80% of foot problems occur in women. And no prizes for guessing why. Yes, the problems are usually caused by high heels. In fact, the modern high heels damage the feet as much as the tiny bound feet of women in ancient China!
However, men are not spared from foot problems as well. Obese guys, beware! The extra pounds you put on will put extra pressure on your feet. Guys who choose improper shoes will also end up having foot problems.
Some common foot problems:
- Ankle sprains - caused by ankles that "rolled over", causing swelling and pain. Mild sprains can be treated with RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation). Most atheletes and dancers are well familiar with this easy, yet effective, treatment.
- Bunions - you sometimes see this women (and men), who loves to wear narrow pointy toes shoes when their feet are broad. The improper footwear will cause the bones in the toes to tilt outwards, creating a hard bump (also painful). Can be treated with cold compresses and most importantly, the proper footwear
- Corns and Calluses - both are hardened skin layers. Corns appear at the toes, and calluses at the bottom of feet. Usually caused by improper footwear. Can be removed corns/calluses removers and daily foot scrub
Ingrown toenail and nail fungus - Ingrowns occur most commonly in the big toe, where daily pressure causes nail to grow into flesh. When you have thickened and discoloured toe nails, it may be a symptom of nail fungus, which can be treated with over the counter anti-fungal cream. For ingrown, proper trimming of nails and soaking of feet before trimming toe nails may help.
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