Footcare for Men
Seeing a Podiatrist is not just for women! Men can also experience various problems with their feet. Certain foot issues tend to affect men more than women, although anyone can suffer from them. Sometimes men leave things till last minute or until they get painful! Please don’t make this mistake with your feet because these conditions will not get better on their own!
Footwear
Men don’t really need to worry about damaging their feet from wearing high heels, but they can still choose the wrong footwear for their feet. Let’s not forget the wiggle pickers!
Oxford style, brogues, snickers, converse, and loafers are not always as supportive as you think they may be. I would suggest discussing your individual needs with a podiatrist and get advice on how to choose the right footwear that provides stability and cushioning to your feet.
Gout – Footcare for Men
This is a quite painful form of arthritis whereby uric acid deposits accumulate in the big toe joint. The pain can be very intense and there is also swelling and tenderness of the joint. It feels like your big toe joint is on fire! Gout certainly affects more men than women. There are a variety of causes including too much alcohol or red meat (high sugar and fat levels) and lack of exercise. Fortunately, gout can be treated or even prevented by regular exercise and improving your diet.
Achilles Tendinitis
Achilles Tendinitis is a very common overuse injury. During walking and various sporting activities, the Achilles tendon is under constant pressure and stress, especially if your calf muscles are tight. This stress causes inflammation and pain. The tendon can even rupture, which can lead to significant loss of function and disability.
Again, the right sports shoes are essential to protect your feet from impact and for balance and support. Together with the right warm-up and cool-down exercises, this goes a long way to minimising the likelihood of Achilles problems.
Hard Skin, Corns, and Calluses
Hard skin, corns and calluses are caused by friction and pressure on your feet when you walk. That can be a result of your individual foot mechanics or the type of shoes you are wearing.
Corns will not simply disappear without treatment. You can help reduce corns and callouses by soaking your feet in warm, soapy water to soften them. This can make it easier to rub the corn or callus with a pumice stone or on emery board to help remove a layer of toughened skin.
The best treatment for corns and calluses is to have professional treatment by a podiatrist!
Fungal Infections
Fungal infections thrive in dark, warm, and moist environments like people’s shoes and socks. They present with brittle and discoloured nails. In many cases the skin is affected as well. Athlete’s foot infections are very common for both men and women. Symptoms include red, flaky and itchy skin, especially around and in between the toes.
Treatment includes various creams and ointments. In most cases the creams /ointments /sprays need to be applied for several weeks, especially if the infection has been lurking for some time. Your podiatrist should be able to advise you what the best course of action should be.
Ingrown Toenails – Footcare for Men
Men tend to pay less attention to their toenails in comparison to women. As a result, they often try to fix things by themselves when painful, especially teenage boys!
Ingrown toenails are very common amongst 13-16 boys! Cutting your nails too short or down the sides can lead to ingrown toenails. My advice is to see a podiatrist as soon as you notice any redness and inflammation around your nails.
If you are experiencing any discomfort in your feet, we are more than happy to help. Give us a call today on 01455 246100 to chat through your needs.
We offer treatments for nails, hard skin, ingrown toenails, sports injuries, and advice for people with Diabetes. With our expertise and experience, you will have full peace of mind when it comes to your foot health.
For more information about our range of treatments, please contact us on 01455 246100. We would love to help you with any foot health issues you may have.
Thank you for reading – Footcare for Men.
Faye Vogiatzoglou
Clinical Director