Foot Pain and Aging: Understanding Changes in Your Feet Over Time

Your body changes as you age. Your feet change, too, and some can lead to foot pain. It’s important to understand how aging impacts your feet. Your podiatrist can tell you more. Dr. Tin Quach at Foot Center offers a wide range of podiatry services, including diagnosis and treatment of foot pain. He has two convenient office locations in McAllen and Weslaco, TX, to help you and your feet.

What You Need To Know About Foot Pain as You Age

Let’s look at some changes your feet will undergo as you age. As you get older, your feet can:

• Become wider and flatter, which usually means you need a larger shoe size
• Lose strength in tendons and ligaments, which means you may experience fallen arches
• Lose cushion and support because the fat pads on the bottom of your feet become thinner
• Experience thinning skin, which increases your risk of injury and infection

Medical conditions can also affect your feet. For example, diabetes can lead to painful neuropathy or loss of sensation in your feet. If you suffer an injury, you might not feel it. Arthritis can also affect your feet, leading to chronic pain, loss of flexibility, and decreased mobility.

As you age, you must visit your podiatrist at least once yearly for a thorough foot examination. You may need to visit your podiatrist more frequently if you have a chronic medical condition affecting your feet. Your podiatrist can develop a customized treatment plan to help you deal with foot pain associated with aging. Your podiatrist may recommend:

• Changing to more supportive, protective footwear
• Examining your feet daily for injuries and swelling

Your podiatrist may also recommend professional treatments such as:

• Custom orthotics and footwear
• Prescription anti-inflammatory medication
• Assistive devices to increase mobility
• Laser therapy to promote healing

Want To Know More About Age-Related Foot Pain?

Call Dr. Tin Quach at Foot Center to learn more about age-related foot pain and how your feet change over time. You can reach him in the McAllen, TX, office at (956) 682-4187 or in Weslaco, TX, at (956) 969-1063. Call today.