Age-Related Foot Changes - Topic Overview
Normal changes occur in your feet as you age.
- Feet tend to spread, possibly causing shoe size to change. Have your feet measured each time you buy shoes. Do not assume that your shoe size has not changed.
- The bottoms of the feet lose the fatty pads (especially the heel pad) that cushion the feet.
- Skin becomes thinner and less elastic and may get injured or infected more easily.
- Ligaments and tendons lose their ability to stretch normally (elasticity).
- Nails tend to get thick and brittle.
Medical conditions such as obesity, arthritis, diabetes, and poor circulation (in either the veins or arteries of the legs) may increase the risk of foot problems.
Myths About Exercise and Older Adults
Have you given up on exercise? A lot of older people do -- just one out of four people between the ages of 65 and 74 exercises regularly. Many people assume that they're too out-of-shape, or sick, or tired, or just plain old to exercise. They're wrong. "Exercise is almost always good for people of any age," says Chhanda Dutta, PhD, chief of the Clinical Gerontology Branch at the National Institute on Aging. Exercise can help make you stronger, prevent bone loss, improve balance and coordination,...
Read the Myths About Exercise and Older Adults article > >
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