Foot care – articles and advice
Foot health
Advice and features on keeping your feet healthy, from common conditions to preventative care. For structured information, see our Patient Information Leaflets on foot care.
Foot health
Good foot health involves daily hygiene like washing and drying feet thoroughly, wearing properly fitting shoes and socks, and regularly moisturizing dry skin.
Foot healthHow to keep your feet healthy this summerWe all know about using sun cream, aftersun, and moisturiser to protect ourselves against harmful UV rays. But what about looking after one of the most hardworking and underrated parts of the body - your feet? A qualifie...
By Julian Turner
Foot healthWhat your shoes can tell you about your feetAs the saying goes, good shoes will take you to good places. However, as well as signalling your lifestyle and sense of fashion, your footwear can in fact say a lot about the state of your feet.
By Allie Anderson
Foot healthWinter foot care mistakes to avoidAs the cold weather starts to bite, it's important to wrap up and take care. But - whilst we might pull on our winter scarves and gloves - many of us neglect our feet at this time of year. We look at common winter foot c...
By Gillian Harvey
Foot healthAnatomy of the footIt may surprise you to know that the foot is one of the most complicated structures of the body. It contains a lot of moving parts - 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 ligaments. Such complexity is necessary because the fo...
By Laurence Knott
Foot healthHow to find the perfect running shoes for your feetWhether you've only just decided to take up running, or have long been in training for a marathon, having the right pair of trainers can make a big difference in keeping injuries at bay. But before you think about buying...
By Ross Davies
Foot healthHow to keep your feet problem-freeThey're as far away from your eyes as they can be and still be part of your body, but that's no reason to ignore your feet. They work hard every day, supporting all your weight, and a little TLC can go a long way.
By Sarah Jarvis
Foot problems
From verrucas to plantar fasciitis, many foot problems can be treated simply. Learn how to keep your feet healthy and avoid pain.
Foot problemsWhat’s causing your foot pain?From stabbing heel pain first thing in the morning to burning sensations in the ball of the foot, the way your foot hurts can reveal a lot about what's going on underneath. Understanding these symptoms can make it easier...
By Sarah Jarvis
Foot problemsWhy caring for your feet is so important if you have diabetesIt can be hard to understand that a condition which affects how your body processes sugar could be dangerous for your feet. However, foot problems resulting from diabetes can have life-changing outcomes.
By Gillian Harvey
Foot problemsWhat's causing your cold hands and feet?The most common answer to the question "What's causing your cold feet?" or "Why are my hands and feet always cold?" is usually, "Being a woman!" Yes, women are naturally inclined to have ice-blocks for feet and hands. Bu...
By Sarah Jarvis
Foot problemsTips to prevent common foot injuriesFoot injuries are both very common. Yet many typical foot injuries from running or playing sports - or just from daily life - are preventable. Here's how to keep your feet healthy and avoid injury.
By Abi Millar
Foot problemsPlantar fasciitis: how to ease pain and find the right treatmentPlantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain, caused by inflammation of the tissue at the bottom of your foot. The pain is caused by small tears and inflammation in the plantar fascia (the tissue that supports the ar...
By Gillian Harvey
Foot problemsSigns you need to see a podiatristWe've all experienced aching feet from time to time - perhaps at the end of a hard day. And none of us are strangers to a blister or two. But what about other aches, pains and other problems presenting in the feet? We lo...
By Gillian Harvey
Foot problemsDo your feet get smellier in winter?Think smelly feet is only a worry during the warmer months? Think again. But if you've noticed an embarrassing odour from your socks and shoes, there are plenty of things you can try.
By Natalie Healey
Foot problemsWart and verruca treatment optionsWarts are very common and usually harmless. Warts on the feet are called verrucas (or verrucae) and are sometimes painful. Warts and verrucas usually disappear without treatment but can remain for a long time. There are...
By Colin Tidy, MRCGP
Foot problemsWhat it's really like to live with goutNobody knows what a condition really feels like unless they experience it themself. This applies to the medical profession as much as anyone else, with the added bonus that doctors who have 'got the T-shirt' are in a goo...
By Laurence Knott
Foot problemsVideo: Foot pain exercisesThere are two main aims of physiotherapy for plantar fasciitis. The first is to control inflammation; the second is to stretch the muscles and connective tissue in the calf. Symptoms of plantar fasciitis are often brough...
By Lilly Sabri, MHPC
Foot problemsHow to stop your child catching a verrucaVerrucas are very common in children and teenagers – around one in three will get them. They’re actually warts on the feet, caused by the human papillomavirus, but they don’t look like normal warts because they’re presse...
By Danny Chadburn