Crazy for Foot Care

Looking after one’s feet always seemed like such a straightforward business – clip your toenails semi-regularly, whack a bit of moisturiser on your heels from time to time, and avoid nail polish if you’re not going to remove it once it starts chipping. Nowadays, though, it’s a whole different story. Not only are toenails the new fingernails in terms of Louvre-worthy paint jobs, but there seems to be a trend taking off around ‘foot fitness’ and ‘foot wellness’.

As if general fitness and wellness wasn’t enough work, it now appears that I must focus these pursuits on my foot and ankle region as well. Don’t get me wrong; that makes total sense if you have an actual condition in that area, or are rehabilitating from injury or something. I’m not talking about regular podiatry programs. Cheltenham residents with genuine concerns about their foot health shouldn’t hesitate to look into what’s ailing them.

But that doesn’t mean they should be taken in by the new ‘foot club’ that’s just opened up on the main street. If you haven’t seen it, get down there and check it out – it’s truly bizarre. They have little Pilates reformers for your toes, foot-sized infrared saunas and flotation tanks, and even a Power Attack Kickboxing class specifically for feet. There’s also a shop where you can buy little branded leotards for your feet, so everyone knows you’re no slouch when it comes to foot fitness.

Like I said, there’s nothing inherently wrong with foot care treatments and products. Cheltenham, however, is perfectly well fitted out with at least one podiatry clinic, together with a number of full-body health clubs, so I really don’t see a gap in the market for this new venture. All it’s doing is complicating the business of self-care to an unnecessary degree, and wasting people’s money in the process.

I, for one, will stick with my online HIIT videos, off-the-shelf lotion and the occasional reflexology massage, thank you very much.