There is a lot to enjoy during this season: holiday preparations and celebrations, brisk walks on cool days, catching up with family and friends—but wintertime can also put a strain on your feet. At Lansdowne Podiatry, we want you to enjoy the best of everything and keep your feet healthy and feeling great, so we’re offering a few tips:

1. Make Good Footwear Choices: With all the extra hours on your feet—shopping for gifts, standing on lines, socializing at parties, cooking—shoes that fit your feet properly are a must. Choose styles with roomy toe boxes and heels no higher than 2 inches. Icy mornings can mean slick pavement so be sure your shoes provide good ankle support and soles that won’t send you sliding. If boots are your fashion footwear of choice this season, make sure they have good arch support to keep pressure off toes and heels. If you’re unsure what footwear is best for your feet, ask our board qualified podiatrist, Monique Renee Rolle.
2. Keep Feet Dry: Thicker socks and higher indoor heat settings can make feet sweat. Trapped inside your shoes, bacteria and fungi have the perfect environment to grow and thrive, leading to athlete’s foot and fungal toenails. Change your socks frequently when your feet sweat.
3. Exercise: Exercise helps stretch joints and ligaments and maintain healthy foot function (not to mention how it benefits the rest of your body as well). Holiday schedules and colder temps can tempt you to slack off from your usual exercise routine. Remember too, that all those extra holiday goodies can pack on extra pounds that put added stress on your feet and ankles. Sticking with your exercise plan will also help keep the pounds off.
4. Moisturize: Winter air and heated homes, stores and offices dry our skin. On the feet, that can lead to cracks or fissures in the skin which are painful and also provide an entry point for infection-causing bacteria. Diabetic patients have to be especially careful to keep feet moisturized and watch for any signs of cracking which can lead to serious medical conditions.
5. Rest: Many common foot problems from plantar fasciitis to bunions are relieved with rest. Be sure you allow time during this busy season to put your feet up and give them a chance to recover from all the increased activity.

It’s not uncommon for minor foot problems to become major or new conditions to crop up at this time of the year. If you are having any pain in your feet, toes or ankles, contact our Leesburg office for an appointment today.