Getting around on your own didn’t come easy to you when you were a toddler. Falling down was just part of your job as your muscles learned their way around this thing called “walking.” Fast forward to your senior citizen years, though, and no one thinks that taking a tumble is a cute thing.

Being able to walk around with confidence and without pain is a huge deal as you age. When your body is strong, your muscles toned, and your feet are healthy, you are better equipped to walk on your own well into your senior years – and that means a better chance at maintaining your independence.

Dr. Heidi M. Christie and Dr. Michael L. Rosenberg, the skilled podiatrists at Montgomery Foot Care Specialists, offer these tips to keep your feet strong and healthy as you age:

• Exercise your whole body. Keeping your entire body strong and lean is important. For example, if you have a strong core (meaning the muscles of the lower back and abdomen), your risk of falling will be greatly decreased. Not falling should be a major goal in older adulthood since it lowers the risk of broken bones in your ankles, feet, hips, and other parts of the body.
• Exercise your feet. There are so many exercises for your feet and toes! Get in the habit of doing them on a regular basis in order to keep them flexible and to ward off pain before it begins. They’re easy to do and you can even perform them while watching TV or reading.
• Eat a balanced diet. All the exercise in the world can’t really help a foot that’s undernourished. The bones, muscles, ligaments, and blood vessels can only do their job when provided with nutrients that a varied diet provides. Eat plenty of lean meats, vegetables, and fruits. Don’t forget the importance of staying hydrated as well! Finally, eating a healthy diet will help keep off extra pounds that stress our feet in so many ways.

Keeping all of your muscles toned and watching your weight are key elements to keeping your feet fit and maintaining your independence as you age. If you do experience pain, swelling, itchiness, or redness in your feet, visit Dr. Rosenberg or Dr. Christie at our office in Montgomery, AL. Call us at (334) 396-3668 or make an appointment online. We’ll do everything we can to help you get back on your feet as soon as possible.