Many people tend to take their poor feet for granted until a nagging foot or ankle injury or other problem finally gets them to visit their foot doctor. A better strategy would be to have regular visits with your podiatrist to evaluate potential issues before they worsen and require more aggressive treatment or even surgery.

Here are 4 excellent tips to keep your feet happy and healthy:

1. Wear properly fitted shoes—Since your feet tend to become flatter and wider as you get older, always have them measured each time you buy shoes. You will also get the best fit by waiting till the end of the day when feet are larger to go shopping for shoes.
2. Maintain proper arch and metatarsal dome support—One of the significant causes of foot, ankle, knee, and back problems is not having proper arch support. Custom orthotic arch inserts can correct these problems. Specially made metatarsal lifts can be used under your toes to treat tendon imbalances and toe abnormalities.
3. Physical therapy exercises to increase strength and flexibility—Strength and flexibility exercises are an excellent way to improve the health of your feet and ankles. Rolling your arches over a tennis or golf ball can treat arch pain, and picking up small objects like marbles with your toes can improve hammertoes. Add calf exercises and ankle extension exercises for added resilience.
4. Lose that extra weight—Many of us are carrying around extra pounds that significantly increase the day to day pressure on your feet and ankles. Each pound of actual weight has the effect of three pounds of pressure on your feet. That extra weight and pressure increase injury occurrence and other foot and ankle conditions from calluses to arch pain.

If you are experiencing pain and discomfort in your feet and ankles, see your foot doctor for the proper diagnosis and treatment. Call Syracuse Podiatry, located in East Syracuse, New York. Dr. Ryan L. D’Amico, and Dr. Donal M. Erickson and their staff will help you diagnose and treat your foot or ankle condition. Call 315-446-3668 or make an appointment online today.