Bundled up in boots, swaddled in socks, battered in the gym: we don't care for our feet as much as we should. Podiatrist, Veronica Daniels joined the Ray D'Arcy Show to share her expert advice on how to keep your feet clean and healthy. Listen back above.
Being a wet and cold country, Ireland isn't the most feet-friendly place in many ways. We spend most of the year keeping them under wraps in boots, trainers and more, and the odd time they're out in the sun - in heels at special events or on the beach - we don't pamper them as much as we do our faces or body.
Adding to that, some people "visibly squirm" at the mention of the word, Ray noted.
Daniels has seen it all when it comes to feet, from ingrown toe nails to verucas, so she's best positioned to give us advice on caring for them. She said that when it comes to choosing the right footwear for ourselves, "we're better than we used to be".
She cautioned that we should be prioritising comfort over fashion when it comes to shoes, saying: "You should choose footwear for what you're going to do." She noted how people started wearing comfort shoes at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has helped.
Among the more common complaints are bunions, which Daniels explained are an orthopedic problem, where there's a change in the joint between the big toe and the base of the big toe. It's caused by "the way the foot's working", and specifically the way that the ankle is situation.
"Sometimes a person ankle hits the inside of the foot and the foot goes out, so they've an over-pronated or flat foot", she said, adding that it's a genetic problem.
Signs of a bunion include not being able to move the big toe well, discomfort and hearing a "click" when doing so.
Bunion correctors "do not work", she said, instead suggesting that those suffering with bunions see a professional.
Being flat footed can also lead to a build up of hard skin on the side of the big toe, where "toe is rubbing on the side of the shoe because the end of the big toe is moving and the joint ... is not moving, even though it's able to move".
Daniels suggested filing the skin down with a pumice stone, being careful not to over file it, and use an emollient to smooth the area. "If you use cream on that hard skin on a regualr basis, and I'm talking daily, it'll make a huge difference."
On the topic of shoes, should we ditch them entirely and go barefoot? Daniels noted that "our ancestors were walking on soft ground, not on concrete, and our shoes are our orthotics. They control our foot a bit, so they help".
"Barefoot on concrete, not a good idea."
One place that shoes are definitely recommended is around the pool, which can be a breeding ground for fungal infections, Daniels noted. Wearing flip flops, pool shoes or even a layer of Vaseline over the foot to create a "barrier" will help reduce the risk of catching an infection, though the latter will make your feet slippy so should be done with caution.
For more tips on keeping your feet clean and healthy, listen back to the full interview above.
Contact your GP if you think you may have a foot complaint.
