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Fall Prevention is very important because as individuals age, they carry all the weight of the body on their feet. As feet get older, it becomes more difficult to handle the change in pressure points that effect the feet when walking or running because muscles weaken and nerves aren’t as efficient, which lowers the amount of sensation. Feet are also prone to inflammation because blood doesn’t flow as easily either. The heel also changes so that it no longer provides all of the cushioning effect that it once did. Arches don’t have the same character either and may lose their shape, causing flat feet. Toes have a propensity to curl inwards as the foot ages and women tend to develop bunions easier as well. All of these situations occur more readily as feet get older, making it easier for the elderly to fall at any given moment. It is therefore important to take care of your feet throughout the years because it’s the complications and injuries that make the pain worse. Our podiatrist, Dr. Joel S. Segalman, DPM at the Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC, can help to diagnose a wide variety of ailments in feet and provide excellent treatment plans in response. Please call or visit us at our Waterbury 203-755-0489 & Newtown 203-270-6724, Connecticut locations today so that we can diagnose any foot complications that may carry a chance of causing chronic pain in the future.
Prevention for these issues includes wearing shoes that have wide toe boxes with a soft sole, losing weight to reduce force on feet, utilizing orthotics which help to avoid falls due to the steadying effect that they have on the feet by reallocating pressure and exercising feet to compensate for muscle issues or toes curling inwards by picking up small objects with the toes. These methods can help strengthen the foot and prevent injuries, thereby lowering the chances of chronic ailments in aging feet. Please contact our offices today so that we can provide you with a great treatment plan geared for your feet’s long term health so that you can utilize your feet as you get older the way they were meant to be!