Help Your Feet and Your Heart

February is American Heart Month, and at Goldsmith Podiatry we know one way to both help prevent heart disease and improve the health of your feet is by being active. Physical activity can help you drop pounds or maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of heart problems and also aggravates podiatric conditions such as arthritis, plantar fasciitis, and flat feet. Physical activity also improves circulation, range of motion, flexibility, and balance. Not ready to commit to a full-on exercise program? Consider these simple ways to add activity to your day:

• Swap your desk chair for an exercise ball. Sitting on an exercise ball that’s rolling around causes you to keep moving and helps strengthen your core because you have to exert effort to stay in upright and in place.

• Walk while you talk. When making phone calls, pace around your home or office rather than sit. Go backward as well as forwards to help strengthen calf muscles.

• Start the day with some stretching. As you sit up and get out of bed raise your arms, bend over your legs, twist at the waist. Nothing dramatic—just a little loosening up to start warming up those muscles. Make the bed too—it involves walking, bending and lifting when you tuck the sheets in.

• Pick a far away parking spot. Instead of trying to get as close as possible to the door of the store or your office, park at the other end of the lot and speed walk in and out. It will be much easier to find a spot that way too!

• Instead of Happy Hour plan an Active Hour. Enlist some co-workers or friends and go for a brisk walk after work or enjoy a session at the skating rink or a dance class.

• Put your treadmill near your television and walk while you catch up on your favorite shows.

• Get off the bus or subway one stop early and walk the rest of the way to your destination.

If increasing physical activity causes pain in your feet or ankles, get it checked promptly by our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith or Dr. Rosanna Troia. Pain is your body’s way of telling you there’s a problem and should not be ignored. Contact our Upper West Side office for an appointment by calling: (212) 877-1002.