Protect Your Feet While Tackling Home Improvement Projects: MD Podiatrist

With the recent pandemic, many are still taking advantage of the stay-at-home-time to complete home and yard projects. Foot and ankle surgeons urge homeowners to take appropriate precautions to keep feet and ankles safe on any project by wearing proper footgear. Dan Michaels, DPM sees many patients coming in with foot and ankle injuries from home improvement projects gone wrong. “Feet may be the last thing people think about while working on home-improvement projects, but we see so many different types of foot and ankle injuries in our office ““ many of which can be avoided with proper shoe wear and extra caution,” Dr. Michaels says.
 
Dr. Michaels advises to avoid working in bare feet or in sandals when engaging in any projects around the house, even the projects that seem harmless such as power washing decks or using a ladder. According to Dr. Michaels, if not paying close attention while power washing and not keeping a firm grip on the machine, the washer can hit your own feet instead of your intended objects. “The pressure from a heavy-duty power washer is strong enough to take off the superficial layer of skin, especially on the toes. So, it’s best to wear fully closed-toed shoes to help avoid injury or damage to the skin,” he adds.