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Do Your Feet Change as You Get Older?

Here are six ways feet change with age:
1. Feet Flatten and Stretch
2. Fat on the Soles Deteriorates
3. Skin Becomes Drier and Thinner
There’s also a reduction in collagen (a protein that provides strength), elastin (a protein that provides elasticity), skin-cell turnover (the process of shedding dead skin cells and replacing them with new ones), and blood supply, Dr. Menz says. “The end result is that our skin becomes drier and more likely to develop calluses, takes longer to heal, and is more likely to develop infection,” he says.
4. Joints in the Foot Stiffen
It’s common for the joints in your feet to become stiff with age, mainly due to the cartilage (a connective tissue) that protects joints and bones wearing down and the decrease in the synovial fluid that lubricates the joints, says Michael Lacey, doctor of podiatric medicine, a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon with Northern Illinois Foot & Ankle Specialists in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
Ultimately, stiffer joints can lead to a reduced range of motion, pain while walking, an altered gait or balance, and an increased fall risk, Dr. Lacey says.
5. Muscles Weaken
6. Nerves Lose Sensation
The nerves in the legs and feet become less sensitive over time. As you age, the nerve cells gradually shrink and stop working properly, which makes the feet less able to detect pressure and vibration, Menz says. This loss of nerve sensation tends to happen around age 60, and you might experience it as numbness or tingling in the feet, Lacey says.