Many of the most popular New Year’s resolutions center around health. People resolve to eat better, move more, or lose weight. We’d like to propose adding a few more health-focused resolutions to your 2026 list.
Specifically, we have some easy suggestions you can implement to avoid foot and ankle problems this year. Here at Family Foot and Ankle Center of South Jersey in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Joseph DiMenna, DPM, and our team have extensive experience providing foot and ankle-focused services. Ideally, though, we’d like to set you up to avoid needing podiatric care this year.
With that in mind, here are four resolutions you can implement to protect your feet in 2026.
This simple focus helps you avoid athlete’s foot, nail fungus, plantar warts, and other infectious foot issues.
Fungi and viruses can thrive in damp areas, so change your socks if you notice that your feet are particularly sweaty. If you routinely experience damp feet, you might want to start carrying a spare pair of socks with you.
Equally importantly, wear shoes in damp areas like locker rooms and pools.
Letting your toenails grow too long heightens your risk for ingrown toenails. Once you can see a white tip on the nail, get out your clippers.
When you trim your nails, cut straight across instead of rounding at the edges. Leave the nail long enough so the corners sit atop your skin. This makes the nail less likely to grow down into your skin.
Proper, well-fitting footwear can help you avoid Morton’s neuroma, bunions, and even ankle injuries. The shoe should feel stable and comfortable, leaving you room to wiggle your toes. Steer clear of high-heeled and narrow-toed shoes whenever you can.
To avoid injury, make sure the shoe is up to the task. You want hiking boots to support your ankles on the trail, for example, or shoes with good tread if you’re navigating icy walkways.
If your shoes don’t feel like they give your feet proper support, ask our team about orthotics.
Maybe you stub your toe or twist your ankle. You can watch the pain to see if it subsides. If it doesn’t improve in a day or two, though, come see us. We can treat the injury to help your foot or ankle heal faster and with fewer complications.
These are just a handful of general suggestions. For more personalized guidance to help keep your feet and ankles healthy this year, call us. Reach out to our Family Foot and Ankle Center of South Jersey team today at 856-667-8222 to book an appointment.
