5 Foot care tips for runners and you too!
Your feet are the foundation of your body. They keep you grounded, moving forward in life and get you where you need to go. Often times, they are one of the last parts of our body that we take care of. We often accept a bit of pain from our feet as part of everyday life.
These 5 tips will help your feet feel better, move you farther and faster with less pain and soreness and can help you enjoy life better through pain free movement.
- Be picky on your shoe selection
When you are choosing new running shoes (or everyday shoes), take time and find the right shoes for your feet. If you shoes are even a little bit too short, it will cause the tips of your toes to be pressed by the front of the shoe. This can lead to issues with your toenails, causing them to bruise and even turn black (yuck!). Shoes that are too wide, allow your foot to slide around too much, causing blisters. Shoes that are too narrow can cause pinched nerves, bunions, corns and calluses. Also, remember that over time, shoes can shrink when they get wet, and our feet can expand by up to 2 sizes. If you haven't been measured recently, you may be "ordering" the wrong shoe size.
- Choose your socks based on your activity
Cotton socks, while comfortable to wear, may not be the best for extended activity. If they become wet from perspiration, they can rub causing blisters, as well as not releasing the moisture back out through the shoe, keeping your feet damp. Acrylic can often be a better choice for activity, but keep in mind that the socks you wear for a 5-k in spring, may not be the best choice for a marathon in summer. You need to experiment and find the ones that are right for you.
- Rub it in, Rub it in
Softening you skin with a quality lotion will help to moisturize your feet, keeping your skin soft and supple. According to experts, the best time to apply a moisturizing lotion is right after a bath or shower, as it will help your skin retain some of the moisture that was just added by the water. If you are prone to blisters, applying a lubricant such as Bodyglide can help prevent them.
- Keep your feet dry
Most people will have some amount of sweat develop during running or exercising and breathable, moisture-wicking socks can help. However you may also benefit from waterproof running shoes if you are out in slush or puddles, depending on the time of year. Make sure you are wearing dry socks and that your shoes are dry before using again.
- Strengthen and align your toes
We posted a two part article in our blog previously on Foot Pain Relief Exercises, so we won't go over them again in detail here, but some of the basics that you can do are calf raises, toe extensions, calf stretches and top of foot stretches.
Additionally, the consistent use of your My-Happy Feet foot alignment socks can help to align and open up your toes. This allows increased circulation to help rejuvenate tired and sore feet and provide a passive stretch and massage the toes while you relax.