AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM
You probably don’t think much about your feet when they feel good. Then one morning you step out of bed and—ouch. Your heel hurts.
Or maybe your big toe has slowly started drifting sideways. Perhaps your toes are curling, your toenails are getting thicker, or that “little callus” has become surprisingly painful.
Foot problems become increasingly common as we age. Some are simply annoying. Others can eventually interfere with walking and exercise.
And once foot pain makes you move less, we have another problem.
Less movement can mean less strength, poorer balance, and eventually loss of independence.
So let’s give your feet a little attention.
Here are seven problems I commonly want people over 50 to recognize.
1. Plantar Fasciitis
If your first few steps out of bed in the morning feel like someone put a nail under your heel, plantar fasciitis may be the culprit.
The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue running along the bottom of your foot from your heel toward your toes.
When that tissue becomes irritated, you can develop pain near the bottom of the heel.
A classic clue is pain with those first few steps after getting out of bed or after sitting for a while. It may improve as you move around, only to return later.
Helpful measures often include supportive shoes, avoiding prolonged barefoot walking on hard floors, stretching the calf and bottom of the foot, and gradually strengthening the foot and calf. Ice to the area for 10-15 minutes 4 times a day can also help.
Recovery can take time, so patience matters.
Dr. Mike’s Take
Don’t assume every painful heel is a “heel spur.” The spur seen on an X-ray often isn’t what is actually causing the pain.
Treat the foot, not the X-ray.
2. Bunions
Look down at your big toe.
Is it beginning to point toward the other toes while a bump develops on the inside of the foot?
That’s a bunion.
The medical term is hallux valgus, but “bunion” is considerably easier to say before your morning coffee.
Bunions develop when the bones around the big-toe joint gradually shift out of alignment. Genetics and foot structure play important roles, while tight or narrow shoes can make symptoms worse.
If a bunion doesn’t hurt, it may not need treatment.
When it does hurt, start with shoes that have a wide toe box so your toes aren’t being squeezed together.
Pads may reduce pressure over the bump, but they don’t straighten the underlying bone.
Severe or persistent painful bunions sometimes require evaluation by a podiatrist or orthopedic foot specialist.
3. Hammertoes
Your smaller toes should generally lie fairly flat.
With a hammertoe, one of the joints stays bent, giving the toe a curled or hammer-like appearance.
Early on, you may still be able to straighten the toe. Over time, it can become increasingly stiff.
The biggest problem often isn’t the crooked toe itself.
It’s what happens when that raised joint rubs against your shoe.
That can lead to painful corns, calluses, redness, and irritation.
Again, footwear matters. Look for shoes with enough room in the toe box—both in width and height.
If the toe becomes painful, rigid, or develops recurring sores, have it evaluated.
4. Corns and Calluses
A callus is an area of thickened skin caused by repeated pressure or friction.
Corns are similar but tend to be smaller and more concentrated.
Your body is essentially trying to build some extra armor.
Unfortunately, that armor can become painful.
Calluses frequently develop under areas of the foot that receive extra pressure. Corns commonly occur where toes rub against shoes or against each other.
Properly fitting shoes can help tremendously.
And here is an important warning:
Don’t attack a corn or callus with a razor blade.
This is especially important if you have diabetes, poor circulation, or decreased sensation in your feet.
A minor cut can turn into a much bigger problem.
5. Toenail Fungus
You may notice that a toenail gradually becomes thicker, yellowish, brittle, or crumbly.
That may be onychomycosis—fungus of the toenail.
Toenail fungus becomes more common with age and can be stubborn to treat.
Sometimes the biggest issue isn’t appearance. A thick nail can become difficult to trim or can press painfully against a shoe.
Several treatments are available, including topical and oral antifungal medications, but treatment can take months because a healthy nail has to grow back, and often the infection comes back after 6-12 months.
And not every thick or discolored nail is caused by fungus.
If you’re unsure, have it examined before spending six months treating something you may not actually have.
6. Arthritis of the Foot and Big Toe
Your feet contain dozens of joints.
Those joints have been working every day for decades.
So it shouldn’t be surprising that arthritis can eventually develop.
One particularly common location is the joint at the base of the big toe.
You may notice pain, stiffness, swelling, or difficulty bending the toe—especially when pushing off during walking.
Supportive shoes can help. Some people feel better with a stiffer sole that limits painful movement through the joint.
Exercise is still important, but you may need to adjust activities temporarily.
If walking hurts, cycling, swimming, or other lower-impact exercise may allow you to stay active while reducing stress on the painful joint.
Remember This
Pain doesn’t automatically mean you should stop exercising.
It may mean you need to change how you’re exercising while you address the underlying problem.
7. Peripheral Neuropathy
This one deserves special attention.
Peripheral neuropathy means the nerves supplying your feet aren’t working normally.
Symptoms may include:
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Burning
- Pins-and-needles sensations
- Increased sensitivity
- Reduced ability to feel pain or temperature
Diabetes is one important cause, but there are many others.
The danger isn’t simply numbness.
Imagine developing a blister inside your shoe but not being able to feel it.
You continue walking on it all day. The blister opens. You still don’t notice.
Now you have a wound that could potentially become infected.
That is why anyone with significant neuropathy—particularly someone with diabetes—should regularly inspect their feet.
Look at the tops, bottoms, heels, and between the toes.
If necessary, use a mirror.
Dr. Mike’s Prescription
Give your feet a 30-second check regularly.
Look for:
✓ Blisters
✓ Cuts or cracks
✓ Redness
✓ Swelling
✓ Nail changes
✓ Areas rubbing against your shoes
✓ Sores that aren’t healing
Your feet don’t need a spa day.
They just need you to pay attention to them.
When Should You See a Doctor?
Most minor foot problems aren’t emergencies. But don’t ignore a problem that keeps getting worse.
Get medical attention if you develop significant swelling, redness or warmth; an open wound or drainage; sudden severe pain; a foot that becomes unusually pale, blue, or cold; persistent numbness; or pain that continues despite reasonable home treatment.
If you have diabetes, poor circulation, or significant neuropathy, your threshold for getting a foot problem evaluated should be lower.
A small problem can sometimes become a large one surprisingly quickly.
The Bottom Line
We ask an enormous amount from our feet.
They absorb thousands of steps, help us balance, carry our body weight, and provide the foundation for almost everything we do while standing.
And after 50, they may need a little more maintenance than they did at 25.
Wear shoes that fit properly.
Keep your feet and toenails clean.
Maintain ankle, calf, and foot strength.
Don’t ignore persistent pain.
And occasionally take 30 seconds to actually look at your feet.
Because keeping your feet healthy helps you keep walking.
And walking helps you keep living independently.
That makes taking care of your feet a pretty good investment.