April 28 marks World Safety and Health Day at Work and the Illustrious Official College of Podiatry of the Valencian Community (ICOPCV) has stressed that the feet are one of the parts of our body most affected by accidents. labor.
«Every year, we observe in statistics related to safety and health at work, that about 15% of occupational diseases affect the feet. This requires that we pay close attention to how to properly care for and protect them to promote their health, which, once affected, can become disabling in extreme cases.declared Jorge Escoto, podiatrist and member of the ICOPCV board of directors.
The College of Podiatry of the Valencian Community has prepared this decalogue with essential recommendations to protect the health of the feet in work environments:
1- Correct choice of footwear. The most common foot injuries are usually due to sprains, accidental cuts or punctures, abrasions and crushing caused by falling objects. So that these accidents do not considerably increase their severity, the protective factor against external agents provided by work footwear is very important.
2- Work footwear promotes safe walking on different surfaces and environments. nothing work, no discomfort appears.
3- In relation to the materials and its design, it is advisable that it be made with a comfortable and breathable material such as leather, avoid using a shoe or boot made with plastics and that the sole be made of semi-rigid, non-slip rubber.
4- Periodically, the condition of the soles of the safety footwear must be evaluated and, if it is worn, it must be renewed to avoid possible slips.
5- It is also important that its length and width are adequate (that they respect the length and width without being loose or tight), with a correct upper height and that it has a rounded toe, as well as that its heel has a height between two and three centimeters and never greater than four centimeters. It is important that it has a rigid buttress that offers support, that is never open and that it offers good cushioning against impacts.
6- Adequate cushioning is achieved with an insole made with the appropriate materials. This, like the sole, must be checked periodically and evaluate that there are no sinkholes or breaks in the places of greatest hyperpressure of the foot, which are usually the heels and the metatarsal area. If we do not know which is the ideal insole for our foot, it is key to go to the podiatrist because depending on the characteristics that he observes, he will recommend the best in our case.
7- In addition, footwear must be flexible, comfortable and light so that during the NUTRITION
8- The sock is the garment that is in direct contact with our feet and must meet certain characteristics to improve, minimize and prevent pathologies inherent to the use of work shoes and work. It is recommended to opt for fibers that promote the expulsion of sweat and prevent the foot from soaking for much of the day and, in turn, that maintain body heat. Their height will be according to the shaft of the shoe, they must have no seams and it is advisable that they have reinforcements in the toe and heels because they are the points of maximum impact.
9- An inappropriate shoe harms the health of workers because it will affect the integrity and health of the foot in various ways.
10- Not all feet can wear the same shoes. Therefore, if in doubt, receiving advice from Podiatry professionals will be of great help to recommend the most appropriate work footwear according to the specific characteristics of each person’s foot.
«There are various studies that show that, although this type of footwear is essential to protect the health of the feet, it can also cause adverse effects such as hyperhidrosis, hyperkeratosis, onychocryptosis, nail discoloration and fungus. Therefore, it is of great importance to choose it appropriately and thus avoid these types of consequences.concluded podiatrist Jorge Escoto.
