Your feet undergo changes as you age just like the rest of your body does. You may start having more problems with your feet as you get older, and instead of ignoring foot pain, it's a good idea to see a foot specialist for treatment.
Foot pain might make you unsteady and increase your risk of falling. You might also become less active if your feet hurt when you walk or stand for very long. Here are some foot problems you might have as you get older and things a foot specialist can do to help.
Loss Of Fat In Your Feet
It's common to experience fat loss in your feet when you're older. With less fat on the balls of your feet or your heels, you may have pain more often when you walk. Once you know you have this problem, you might be able to reduce your foot pain by wearing shoe inserts with padding.
Your foot specialist might recommend the right inserts to buy or they might make custom orthotic inserts when necessary so you can walk in comfort. Your foot specialist might even consider a fat transfer that adds fat to the bottom of your feet where your fat pads have worn down.
Fascia And Tendon Pain From Wear And Tear
If you've abused your feet over the years by wearing flat sandals, heels, or other shoes that don't support your feet, you could have damage to the fascia or tendons in your feet. This can cause chronic heel pain. Your podiatrist might recommend orthotics to relieve your pain, night splints to sleep in, or treatments such as platelet-rich plasma injections that may help your tissues heal.
Corns And Injuries That Go Unnoticed
When you're older, you may not notice small injuries very well. This could be due to loss of some sensation in your feet or circulation problems. Loss of sensation is even worse if you have a medical condition such as diabetes. You might also have a harder time taking care of your feet if you can't bend down very well or have difficulty with baths.
These situations can lead to cuts, infections, corns, blisters, and even ingrown toenails. You may not be aware of what's causing your foot pain, or you may not have any pain at all. That's why occasional foot checks by a foot specialist are a good idea when you're older.
Your foot specialist may need to trim your nails for you, advise you on the right socks and shoes to wear, and offer treatments for dry skin, heel cracks, injuries, or infections you have on your feet. For more information, contact a foot specialist near you.
