Your 2023 Holiday Shopping List
Thanksgiving is behind us, and the holiday shopping season is in high gear. Whether you’re headed to the mall or shopping online from home, you have so many opportunities to give gifts that will foster great foot and ankle health among your family and friends. Here are five suggestions from Dr. Stavros O. Alexopoulos:
- Custom orthotics: If someone you know is living with foot pain, there’s a good chance that it can be resolved with orthotics. These aren’t just one-size-fits-all inserts that you buy off the rack at a big box store or pharmacy. These are medical devices prescribed and provided by a podiatrist. Orthotics can help correct posture and gait and relieve discomfort caused by bunions, hammertoes, plantar fasciitis, and more.
- Warm socks: Everyone likes toasty feet, especially in the winter. For some people, especially those with diabetes and circulatory ailments like Raynaud’s disease, this isn’t just a matter of seasonal discomfort. Those illnesses impede blood flow and can lead to chronically cold feet. They can also make it hard for small nicks and cuts to heal properly. Socks will not just keep feet warm; they’ll protect them from injury. Remember to choose a pair made of wool, which will wick away moisture and reduce the likelihood of fungal infections.
- Slippers: Slippers don’t just keep feet warm. Every year, millions of people are hurt in falls around the house. One of the best ways to prevent ankle sprains and fractures of the small bones of the feet is to wear thick-soled shoes or slippers at home.
- High-quality foot cream: This time of year, cold temperature and reduced humidity in the air can combine to create extremely dry skin. On the feet, this can cause heel cracks, painful fissures in the skin. Not only are these uncomfortable, but they can also allow pathogens entry to the body and contribute to infection. An ointment or cream that combines both an emollient for skin softening with a humectant to retain moisture is most effective. Choose an unscented product for maximum comfort. Those perfumes can sting!
- Toenail clippers: If someone on your list is still using scissors for trimming, they’re at increased risk of ingrown toenails. Instead give them a pair of clippers made just for the job.
Of course, the best gift you can give to ensure great foot and ankle health is a ride to the podiatrist’s office. Call the friendly My Chicago Foot Expert staff at (773) 561-8100 or click here to schedule an appointment with Cook County podiatrist Stavros O. Alexopoulos, DPM in our modern, comfortable Ravenswood office today.
