Tips to ensure you step lightly (and brightly) into summer

Your feet do a lot of work, but come in for very little praise and pampering. They go about their business largely ignored, alternately plodding and powering you through your day. But you take them for granted at your peril.

Foot problems can quickly lead to discomfort and affect the way you walk. This can then cause knee, hip and back pain and, ultimately, a trip to the doctors (complete with comedy limp).

The good news is that you can avoid all this by investing a bit of time and thought into caring for your feet now. Simply follow these easy tips from NHS Choices’ Live Well experts (nhs.uk) and you’ll be skipping through summer with the lightest of steps

1. Wash your feet every evening with soap and water, then dry them well, especially between the toes (a sneaky hiding place for germs) before applying a moisturising foot cream (not body lotion).

2. Gently remove hard skin and calluses with a pumice stone or foot file regularly. And trim your toenails regularly, making sure to cut straight across, never at an angle or down the edges.

3. Shop for shoes in the afternoon as feet swell as the day goes on.

4. If you have to wear heels at work, wear comfortable shoes to and from the office and only wear your smart shoes once you’re there. Also, try to regularly vary your heel height.

5. Wear high heels and pointed shoes for special occasions only, and always wear the right shoes for the job (so no sandals for mountain climbing).

6. Wear flip-flops in gym showers, around swimming pools and in hotel bathrooms. But don’t wear flip-flops all the time as they don’t provide enough support.

7. If you’re over 60, foot care becomes even more important as your skin thins, your joints begin to stiffen and your feet become more vulnerable to the cold. So, see a professional for a foot MOT every six months.