Protecting the Bones and Joints of Your Feet

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This month there are two health observances that can have a big impact on your feet. It’s Osteoporosis Awareness Month and National Arthritis Month. With 26 bones and 33 joints in each of your feet, we at Goldsmith Podiatry think this is an excellent opportunity to give our patients some information on bone and joint health.

Positive Lifestyle Choices

Like most health conditions, there are factors that increase your risk of osteoporosis (being a woman, having a small frame) and arthritis (age, family history and previous injuries) that you don’t have much control over. However, there are many ways you can reduce your risk of these diseases and it is never too early or too late to start. 

Two major areas of impact to focus on are:

Diet—in the cases of both arthritis and osteoporosis, maintaining a healthy weight and not allowing yourself to put on excess pounds (or losing pounds if your currently overweight) can reduce the strain on joints and bones in the lower extremities. This can result in less pain in your joints and a lower risk of fractures even if your bones are weakened. 

For Osteoporosis:

  • Eat a diet that contains enough calcium-rich foods (dairy products, leafy greens, fatty fish, almonds) to build and maintain strong bones. 
  • Be sure to get your daily dose of vitamin D as well because this helps your body absorb the calcium you are taking in. 

For Arthritis:

  • Avoid foods that are known to trigger inflammation, such as sugar, processed foods and fried foods. 
  • Add foods like berries, olive oil, whole grains and tomatoes that are known to reduce an inflammatory response in the body.

Exercise—a fitness regimen that has a variety of types of workouts will keep joints flexible and strengthen bones. Types of exercise to include are:

  • Weight bearing
  • Aerobic
  • Muscle Strengthening
  • Stretching

Partner With Your Podiatrist

One other very important way to protect the health of your joints and bones is to listen to your body and seek the advice of our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith and Dr. Rosanna Troia, when you have a concern. Soreness, stiffness, swelling and pain can all be indicators of a joint or bone problem. Early detection and treatment is likely to produce the best outcomes. Contact our New York office for an appointment by calling: (212) 877-1002.

Common Foot Conditions, Proper Foot CareGoldsmith Podiatry