Did you have a holly and jolly holiday season? Of course you did! Dressing up in ugly christmas sweaters, fuzzy hats, warm jackets… and probably some big, clunky, narrow boots. Our main priority is keeping the feet dry in the snow, but this often makes us forget about the importance of keeping them comfortable.
As footwear is the usual perpetrator in exacerbating calluses and corns on feet, the winter footwear makes our feet take a turn for the worse. Calluses and corns are hardened areas of skin that develop when we put too much pressure on them. When this occurs on the feet, they usually get worse because we are always standing on them and give them little room for rest. For people that are especially active, this can be painful to deal with.
Some other factors to consider in callus/corn development:
- Occupation and activities – such as sport or taking care of the kids
- The footwear used during such occupation and activities – safety boots, cleats, etc.
- The natural shape and bone structure of your foot
- Gait patterns and walking cycles
- Daily seated and resting positions
- Underlying biological factors
Foot Corn Treatment
The immediate solution for foot corn treatment is removal. As this is just skin, it is an easy and non-invasive task to perform. However, the causative factor is the pressure. If calluses and corns on feet are removed, they often come back, as their initial purpose was to try and protect the area underneath.
The long-term solution is always going to be offloading the foot. Sometimes it is as easy as paying attention to where you are putting pressure or the way you walk. Other times, it means changing the things you use to help take the weight off. A proper shoe can help guide your foot in the right direction, but if there is significant build up under the big toe, we may need a supportive insole to take the pressure off at that very spot instead.
When to See a BioPed Clinician
Although people may try to perform their own foot corn treatment through their own removal, this can be tricky, painful, and even dangerous. Our trained Medical Footcare clinicians can easily remove the offending callus and provide relief.
Post-care, Canadian Certified Pedorthists and trained staff can identify the biomechanical factors that contribute to calluses and corns on feet, and recommend footwear, supportive devices, or even create custom foot orthoses and insoles to redirect pressure.
If this sounds like something you are struggling with, book an appointment at your nearest BioPed location today!
