Kelly Murray knows all about pampering and taking care of others, except for when it comes to her receiving it.

Murray, a 45-year-old Navy nurse of 26 years, has had a common task for her personal life and her job — take care of others in need. As a nurse, Murray takes care of the sick and wounded in the United States and internationally.

When she’s home with her family she’s busy making sure all is well with her husband, John, and their three children — 17-year-old Linda, 15-year-old Christopher and 20-year-old Frank.

It was just less than a year ago that Murray received her first pedicure when she was stationed in Bahrain. She experienced that luxury only because a friend of hers there found out that she had never had one.

Now that Murray is back at home and planning to retire in December, Murray plans to get in the groove of relaxation and comfort.

Murray’s kick-off to replenishment has started with a gift from her husband. For Mother’s Day, John gave her a gift certificate for her and Linda to go to Still Waters Medical Day Spa. Even that was a task for Kelly to schedule.

“It took me a month to plan this,” Kelly said. “When you are a parent, you usually just put things toward your kids.”

As Kelly and Linda sat in their leather, cushiony seats with their feet and legs soaking in warm water, they reminisced about bad experiences they have had with their feet and how great it was to be having them be treated gently. Linda had had a bad experience a year ago in her color guard class that left a permanent bruise on her left big toe.

“It was the worst,” Linda said. “My entire toe was blue.”

Kelly’s toes used to be blistered from wearing her working boots. But she said eventually the blisters went away, and the boots felt relaxing on her feet. However, how she was beautifying her toes didn’t come by often, Kelly said.

“I may have some residual from several months ago,” Kelly said of the toe nail polish that was lingering on her toes.

On this visit, Kelly had another first — a massage. She and her daughter had a full body massage that they explained as “personal, but professional.”

“I really enjoyed it,” said Linda about her massage session. “I’m glad mom was there because it would have been a little bit weird. But I really loved it. I felt relaxed and pampered. Having someone rub on your feet is not a treatment you get all the time.”

Pedicures not only ensure you that your feet will look stunning in sandals. Pedicures are healthy procedures that provide comfort for the pair that are vital to your overall health.

According to Foot Care Direct during a typical day, feet endure a cumulative force of several hundred tons.

The average person walks approximately four miles every day or 115,000 miles in a lifetime. When someone is engaged in strenuous activities, the miles increase.

In the last 10 to 15 years, Americans are on their feet more. There is also more concrete in the country, which puts more wear and tear on feet.

Pedicures can be a good way to help keep your feet healthy, looking and feeling good. While the rest of you may not feel good just because your feet do, the rest of your body won’t feel good if your feet don’t.

PEDICURE BENEFITS AND TIPS

- All instruments should be new or sterilized prevent the spread of fungus or disease.

- A pedicurist should be licensed and accredited and make you feel comfortable. If you are not at ease with your pedicurist, you should not proceed with the pedicure.

- A pedicure should consist of soaking the feet, clipping and filing the nails, pushing the cuticles back, getting off the dead skin, applying lotion, a deep intense massage and polish (if wanted).

- Toenails shouldn’t be cut too short to help prevent ingrown toenails and says acrylic should never be applied to toenails.

- To avoid problems with feet such as bunions, there are preventive methods such as having a podiatrist evaluate what type of foot you have, wearing supportive shoes or arch supports, wearing good shoes.

-Shoes should always be broken in, and a person should be able to wiggle their toes to prevent hammer toes (curling of toes), toenail problems and metatarsalgia (painful ball of foot).

- Soaking feet is a good way to keep them soft and clean, but not drying your feet really well, especially in-between the toes, can lead to problems such as athletes foot and other foot funguses. Adding lotion afterward is good, too.

- According to Foot Care Direct, more than 70 percent of all people in the United States will have painful foot problems at some time during their lifetime. Foot pain is not normal.

- Foot care is also very important to people with diabetes. Tingling and numbness of toes and in the foot should be warning sign for everyone.

-Neuropathy is the leading cause for amputation in the nation.

- Taking care of your feet is an important way to stay active and healthy. Buy shoes that are comfortable and have good support and are the right size. If you walk or run, stretch your feet first and always break in shoes before extensive use.

Source: www.footcaredirect.com

BE A FOOT-FRIENDLY SHOE SHOPPER

The best time to buy shoes is at the end of the day because your feet will be swollen and the shoe will fit better. According to Foot Care Direct, there are three tests to determine if a pair of shoes is good:

1. Test the heal by squeezing it — it should be firm.
2. Test the sole by twisting it in the middle — it should not move.
3. Where the big toe joint would be, bend the sole of the shoe — if the center buckles, it is not good. Only the toe of the shoe should bend.