99 Capacities Series – Capacity #29: Avoid, Treat, and Soothe Foot Problems

The twenty-ninth capacity that I introduce in my eBook is that you must [be able to] avoid, treat, and sooth foot problems. In it I state that:

You must “avoid, treat, and soothe foot problems. Your feet rarely complain but you’ll know about it when a problem surfaces. In a grid-down scenario you could end up with unexpected foot problems due to a variety of reasons such as being on your feet all day when you’re not used to doing so or even working and walking in wet conditions without drying your feet. Remembering to care for your feet each night and stocking supplies such as moleskin are prudent actions.”

I pretty much said it all above. Most of us suburban folk (those of us with desk jobs anyway) are going to have a rude awakening when they find that they can no longer sit all day long and type away (me included). The difference between me and most desk jockeys, however, is that I fully recognize the importance of keeping my feet happy and health AND I know how to do it. I would suspect that many people will learn this harsh lesson the hard way and rather quickly.

In reality, it’s not really hard to care for your feet. Wearing good boots (or shoes) that fit and are comfortable will go a long way to keep the “dogs from barking” as it were. So, the question for you is, do you have any truly comfortable and durable shoes, or are they all fancy dress shoes or flip-flops? What about family members? Even a descent set of sneakers will work wonders. Of course, nothing beats a quality pair of work boots, especially for those adults who may be expected to perform outdoor activities in a disaster scenario.

Besides proper footwear, keeping your feet dry is critical… maybe even more important. Many military personnel are well aware of the potential for trench foot (consistently wet feet in even semi-cold consitions) and the problems it can cause. Look up a few pictures and you’ll see how gruesome it can be. Learn to care for your feet each and every day. Change and dry socks regularly. Some suggest not wearing socks (just shoes) if need be.

Learn to recognize other common foot problems, such as blisters, bunions, warts, athletes foot, and so on. Have moleskin and clotrimazole on hand for such problems. Get in the habit of dealing with these issues immediately. Feet problems tend to be difficult to deal with as time goes on, I would suspect due to their constant use. If necessary, inspect each family member’s feet every night. Make it a family drill… “present feet for inspection” sort of thing. They’re that important.

This boot care video by Dave Canterbury may be useful to watch. He gives some suggestion boots he likes and what you can do to keep your boots in top shape.

Note: This post is part of an ongoing series detailing the ideas from my free eBook, The 99 Capacities You MUST Acquire BEFORE Disaster Strikes You!, which you may freely download here.