Winter Foot Woes!

Winter foot woes!

After a very mild start to the winter, the colder weather has very much kicked in now, and if the forecast is to be believed, it may be a very cold winter that we are in store for!

So now is as good a time as any to talk about those winter foot woes that we can suffer with at this time of year.

Chilblains

These are a problem that we see a lot of at this time of the year. Chilblains are caused when the small blood vessels near the skin surface in the extremities (mainly fingers and toes) contract due to the cold, then expand when warmed. They can be made worse by some medications, including beta blockers.

The best way to avoid chilblains is to keep your feet warm (but not too warm!) and ideally avoid abrupt changes in temperature. Warm socks and shoes with a thick sole will help, as will warm clothing in general to keep your core temperature up. We have some great blogs with more information here.

Cracked heels

Heating in our houses, especially underfloor heating, can make dry skin and cracked heels worse. Just because it isn’t warm and sunny, doesn’t mean your skin can’t suffer! In winter we tend to keep our feet out of sight and out of mind, which isn’t the best thing! Winter is a great time to take care of your feet. Applying a good moisturiser daily will help to keep the skin in good condition and those pesky cracked heels at bay. We love Flexitol and Gehwol foot creams, as they come in a few varieties to suit your skin type.

Footwear

This can be a big issue in winter. Our top tips would be –

• A good, thick sole (to keep your feet protected from walking on cold, frozen ground)
• A good grip on the sole (to help to stop you falling!)
• Plenty of space inside the shoe or boot (to allow for thicker socks to keep feet warm)
• A deep toe box (to avoid pressure on the nails which can cause issues)

Socks

As well as footwear, socks are important to keep your feet healthy in winter. We recommend –

• Natural fibres such as bamboo, wool or cotton (helps to wick moisture away from skin)
• Layers (sometimes thin layers of socks can work well to keep feet warm)
• Changing socks daily
• Wearing bed socks if you suffer with especially cold feet

We love our Bamboo socks which we have in clinic available to purchase.

We are available all year round for foot care advice and treatment, but if you are suffering with your feet this winter, why not come and see us?