5 Ways to Take Care of Your Feet Every Day

1.Wear Socks We've already covered the importance of shoes, but socks can be easy to overlook. They're an integral part of your daily foot care routine. Not only do they protect your feet from wear and tear, they absorb and wick away moisture. Socks also play a vital role in absorbing and drawing moisture away from your feet. For basic day-to-day wear, use socks made with natural fibers like cotton or wool. They're absorbent and will eventually wick moisture away from your feet to the breathable portion of your shoes (leather or mesh). For high-performance socks, there are synthetic materials made for athletes that are better at wicking moisture away because the material don't compress as much as natural fibers do when saturated with sweat.

2.Moisturize Moisturizing your feet seems to contradict everything we've told you about keeping your feet dry. Why would you add extra moisture? The wear and tear endured by your feet each day can result in areas of dry, cracked or scaly skin. If you live in a warm, sunny climate and wear sandals frequently, this problem may be significantly worse.

3.Wash Your Feet Every Day Even the most conscientious and clean person among us skips washing his or her feet in the shower every now and then. It can be a pain. It's really important to the health of your feet, though. Your feet spend most of every day trapped inside a pair of shoes. All the moisture and sweat provides fertile ground for bacteria to grow, and the spaces between your toes are even more hospitable for bacteria and fungi. When you don't wash your feet, you're letting that stuff accumulate from day to day. That leads to unpleasant foot odor -- and eventually to fungal infections and other skin problems. You don't need a special foot wash to clean your feet. Just make sure you give them a thorough soaping, especially between your toes. After your shower, it's equally important to dry your feet (between the toes again) to prevent trapped moisture from letting all that bacteria hang around. Foot powder can keep them dryer longer, too.

4.Take a Walk This might seem counterintuitive, since walking puts stress on your feet. The muscles in your feet are just like any other muscles -- they need exercise to stay strong. You can't really lift weights with your foot muscles, so the best way to exercise them is to just take a walk. It doesn't have to be a long walk, but taking one every day will keep those muscles firm and keep your tendons and ligaments flexible. That can prevent fallen arches later in life. And your dog will thank you for it. If walking causes sore legs or feet, there are a couple of extra steps you can take to improve the problem. Arch support inserts can keep your feet in the proper position to support your weight during walking. Many stores have special measurement devices that will tell you which type of support is right for your foot. If you've been doing a lot of walking on pavement, your feet might not be up to the impact. Try walking on grass, dirt or a soft cinder track for added cushioning.

5.Wear Comfortable Shoes Wearing the wrong shoes can affect many aspects of foot health. First, your shoes must fit. Shoes that fit too tightly can cause hammer toe, corns, ingrown toenails and general foot pain. Overly large shoes prevent your heel from settling in the proper place as you walk, causing blisters and calluses, sore heels and excessive shoe wear. Remember that your feet "stretch out" late in the day, so go shoe shopping after work, when your feet are at their largest. You might gain a half size as you age as well, so your usual size from 10 years ago might not be your correct size today. Some shoes are bad for your feet even if they fit properly. Wearing high heels frequently can cause damage to the bones of the foot. They're fine every once in a while, but you should find a comfortable pair of flat-soled sneakers for everyday wear.