As a podiatrist, we’re always striving to keep your feet healthy. Many times we see patients who believe their feet are far healthier than they actually are, because we all take our feet for granted and chalk little things up to aging or just normal foot pain. The bottom line is: foot pain is NOT normal, and if you’re experiencing it then your feet aren’t healthy.

In order to find out if your feet are healthy, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you regularly avoid walking long distances due to foot pain?
• Do you experience foot pain in the morning when you first get out of bed?
• Is it difficult to find shoes that fit comfortably due to your foot shape?
• Do you have dry, flaky itchy skin on your feet?
• Do you have chronically sweaty/smelly feet?
• Are your toenails raised or yellow?
• Do you have bald patches on your toes (hair loss on the ‘knuckle’)?
• Do you experience foot numbness at any point throughout the day?
• Do you have black spots or lines under your toenails or anywhere on your feet?
• Do you feet frequently cramp up?
• Do you have any sores on your feet, in particular sores that won’t heal or are chronically in the same spot every time?
• Are your feet always cold?
• Do you have any pitting or cup shaped dents on your toenails?
• Do you find it difficult to stand for long periods of time?
• Are you finding it harder to participate in athletic activities as you get older primarily due to ‘having to pay for it’ with foot and ankle pain the next day?

If you answered YES to any of the above, you need to see a podiatrist! The symptoms listed above range from mild to concerning, and something as simple as hair loss on your toes can reflect a much larger issue like PAD (peripheral arterial disease). Your feet are your foundation, and should be supporting your pain-free for your entire life, and with regular checkups at a podiatric office you can rest assured that they will!