CARE OF THE BODY’S INDIVIDUAL PARTS: FEET

Although certain foot conditions require the attention of a doctor, most of them can be prevented or helped by things you can do yourself.

The shoes you wear

First of all, wear correctly fitted shoes. If your foot is normal, choose a flexible shank shoe with rounded toes and a straight inner border. It should be long, wide, and deep enough not to cramp the toes or restrict the circulation. The cut of the vamp and the trimmings and straps of women’s shoes often interfere with the circulation. Shoes should be small enough to fit snugly around the heel and provide some support. Medium heels are best, and rubber ones provide good cushions for walking on hard surfaces. Alternating between high and low heels is certainly better than wearing high heels all the time. In the summer, your feet need better ventilation, so your shoes should be roomier and made of lighter, more porous material.

If you think your feet are not normal, do not buy any kind of ‘remedial’ shoes or get arch supporters without consulting a doctor. You may be ‘correcting’ the wrong thing; or your troubles may be due to something other than the shoes you are wearing.

You may stand or walk too much on hard surfaces. Walking around a little helps to relieve the strain of standing. Putting your feet up on a couch or footstool for even a few minutes’ rest at a time often does wonders. You may not be standing or walking properly. When you stand, your feet should be parallel with each other, not toeing out. When you walk, your footprints should make tracks that would almost touch a straight line drawn between them, with the heels just a trifle farther away from the line than the toes.