Aging takes its toll on your feet and ankles as it does with the rest of your body. Taking good care of ourselves is the best way to ensure good health into our senior years. But we usually don’t think of our feet until something goes wrong. Given the amount of stress we put on our feet in a lifetime, it’s easy to see why certain foot problems seem unavoidable. In addition, to wear and tear, there are natural changes that occur with the aging process that affects foot health, making problems like swelling and certain skin conditions more prevalent.
Common Skin Problems of Aging Feet
Skin changes occur gradually occur with aging. They include: decreased skin cell turnover, decreased collagen production, and thinning of the skin, with a decrease of the fatty layer beneath. These changes bring about several typical foot problems, which deal with extra stress from weight-bearing.
Dry Skin of the Feet
Dry skin, especially on the soles of the feet, is a problem that may require a daily application of a moisturizer to prevent cracking or an itchy rash. The decreased fatty layer beneath the skin means reduced cushioning on the sole of the foot, which also contributes to cracked heels and calluses due to extra stress on the skin. In addition, the decreased fat pad on the sole of the foot may contribute to an increased sensitivity to pain due to that loss of cushioning. More: Coping with Dry, Cracked Feet