New York, New York (PRWEB) February 05, 2016 -- Regular gym users know the routine: each January, they see a swell in gym use and find themselves having to wait longer to access the treadmills. It’s a predictable trend. After the excesses of November and December, people make good on their New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and get in shape by joining gyms, starting new walking or running routines, or signing up for Zumba. And while this movement toward fitness is a step in the right direction, many new exercisers may be putting their feet, lower extremities, and entire bodies at risk by failing to follow some healthy preparations before heading for the gym.
The American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry (ABMSP) has issued recommendations for those embarking on a new fitness routine. These guidelines are summarized in a new “Stop, Look, Listen, and Learn” campaign the Board has adopted to help people maintain better foot health and better overall wellness. To protect feet and lower extremities while exercising, the Board recommends adherence to four simple principles:
• Stop before you start! Don’t begin a new exercise routine or make dramatic increases in your exercise level before consulting a podiatrist for a complete evaluation of your feet. Your podiatrist can help educate you on best practices in foot care and can help spot problems in their early stages—before they become debilitating. Stop right now, the Board recommends, and make an appointment with a podiatrist.
• Look for the right footwear. Good shoes will not only prevent foot pain—they’ll also help protect your feet against injury or future foot problems. The right footwear can even help improve your posture while exercising and reduce stress on your knees, back, and hips. Ask your podiatrist to make recommendations about the best types of shoes for your particular fitness level and exercise routine.
• Listen to your feet! Pain, discomfort, swelling, and even odor can be trying to tell you something about the health of your feet and legs. Pay attention. Ask your podiatrist for information on some of the most common foot problems that occur when exercising, including blisters, corns, calluses, heel pain, plantar fasciitis, and athlete’s foot.
• Learn best practices for foot health. Your podiatrist will help you understand why the foot is often a powerful indicator of overall wellness and how to ensure optimum health for feet.
“It’s very common for people to hit the ground running—literally—in January and February of each year,” said Caroline Tiglio, D.P.M., Diplomate of the American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry. “The holidays wind down and we look for ways to recover from excess eating, so often we see huge swells in physical activity at this time of year. But it’s incredibly important for people of all ages to pay attention to their feet and take steps to ensure foot health and protection from injuries.”
About ABMSP
The American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry was originally organized by podiatrists for the purpose of granting board certification to office-based and ambulatory foot surgeons. Incorporated in 1986 as the American Institute of Foot Medicine (AIFM), the name was changed in 1992 to better reflect its mission. The Board now offers certification to qualified podiatrists in all areas of podiatric practice: Primary Care in Podiatric Medicine; Foot and Ankle Surgery, both in a hospital setting and in outpatient facilities; Prevention and Treatment of Diabetic Foot Wounds and Foot Wear; and Limb Preservation and Salvage. The California Board of Medicine, through the California Board of Podiatric Medicine, has authorized diplomates of the American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry to advertise their certification from the Board in the State of California. Also, the Board’s certification examinations have been approved for reimbursement by the VA as an educational benefit for eligible veterans. The American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry is the only podiatric certification program accredited by URAC (formerly the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission) and by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under the ISO International Standards ANSI/ISO/IEC/17024:2003 for Accreditation for Bodies Operating Certification of Persons. For more information, visit http://www.abmsp.org.
Bonnie Hayflick, The American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry (ABMSP), http://www.abmsp.org, +1 (904) 679-5060, [email protected]
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