Fax: (239) 692-9436
Tel: 239-430-3668Step Into the New Year with Healthier Feet
December 13 2025
This New Year, prioritize your foot health with 5 foundational resolutions like purging worn-out shoes, listening to pain, and committing to daily checks to enjoy your active Florida lifestyle pain-free! Dr. Ron Adduru of Family Foot & Leg Center urges you to make this investment in your long-term mobility and schedule a check-up to keep your vehicle for life running smoothly!
Dr. Ron Michael Adduru, DPM
Dr. Kevin Lam, DPM, FACFAS
The new year is a time for renewing focus on the health. While most people resolve to hit the gym or overhaul their diet, a crucial part of wellness is often overlooked: the health of your feet.
As a podiatrist in Sarasota, Florida, at Family Foot & Leg Center, I see the impact that neglect can have on these foundational structures. Your feet are complex biomechanical marvels, and they bear the burnt of every step. For our active Florida lifestyle – from Siesta Key Beach strolls to marathon training – healthy feet are essential.
This year I urge you to make profound resolution: prioritize your foot health. It’s not about dramatic changes: it’s about establishing sustainable, foot-friendly habits. Here are the top five resolutions I recommend for a healthier year.
Resolution 1: Make Footwear a Foundation
Poor-fitting or unsupportive shoes are the primary cause of foot problems I diagnose, including plantar fasciitis, bunions, and painful neuromas.
Resolve to purge your closet of worn-out or ill-fitting shoes. Athletic shoes lose their shock absorption and support long before they look damaged – typically after about 400 miles, or six months
of regular use. Wearing them risks an overuse injury.
Choose the right tool for the job. Don’t wear flimsy sandals for a long walk. Invest in supportive, activity-specific shoes. When shopping, have your feet measured and shop later in the day when your feet measured and shop later in the day when your feet are slightly swollen. Focus on comfort and support, ensuring room to to wiggle your toes.
Resolution 2: Commit to Daily Foot Checks and Hygiene
It’s easy to forget about your feet until they hurt, but daily inspection is your best defense against serious issues, particularly with conditions like diabetes
Resolve to check your feet every day.
Look for cuts, blisters, swelling, re prevents minor issues from escalating. For instance, an unnoticed blister can become a serious infection, a concern 
relevant in our warm climate.
Your hygiene routine must be diligent:
Wash thoroughly, paying extra attention to the areas between your toes.
Dry completely. Moisture between toes encourages fungal infections like athlete’s foot.
Moisturize our heels and soles to prevent cracked skin, but avoid applying lotion between the toes.
Trim toenails straight across to prevent painful ingrown nails.
Resolution 3: Listen to Your Pain – Don’t “Walk It Off”
This is the hardest resolution for active Sarasota residents: resolve to stop ignoring foot or ankle pain.
Many believe that heel pain from running or a persistent ache is “normal.” Persistent foot pain is not normal. Pain is your body’s alarm system. Trying to “muscle through” can turn simple tendonitis into a chronic issue or a stress reaction into a fracture.
If you experience pain that lasts more than a few days, or if you notice significant swelling, numbness, or redness, schedule a professional evaluation. An early diagnosis of conditions like Achilles tendonitis or plantar fasciitis allows for conservative treatment, getting you back on your feet faster.
Resolution 4: Introduce Gentle Foot and Ankle Strengthening
As you pursue broader fitness resolutions, remember that your feet have muscles that need strengthening and stretching.
Resolve to dedicate five minutes a day to foot exercises. Simple routines can improve flexibility, stability, and reduce your injury risk:
Towel Scrunches: Use your toes to scrunch a towel on the floor toward you.
Ankle Alphabet: Sit and “draw” the alphabet with your foot to engage the ankle’s full range of motion.
Calf Stretches: Use a wall or a stair step to stretch your calf and Achilles tendon, vital for preventing heel pain.
If starting a new high-impact routine, pace yourself. A sudden increase in activity can overload your feet. Gradually increase your mileage or intensity to allow your foundation time to adapt
Resolution 5: Schedule a Foundational Foot Health Check
Your annual physical checks your heart and vision. This year, resolve to schedule a check-up with a podiatrist.
This is especially critical if you have diabetes, arthritis, or are over 50. even without pain, a podiatrist can perform a biomechanical assessment, check circulation, evaluate the need for custom orthotics (to correct walking patterns), and detect subtle issues before they become major problems.
The new year is an opportunity to invest in your long-term mobility. By focusing on supportive footwear, diligent hygiene, recognizing pain, and building strength, you are safeguarding your ability to remain active and enjoy Florida living in Sarasota County.
Your feet are our vehicle for life. This year, give then the care they deserve.
If you are experiencing symptoms, contact Dr. Adduru’s office at (239) 430-3668 (FOOT) or visit www.NaplesPodiatrist.com to schedule an examination.
Serving Southwest Florida Since 2005, Family Foot & Leg Center has multiple convenient locations throughout Collier, Lee, Charlotte, and Sarasota Counties. Offering pediatric to geriatric family care: Ingrown Toenails, Heel Pain, Bunions, Foot / Ankle Arthritis Pain, Plantar Fasciitis, Foot / Ankle Surgery, Custom Orthotics, and Diabetic Wound Care. In office X-rays, ultrasounds, and minor surgical suite exam rooms. Practice powered by EMR and advanced technologies.
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