Foot Health Tips for National Foot Health Awareness Month

April is National Foot Health Awareness Month and a time when the experts at the Bayhealth Wound Care Centers at Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus and Milford Memorial suggest people take a moment to stand up for their feet. According to the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, the average person takes 10,000 steps each day which adds up to more than three million steps per year.

Bayhealth Podiatrist Jamie Hopkins, DPM, said treatment is offered at both centers for chronic foot and leg wounds that are often caused by underlying conditions such as diabetes and vascular disease. "It is estimated that 25 percent of the 29.1 million people living with diabetes will develop a diabetic foot ulcer," he said. "Without treatment, the wounds can lead to amputation or death."

There are preventative measures everyone can do to improve foot health, Dr. Hopkins suggests the following tips:

• Check your feet for sores or other injuries every day. You may have an injury but cannot feel the pain.
• Wear properly fitting shoes that do not rub or pinch your feet.
• Always wear socks or stockings with your shoes, and never walk barefoot or while wearing just socks.
• Physical activity can help increase circulation in your feet. Consult your healthcare team to see which physical activity is right for you.

The Bayhealth Wound Care Centers offer comprehensive wound care and leading-edge treatments including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, negative pressure wound therapy, bio-engineered skin substitutes, biological and biosynthetic dressings and growth factor therapies.

For more information on the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers or chronic or infected wounds visit bayhealth.org/woundcare. To find a Bayhealth physician to fit your needs, call 1-866-Bay-Docs to learn about providers in your area.