Stepping up for National Feet Week

This National Feet Week, Age Concern Hampshire is highlighting the importance of foot health for older people. 

Healthy feet are essential for mobility, balance, and overall wellbeing, yet foot problems are often overlooked until they cause discomfort or affect independence.

Age Concern Hampshire offers professional foot care services provided by trained foot health practitioners, including foot health checks and toenail cutting.

These services help identify potential foot issues early and ensure feet are well cared for, keeping older adults mobile and comfortable.

“Our trained foot health practitioners provide expert care and advice, helping older people maintain healthy feet and independence,” said Michele Ralph, Foot Care Coordinator at Age Concern Hampshire.

National Feet Week encourages everyone to monitor their feet and seek professional advice when needed. Age Concern Hampshire’s foot care services offer reassurance, expert guidance, and essential foot care to support wellbeing.

To learn more or book an appointment, visit: https://www.ageconcernhampshire.org.uk/our-services-hampshire/footcare/ or call 01962 868545.

Boot on the other foot with VIVOBAREFOOT

This December the ultimate destination for barefoot movement opens in Central London. Based at Great Marlborough Street for a limited period of time, the first highly anticipated VIVOBAREFOOT pop-up store gives customers a unique opportunity to access a team of experts who, in a few minutes, can revolutionise their everyday movement technique.

VIVOBAREFOOT – the original and authentic barefoot shoe brand since 2003 – is on a mission to reveal the truth about barefoot movement. With the help of certified coaches, the pop-up shop will offer consumers a barefoot consultation in the Training Clinic with video gait and plantar pressure analysis, abolishing the many misconceptions around barefoot once and for all. All VIVOBAREFOOT certified coaches are personally instructed by Lee Saxby, acclaimed the world’s best barefoot coach by author of Born To Run Christopher McDougall.

Modelled on the original VIVOBAREFOOT Experience located on Neal Street, Covent Garden, the pop-up store is a stone’s throw from world famous Liberty department store and the vibrant buzz of Carnaby Street’s flagship stores.

Jonathan Pennington, Marketing Director at VIVOBAREFOOT comments: "We’re delighted to be launching the first ever VIVOBAREFOOT pop-up store and bringing the truth about going barefoot to an even wider audience through this unique environment. There is so much misinformation out there about barefoot movement and with the largest collection of barefoot shoes across performance, lifestyle and kids, we’re excited to be able to truly educate people about how learning to move barefoot can actually have life changing results.

"The hustle and bustle of Great Marlborough Street encompasses all that is great about London life and our spot, that used to be a hairdressers, is quirky enough to catch consumers’ imaginations."

VIVOBAREFOOT makes the most proprioceptive soles in the world giving the wearer the ability for their body to sense the forces acting on it. To learn more visit 14 Great Marlborough Street, London.

www.vivobarefoot.com www.facebook.com/vivobarefootshoes www.twitter.com/vivobarefoot

Let's do this toegether! Give your feet a treet. Keep them sweet

Are you an average person? If you are, you could be walking about 920,000 steps this summer. That's a lot of walking. And it makes sense to ensure that we make certain we have the right kind of footwear.

And foot specialist TOG is offering its Top Ten Tips for Tip Top Toes.

Dr. Paul Barratt, who is the Medical Director with TOG Orthotics, points out: “Every summer we see an increase of people visiting their doctors or pharmacists with foot complaints. It’s not that summer is a particularly dangerous season but because our feet are often something of an afterthought: people don’t tend to focus on them until they want to get them out on display.

“As with all aspects of health, an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure. That’s why we’re asking the nation to take on board our Top Ten Tips for Tip Top Toes. Our simple tips are so easy there’s no excuse for not following them. As we’ve seen this past week, even celebrities such as Victoria Beckham can suffer without proper foot care.”

Top Ten Tips for Tip Top Toes

1. Don’t ignore your feet. Really get to know them, and inspect them regularly. This way you’ll easily spot any changes in their appearance that could flag potential problems. Today’s red mark is tomorrow’s blister!

2. Dry between your toes. You wouldn’t wash your hands and not dry between your fingers, but not drying properly between toes is a common mistake that can lead to foot problems..

3. Moisturise feet daily – but not all over. You need to use lotions or creams on a regular basis – especially when wearing open shoes that can help the skin lose moisture. However, do not use lotion between toes (see above) or on nails, instead concentrate on the heels and soles of your feet.

4. Wear high factor (over 30SPF) suncream. The skin on your feet very rarely gets to see the sun and so it is not acclimatised and can burn easily. Nothing says ‘ruined holiday’ like swollen, sunburned feet.

5. Remove hard skin but ensure you do this gently. We know it might look tough, but under every bit of hard skin, there is a piece of soft skin just waiting to get out. With this in mind, remove skin gently, preferably when your skin is softened by being in the bath or shower.

6. Cut toenails properly. That is, straight across. Never cut the corners as this can lead to problems. File sharp edges, gently, with an emery board.

7. Keep feet dry. As a rule, feet don’t like moisture and it can lead to problems from blisters to infections. If your feet are ‘glowing’ and your socks or tights are sweaty, change them. Similarly, if your shoes get wet, allow them to dry out fully before wearing them again.

8. Wash – don’t soak – feet. Too much soaking can cause the natural oils in your feet to become unbalanced, leading to dry, cracked skin. Too much wet can lead to dry? We don’t make the rules, we just share them.

9. Don’t assume flat is best. While it is generally true that a flat shoe is better for your feet than a stiletto, don’t assume that flat necessarily equates to healthy.

10. Don't walk barefoot. A bit of an obvious one, but without shoes or sandals it is easy for your feet to get injured or infected. We all remember the days of verrucas and the rubber sock. Let’s leave those memories where they belong.

To find out more about TOG, and TOG GaitScan™, the most technologically advanced gait analysis system available in the world, please visit www.togorthotics.com.

(EDITOR'S TIP: When your shoes are soaking wet, stuff newspaper into the toes. This helps absorb water and helps shoes retain their shape. And apologies for the dreadful pun in the headline)