Video
Body Check: Feet
In this video Dr Christian talks about the importance of checking your feet. As feet are always hidden away in shoes, it’s easy to forget just how important they are. To check your feet follow Dr Christian’s simple step by step guide.
Check the skin for any changes and look out for anything that resembles athlete’s foot, corns, or verrucas. Also check for ingrown nails as they may need to be removed.
Remember to keep track of any pain, numbness, tingling, swelling or changes in shape, as these could be signs of other underlying conditions.
Add shoes to your checklist as bunions, crushed toes or even ankle problems can all be caused by inappropriate shoes. To avoid smelly feet, change your shoes regularly and keep your feet well ventilated.
We want to hear about your findings, so please click the link below and add your results to our national survey.
+++UPDATE+++
From the 15th – 21st April 2009 we conducted a health survey to find out what were the most common problems that afflicted the nation’s feet.
Over 83% of our respondents were female and the vast majority of these were women under 30 years of age. Shockingly, 25% of people who shared their results with us reported suffering from bunions or hammertoes – conditions which can be genetic but are more often caused by ill-fitting footwear and high heals. Both these conditions require some hefty surgery to put right, so give your feet a night off once in a while, and wear flat footwear whenever possible.
20% of people reported suffering from smelly feet – which is normally nothing to worry about but can be combated by ensuring that you change your shoes and socks regularly.
Flat feet affected around 14% of users, with 7.1% reporting swollen feet. Flat feet are common from birth but if they develop suddenly then you should go to your GP as there may be an underlying problem. Swollen feet can be a sign of lymphatic problems but can also be indicative of problems elsewhere in the body – including the heart, so if they persist, get them checked out by your GP.
Tingling feet affected nearly 1 in 6 people, and if this persists then you should definitely get them checked out as it can be a sign of arthritis, or diabetes.
Other results from the survey revealed that:
10.7% of people suffered with corns
6.8% are suffering with athlete’s foot
11.8% are suffering with verrucas
8.5% have infected nails
11.3% suffer from bunions
14.3% have developed hammer toes
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Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out the Channel 4 Health site or NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.
i have fungal nail infection which i ,ve had for 15 years gp won,t treat it on nhs says i need to go private. got to stage where i can,t wear flip flops on holiday very conscious of it.any suggestions really getting me down
hi im 14 when i sit down my legs start to go numb and tingle and my feet become very cold. I only horse ride once a week should i do more exersice?
Hi
I have a friend who has smelly feet. Sweats a lot and is wearing closed shoes and works for a very long period. The smell is very strong and pungent and leaves a scent behind. It also leaves the smell on anything the feet touches. Has to change socks all the time and has tried wearing different types of shoes but the smell just does not go!!!
Is there anything my friend can do? I feel embarassed for him. Help PLEASE??
Hope to hear from u asap
Hi, I've had a verruca on the edge of my heel since before 1991 and I'm so utterly tired of it. A G.P. had 2 goes at freezing it in 1991 with no effect and since then I've gone regularly to a private podiatrist who shaved etc and treated with alkaline pellets on several visits. Again , no change. I saw another podiatrist at a G.P.s practice and I cant even remember what he did -yet again no change. In between I've got thru tubes upon tubes of Bazooka (both strengths) and packets of 40% strength salicylic patches. I've tried suffocating it with duct tape and sticking plaster. I've followed a course of Thuja mother tincture with Thuja 6c pillules. I've shaved, pumiced and ignored it. Nothing has worked.
I watched EI videos on verrucas (repeatedly, like a woman obsessed) and finally decided to do as recommended and go see my GP again. Hopeful of an offer to laser or electrolically treat it, I sat there and felt my heart sink in a way words can't describe when hge calmly said there was nothing he could do , that it would go in it's own time. I'm 53, how many more years do I have to cope with the pain and discomfort? What's the longest known plantar wart life? I'm at at least 20 years into this one and it's affecting how i use my foot and how I put it on the ground.
I used to all wis were the same paire of shose but they smelled badly but i liked them as they were cumphy. But i did have them for 3 years. When i finaly put them in the bin my mum was verry pleased.
hi, both my big toes have swollen up by the toe nail and i have been to my gp but he couldnt diagnose it he gave me some pills but they havnt made it any better i dont think its due to ingrown tonails and it could be something to do with my cuticles it has been a couple of months now and they are sore whentouched or kocked. do you have any idea what mght be wrong
hi. when i am on the cross-trainer at the gym after about 15 mins, the bottom of my feet tingle? what is this?
i have extremley bad smellying feet after wearing shoes.
it gets so bad sometims my mum gets be to go and wash my feet in the shower, but even that doesn't help much! is there any way to stop the odour as it is getting embarsessing?
also i had this lump on the bottom of my foot, is hurts when i walk on it and is also slightly itchy, what is this?
thanks(:
xx
Hi ehhm
well it started about 3 years ago
My feet and hands swell up the hole time and there alway cold could you please help me?My ankles sometimes swell up aswell and its soo sore and annoying because one day id be as size 6 and the next i cant even get my shoes on!
Please help me its sooo sore thank you .
Hey,
i really enjoy your show, please could you make another!
I have a problem with my feet, i suffer with a case of verrucas, i have had them for many years and they have not gone away.
I have tried treatment for them, like the gel and freezing them at home.
Have you got any ideas of what i could do?
Thank you