HOW TO CREATE A DESIGNATED SPACE IN YOUR HOME FOR FOOT CARE
Foot care at home can be a real pain at times, both physically and mentally. Homeowners often underestimate the power of creating comfort in their homes, but it’s critical to create a designated space for foot care. Use these tips to make your home feel like a podiatric sanctuary.
Find and Repurpose a Room
One of the easiest ways to create a designated space in your home for foot maintenance is by repurposing a room. Usually, the best spaces are spare bathrooms or a finished basement.
Either way, for maximum care, this area should be finished with counter space and at a lower level of your house. It’s especially important in podiatric practice to have a place in which you can move your extremities in a therapeutic fashion, so create room for physical activities.
After reviewing your home, perhaps your space isn’t what you thought it would be. If that’s the case, it might be best to take on some home projects to make it more comfortable for you.
Try repainting the walls or rearranging the layout of the room as an initial action. If that doesn’t do the trick, consider a complete renovation. This process will take the most time and energy of these options but will result in the most personalized space for foot care.
If you don’t have the energy or tools to DIY, try hiring a residential contractor. A contractor can develop your ideas into physical form while increasing the longevity of the results.
Gather Podiatric Tools
The next important step when preparing your space for foot care is owning the most essential tools. Podiatric procedures can be relatively complex, aiding everything from ingrown toenails to Achilles tendonitis. It’s important to have tools that focus on the physical state of your feet, while also preventing you from potential injury.
Try to implement the use of physical therapy instruments at home; this can drastically speed up your recovery time if an injury is to occur. Items like an antigravity treadmill, a small foam roller, and kinesiology tape are just some effective at-home therapy tools to prevent tarsal tunnel, tendinopathy, and ankle osteoarthritis. If you are focusing on stretches at home, check out these Amazon favorite stretching devices.
If you like to focus on nail care specifically, a lot of consumers like to buy pedicure kits with tweezers, files, and more. Some home care kits are more comprehensive than others, so try to purchase one that solves an array of challenges.
For example, a kit with primarily nail instruments will be less useful than that of a more diverse kit that includes exfoliating tools, anti-dry utensils, and lotion for your feet. Modern Podiatrist has developed a nail care kit with all of the essentials for at-home nail care.
Other examples of at-home gadgets that can reduce pain and swelling include a leg massager, a heated foot massager, and a foot scrubber. Keeping these gizmos in your designated space at home will make for a more engaging podiatric experience.
Check Your Existing Utilities
For at-home podiatric tasks, it’s best to have a place with access to clean, warm water, and efficient drainage. Begin by checking all of your existing utilities for any flaws; things like your furnace, water heater, and plumbing will need to be assessed. In order to test the health of your water, take a sample and send it to the Department of Environmental Protection.
Check your water heater for any leaks or flawed connections to ensure that the water you use to clean your feet will be soothing and relaxing. It’s equally important to inspect your pipes for any potential signs of blockage, while also watching what you throw into them.
If you’re unable to complete these objectives yourself, try finding a professional plumber to assist you in your efforts. They will not only help you fix any utility issues you may have but can also give you tips to prevent them from happening again in the future. In order to ensure consistent use of your utilities, use a home warranty. This plan can protect all of your appliances, especially your water pipes and water heater. Try to be as proactive as possible as these mechanisms are essential for foot maintenance.
Make Room for Organization
After you find your room and acquire the tools needed to make foot care at home possible, it’s imperative to consider space and storage ideas. It’s essential to create space for specific activities such as stretching, massaging, and testing mobility techniques. Try rearranging your space; move everything that is necessary for physical therapy in one area, then hide the smaller more intricate accessories in other designated storage spaces. Stay as organized as possible by consolidating your space. Try implementing wall cabinets and counter organizers around the sink to create the most ideal storage solutions for certain tool kits.
You may also want to consider labeling the most important tools for easy access. If you have designated tools for specific tasks, label them as such. Try DIYing your storage spaces as well; bathroom baskets and metal mesh holders are just a couple of tools that can help save useful space.
If you are not the DIY type, many local home goods stores have specific storage products designed for spaces around sinks and baths.
Consult With a Specialist
For every practice, it is best to consult with a professional within the field. If you think some of your devices are not designed specifically for a certain task, connect with a podiatrist to find what is most appropriate. They can also help you decide which tasks are best for you to do in your designated space.
It is extremely important to be transparent with your doctor. If you have certain issues at home that you can’t seem to solve, explain what is going wrong and what is going right. Walk them through your foot maintenance habits; this will give them the best chance to accurately diagnose the problems at hand.
If possible, show your podiatrist your foot care space within your home, this will give them further feedback to solve any issues that continue to occur. A podiatrist will be able to provide you with professional solutions such as routine checkups or more creative recommendations such as an at-home meal plan. Whatever the issues are, the best way to get the answers you need is to connect with a physician.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment to consult with a podiatrist, please call or text us at or schedule an appointment online!