May be(e)s … and your feet
If there are two things that Covid has taught us it’s firstly that Life is full of uncertainties and secondly that we need to be alert to risks.
As I was racking my brain as to what to write about this month, I received the unwelcome news that the deadline for this article was being brought forward. Not exactly what I needed, and I confess it did cross my mind that maybe I should just not bother to submit anything this month. But then I thought of how my actions could have a long-term impact on someone’s life.
One of the most rewarding things about my work is hearing from someone, how my treatment, my article, my radio show, or my book has helped them to get better, be comfortable or achieve something they did not think they could. I love it when I get an email with a picture of someone at the top of a mountain or end of a race and them sharing it would not have been possible without my team’s help.
It was this “MAYBE” that got me thinking I should write an article about Maybes regarding your feet and I quickly realised it could become a very long article. Here are some of the ones I regularly hear patients say they have thought to themselves before seeing me.
Maybe it will get better by itself.
Maybe it’s normal.
Maybe it will go away.
Maybe new shoes will help.
Maybe I can save some money and get something from the pharmacy.
Maybe I should try some DIY treatment.
Perhaps (thought I’d throw that in to break up the monotony) you can relate and have found yourself saying these to yourself. The likelihood is that eventually you start thinking:
Maybe there is something wrong.
Maybe I should see a professional.
Maybe It won’t heal up by itself.
Maybe it will get worse.
Maybe it will get infected.
Maybe it will form a blister or an ulcer,
Maybe its not the shoes
Maybe my DIY is aggravating it
Maybe its not cheaper to get over the counter remedies.
Maybe it’s having a knock-on effect now on my other foot or my knee or hip.
And unfortunately if you have Diabetes you should always consider if maybe it will lead to an amputation.
You are probably like most people who have not placed much importance on your feet throughout your life. However, take a pat on the back from me for having made the effort now by reading this. There may well have been a time when you would not have ever thought about reading an article all about your feet and the chances are high the only reason you are now is because you have the beginnings of a problem or you are getting to an age where you begin to realize there is a distinct possibility that they won’t last you out.
One of the biggest problems with all these maybe’s is that they lead to procrastination in seeing a professional for an expert opinion on your issue.
Your Podiatrist might say. Maybe the way your foot is working will contribute to knee problems or hip and back issues later in life.
Maybe your toes will become deformed later forming bunions, hammer toes or claw toes.
Maybe your nails will get really thick, maybe the fungal nails will lead to athletes’ foot and then you may be prone to cellulitis.
May be the cracks in your heel will get infected.
Maybe that type of footwear will lead to you getting blisters on your next walking holiday.
Maybe you won’t heal up especially if you have diabetes.
Maybe you’ll need an amputation if you don’t take your diabetes and footcare seriously.
Don’t let your May be’s turn into If Only’s
Sadly, the Maybes that we often find ourselves advising you on are the very same maybes that our older patients have identified as their … if onlys.
Probably the best prompts to help younger people come and see us Podiatrists to get checked out (earlier than they might otherwise) are in the form of testimonials from our more senior clients.
I regularly hear my elderly patients saying.
“If only I had been to get checked earlier” or “I wish I’d known then what I do now “and sometimes “if only I had taken the advice I was given.”
They may continue with … “then may be my knees, hips or back would be better”, “maybe my toes would be straighter and my bunion not have got so painful”, “maybe the wound would not have got infected and would have healed up”. “Maybe I’d still have both my feet and not had to have an amputation.”
And ultimately maybe I would still be able to do the things I enjoy and wouldn’t be limited by my feet.
I think from my experience treating over a quarter of a million feet that often peoples relationship with their feet can quite nicely be summed up by this quote:
“Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves – regret for the past and fear of the future.”
Fulton Oursler
Maybe you can identify with some of those maybe’s above or perhaps the if only’s are resonating with you. Depending on your age it will probably differ which ones are most poignant but hopefully you will be able to be change the destiny of your feet and future mobility.
Remember also that neglect of the feet causing lack of mobility will have a likely impact on your general health too , most noticeably of your cardiovascular system and especially if you have diabetes.
I want to introduce you to a concept I encourage my clients living with Diabetes to adhere to – That is to live in The Diabetes sweet spot. This is the safest possible place a person with Diabetes can live in and can only be attained if 3 factors are present:
Knowledge of their Diabetes
Awareness of their personal risk
Taking relevant and timely action.
More info on this can be found in my book Undefeeted by diabetes
http://undefeeted.org/book.html
The more I see how this concept helps people with Diabetes live safer, in control of some of the very real dangers that diabetes can present, the more I realise that similar principles can be applied to a person’s feet to keep them safe and strong throughout life and able to do what their owner wants them to do all the way into a ripe old age.
In my forthcoming book “Who’s the Boss – you or your feet” A step by step guide to keep your feet healthy for life, I share my 33 years’ experience of helping people of all ages get the most from their feet. For some people that title can resonate at quite a young age but increasingly as a person gets older it becomes even more relevant and I’d like to encourage you whatever your age to get a check-up appointment with your local Podiatrist.
Just last week I had my car MOT done ( for readers outside the UK its a safety check cars need to get done annually to be allowed on the road) I felt pretty confident it would pass after all I had only just had new tyres some 3000 miles ago and I have it serviced regularly. In years gone by I’ve had some really old bangers held together by filler where I’d literally be praying for it to pass. Imagine my surprise and annoyance to find out that it did pass but that there was an advisory note on the new tyres.
At the last service I had been advised to get the tracking done but I didn’t take it seriously enough and it slipped my mind; the new tyres meant I was safe for the winter and only now 5 months further on did I find myself saying If Only I had taken the garage’s advice.
As I write this I am humbled as the parallels sink in – I was basically being a hypocrite as I had not acted the way I expect my patients to. Surely they understand the importance of what I tell them, that they realize the risk of not tackling the problem and the consequences of not taking my advisory appropriate action at the right time.
In my analogy I had been given the knowledge of what could go wrong with my car and what bad tracking can lead to. The mechanic told me that they had identified that there was a problem which needed addressing and that if I didn’t, it would cause further problems later and I was even told what action to take and that it should be done sooner rather than later. Now because I didn’t act appropriately I am paying the price. (several hundred pounds for new tyres that should have lasted 3 to 4 times longer.)
However where the analogy falls short is that I have the opportunity now to fix the problem where as with your feet it might be too late.
I had been given a perfect analogy to use in explaining the Feet Sweet Spot and I urge you not to leave it too late. Continue learning about your feet for example by reading articles here. Go and get a check up from your local Podiatrist or book an appointment with the clinic and learn your own personal risk when and how to take action. Then the final thing of course is to actually take the action.
Quote” If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.”
Mercedes Lackey
During the pandemic we have become more and more attuned to helping by virtual assessments so please do not hesitate to connect with me as we allocate some slots each week for people wanting to get a professional opinion on their problem from a distance.
( which by the way is great for me as feet can pong ) 😊
Please see below for ways to connect.
Most of all you are now empowered by knowing that your feet are important and hopefully this will be the beginning of the rest of your life’s journey looking after them starting with getting a professional’s assessment and advice.
To help you in this, Contact us at contact@circlepodiatry.co.uk for more information.
Our commitment is always making sure you keep on a strong footing able to continue doing the things you enjoy with those you love.
May be(e)s … and your feet
If there are two things that Covid has taught us it’s firstly that Life is full of uncertainties and secondly that we need to be alert to risks.
As I was racking my brain as to what to write about this month, I received the unwelcome news that the deadline for this article was being brought forward. Not exactly what I needed, and I confess it did cross my mind that maybe I should just not bother to submit anything this month. But then I thought of how my actions could have a long-term impact on someone’s life.
One of the most rewarding things about my work is hearing from someone, how my treatment, my article, my radio show, or my book has helped them to get better, be comfortable or achieve something they did not think they could. I love it when I get an email with a picture of someone at the top of a mountain or end of a race and them sharing it would not have been possible without my team’s help.
It was this “MAYBE” that got me thinking I should write an article about Maybes regarding your feet and I quickly realised it could become a very long article. Here are some of the ones I regularly hear patients say they have thought to themselves before seeing me.
Maybe it will get better by itself.
Maybe it’s normal.
Maybe it will go away.
Maybe new shoes will help.
Maybe I can save some money and get something from the pharmacy.
Maybe I should try some DIY treatment.
Perhaps (thought I’d throw that in to break up the monotony) you can relate and have found yourself saying these to yourself. The likelihood is that eventually you start thinking:
Maybe there is something wrong.
Maybe I should see a professional.
Maybe It won’t heal up by itself.
Maybe it will get worse.
Maybe it will get infected.
Maybe it will form a blister or an ulcer,
Maybe its not the shoes
Maybe my DIY is aggravating it
Maybe its not cheaper to get over the counter remedies.
Maybe it’s having a knock-on effect now on my other foot or my knee or hip.
And unfortunately if you have Diabetes you should always consider if maybe it will lead to an amputation.
You are probably like most people who have not placed much importance on your feet throughout your life. However, take a pat on the back from me for having made the effort now by reading this. There may well have been a time when you would not have ever thought about reading an article all about your feet and the chances are high the only reason you are now is because you have the beginnings of a problem or you are getting to an age where you begin to realize there is a distinct possibility that they won’t last you out.
One of the biggest problems with all these maybe’s is that they lead to procrastination in seeing a professional for an expert opinion on your issue.
Your Podiatrist might say. Maybe the way your foot is working will contribute to knee problems or hip and back issues later in life.
Maybe your toes will become deformed later forming bunions, hammer toes or claw toes.
Maybe your nails will get really thick, maybe the fungal nails will lead to athletes’ foot and then you may be prone to cellulitis.
May be the cracks in your heel will get infected.
Maybe that type of footwear will lead to you getting blisters on your next walking holiday.
Maybe you won’t heal up especially if you have diabetes.
Maybe you’ll need an amputation if you don’t take your diabetes and footcare seriously.
Don’t let your May be’s turn into If Only’s
Sadly, the Maybes that we often find ourselves advising you on are the very same maybes that our older patients have identified as their … if onlys.
Probably the best prompts to help younger people come and see us Podiatrists to get checked out (earlier than they might otherwise) are in the form of testimonials from our more senior clients.
I regularly hear my elderly patients saying.
“If only I had been to get checked earlier” or “I wish I’d known then what I do now “and sometimes “if only I had taken the advice I was given.”
They may continue with … “then may be my knees, hips or back would be better”, “maybe my toes would be straighter and my bunion not have got so painful”, “maybe the wound would not have got infected and would have healed up”. “Maybe I’d still have both my feet and not had to have an amputation.”
And ultimately maybe I would still be able to do the things I enjoy and wouldn’t be limited by my feet.
I think from my experience treating over a quarter of a million feet that often peoples relationship with their feet can quite nicely be summed up by this quote:
“Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves – regret for the past and fear of the future.”
Fulton Oursler
Maybe you can identify with some of those maybe’s above or perhaps the if only’s are resonating with you. Depending on your age it will probably differ which ones are most poignant but hopefully you will be able to be change the destiny of your feet and future mobility.
Remember also that neglect of the feet causing lack of mobility will have a likely impact on your general health too , most noticeably of your cardiovascular system and especially if you have diabetes.
I want to introduce you to a concept I encourage my clients living with Diabetes to adhere to – That is to live in The Diabetes sweet spot. This is the safest possible place a person with Diabetes can live in and can only be attained if 3 factors are present:
Knowledge of their Diabetes
Awareness of their personal risk
Taking relevant and timely action.
More info on this can be found in my book Undefeeted by diabetes
http://undefeeted.org/book.html
The more I see how this concept helps people with Diabetes live safer, in control of some of the very real dangers that diabetes can present, the more I realise that similar principles can be applied to a person’s feet to keep them safe and strong throughout life and able to do what their owner wants them to do all the way into a ripe old age.
In my forthcoming book “Who’s the Boss – you or your feet” A step by step guide to keep your feet healthy for life, I share my 33 years’ experience of helping people of all ages get the most from their feet. For some people that title can resonate at quite a young age but increasingly as a person gets older it becomes even more relevant and I’d like to encourage you whatever your age to get a check-up appointment with your local Podiatrist.
Just last week I had my car MOT done ( for readers outside the UK its a safety check cars need to get done annually to be allowed on the road) I felt pretty confident it would pass after all I had only just had new tyres some 3000 miles ago and I have it serviced regularly. In years gone by I’ve had some really old bangers held together by filler where I’d literally be praying for it to pass. Imagine my surprise and annoyance to find out that it did pass but that there was an advisory note on the new tyres.
At the last service I had been advised to get the tracking done but I didn’t take it seriously enough and it slipped my mind; the new tyres meant I was safe for the winter and only now 5 months further on did I find myself saying If Only I had taken the garage’s advice.
As I write this I am humbled as the parallels sink in – I was basically being a hypocrite as I had not acted the way I expect my patients to. Surely they understand the importance of what I tell them, that they realize the risk of not tackling the problem and the consequences of not taking my advisory appropriate action at the right time.
In my analogy I had been given the knowledge of what could go wrong with my car and what bad tracking can lead to. The mechanic told me that they had identified that there was a problem which needed addressing and that if I didn’t, it would cause further problems later and I was even told what action to take and that it should be done sooner rather than later. Now because I didn’t act appropriately I am paying the price. (several hundred pounds for new tyres that should have lasted 3 to 4 times longer.)
However where the analogy falls short is that I have the opportunity now to fix the problem where as with your feet it might be too late.
I had been given a perfect analogy to use in explaining the Feet Sweet Spot and I urge you not to leave it too late. Continue learning about your feet for example by reading articles here. Go and get a check up from your local Podiatrist or book an appointment with the clinic and learn your own personal risk when and how to take action. Then the final thing of course is to actually take the action.
Quote” If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.”
Mercedes Lackey
During the pandemic we have become more and more attuned to helping by virtual assessments so please do not hesitate to connect with me as we allocate some slots each week for people wanting to get a professional opinion on their problem from a distance.
( which by the way is great for me as feet can pong ) 😊
Please see below for ways to connect.
Most of all you are now empowered by knowing that your feet are important and hopefully this will be the beginning of the rest of your life’s journey looking after them starting with getting a professional’s assessment and advice.
To help you in this, Contact us at contact@circlepodiatry.co.uk for more information.
Our commitment is always making sure you keep on a strong footing able to continue doing the things you enjoy with those you love.