of the joints in your feet, you are bound to have some sort of issue with arthritis during the aging process. Arthritis is inflammation of the joints, causing pain and stiffness. This pain and stiffness may begin in the morning and lessen throughout the day as you move around, only to get worse later on at night. Your mobility can be greatly impacted by this in your older age.

To alleviate this pain and the likelihood of developing arthritis in your feet and ankles:

  • Begin exercises that will increase your range of motion. Ask your podiatrist for their recommendation.
  • If you are overweight, work towards getting to a healthier weight so your feet and ankles do not have to support more than is necessary.
  • Wear shoe inserts for additional support and padding.

Slower Circulation – There are a number of health issues associated with aging that can slow down your circulation, including both vein disease and diabetes. Slowed circulation to your feet can cause longer healing times from the restricted blood flow. If you have nerve damage, you could also be susceptible to infection or an ulcer that simply does not want to heal.

For this aging issue, it is always going to be best to consult a podiatrist who will be able to inspect your feet, give you the care that you need, and help educate you on the best ways to tend to your feet.

Let the professional staff and podiatrist in Mill Creek at Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic help you with all of your concerns and treatments to help your feet age more gracefully. Call us today at (425)482-6663 to request an appointment so that you can always put your best foot forward, no matter what your age may be.