I find it interesting how many people ignore problems with their feet and ankles. I have pain in my feet. My toe feels funny. My foot doesn’t feel good. My ankle is painful. I can’t walk because of the pain in my foot. My ankle is letting me down. All of this should lead us to suspect a problem, but most people turn a blind eye to their foot problems. If you have a toothache, go to the dentist. If you can’t see well, go to the eye doctor. If your child has a fever, go to your family doctor. So if you have pain in your foot or ankle, shouldn’t you go to a doctor who specializes in foot and ankle pain?

For some reason

 People have come to believe that painful feet are a part of life. Instead of seeking medical help, we adjust our activities to avoid pain. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met who have given up their favorite activities because they thought they no longer had the feet for it.

Sandy, one of my patients, once told me that she had been an avid runner in her youth, but had stopped running after college because her feet could no longer “take it.” She had never done anything about the pain in her feet, she said, except reduce her activities and wear “ugly shoes.” Because of her new sedentary lifestyle, she gained quite a bit of weight and now suffers from type 2 diabetes. Her primary care physician sent her to me to monitor the health of her feet, which are now in great danger due to her diabetes.

I am heartbroken that Sandy not only gave up something she loved, but also put her health at risk because of treatable foot pain. Since Sandy’s first visit with me a year ago, we have eliminated her foot pain, significantly reduced the risk of diabetic foot complications, Sandy has resumed physical activity and lost nearly 100 pounds.

Just yesterday

I had a patient who had just returned from a family trip to Walt Disney World. Jim was upset because his feet hurt so much after the first day that he spent most of his time sitting on benches while the rest of his family toured the park. I often hear similar stories. He admitted to having moderate pain in his heel before the trip, but since he had an office job, he never noticed the pain except when he went golfing, a hobby he had almost given up because of his busy schedule. So since his feet rarely hurt, he didn’t think it was much of a problem. The full day of walking through Disney World worsened his condition, and his heel pain became unbearable for the rest of the trip. Again, this could have been avoided if he had seen a podiatrist about his foot pain.

If you have trouble seeing when driving in the dark, go to the eye doctor and get glasses, even if you don’t suffer from the problem all day. If your feet hurt when you exercise, go to a podiatrist (podiatrist) and get treatment, even if you don’t have pain all day or every day.”

If you find yourself adjusting your daily activities or avoiding hobbies because of your feet, call your foot doctor Hixson tn today! Regardless of your age, your feet should not limit the way you live your life, but rather accompany you up every hill and into every garden that life has to offer. Take care of your feet!