The festive season is well and truly here and for many of us this means Christmas parties galore, family catch-ups and hectic shopping expeditions. With all these activities our feet often take a beating. Here are our top tips for taking care of your feet this silly season:

• Exfoliate your feet regularly. Use a foot scrub or pumice stone to keep your feet feeling soft and smooth. If the build up of hard, dry skin is beyond the humble pumice stone avoid the urge to use sharp instruments on your feet. Instead, book in with a podiatrist for a professional treatment.

• Moisturise your feet daily. Be sure to apply cream to the soles of your feet as well as the tops and avoid applying moisturiser in between your toes as this can lead to fungal infection.

• Mix up your heel height. Ladies if you find yourself wearing heels more often during this period I recommend switching between higher and lower heeled shoes. Wear flats and trainers where possible, limit time in stiletto heels and favour wedges or block heels which offer more support. Calf and hamstring stretches daily can help with tight muscles caused by wearing high heels.

• Choose 5-free nail polish when painting your toenails. For more info on how to keep your nails healthy during the holiday season check out my post on Chief Active.

• Put your feet up. Warm weather and standing for long periods can lead to swelling in your feet and ankles. Elevate your legs above the level of your heart to reduce any swelling which may develop.

• The frozen water bottle trick. Freeze a bottle of water and roll it back and forth underneath the arch and heel to massage tired, sore feet.

• Be sun smart. The feet are often overlooked when applying sun cream, however, they are an area that is prone to skin cancers. Don’t forget to protect your feet from the sun this summer.

If you need further advice or would like someone else to take care of your feet this festive season don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be open for much of the holiday period. You can check out our Christmas opening hours in the previous post on the News page.

Seasons Greetings from the team at Integrated Podiatry Clinic!

Michelle