Tips for Spring Foot Care

Spring is an exciting time. The flowers are blooming, the trees are growing their leaves, and the weather becomes warmer and more inviting. All of these factors work in harmony to urge you to take your exercises out of the house and into the outdoors to enjoy the fresh air. While sitting or reducing your exercise during the winter months, your lower limbs and feet can weaken a bit and become more susceptible to injury or general foot pain. Whether you are trying to help increase your general outdoor activity or are beginning a brand new workout regimen, use caution! Even beginning with simplistic exercises that require repetitive motions can cause sore feet or worsen or cause new injuries such as:

• Achilles tendonitis
• Plantar fasciitis
• Shin splints

Regardless of whether or not you are an experienced athlete, it is imperative that you are cautious when increasing physical activity. To prevent pain in feet, begin by:

• Warming up and stretching before exercise
• Wearing supportive shoes that are right for what you are doing
• Increasing exercises gradually
• After your activities, wearing Foot Alignment Socks will ensure that your toes are well positioned and ready for future activities

By establishing a proper foundation at the start of your training, you are reducing your vulnerability to fit injuries or afflictions such as hammer toes or improper toe alignment.

The Right Footwear

You will know that you are wearing proper footwear when the shoe fits comfortably, helps to stabilize both your feet and your ankles, and allows your limbs and feet to work properly during any activity. Do some research or schedule an appointment with a podiatrist to determine the right shoes for you. Podiatrists can also deliver advice on training at the right pace, warm ups, stretches and other ways to avoid injury.

Treatment

Should you become injured, act in the following ways:

• Refrain from intense physical activity
• Rest the injured part of the body
• Use cold packs or ice to reduce swelling and pain, but ice for no more than 15 minutes at a time
• Ingest anti-inflammatory medicine

If you are experiencing severe foot pain, serious bruising, discoloration, loss of stability or any symptom that lasts longer than a week, meet with a podiatrist to ensure your cause of foot pain will not turn into a catalyst for chronic foot pain. They will offer a number of treatments and devices to support you while you heal.

Spring is the perfect time to enjoy nature and get active again. That said, remember to keep in mind the need to start off slowly and gradually increase your level of activity. This includes warming up and stretching. Get the right footwear to help prevent injuries from occurring. Wearing foot alignment socks that help to align crooked toes will help increase circulation while resting after a workout is another excellent way to ensure that you are caring for the health of your feet from start to finish--not just in the spring, but all year long!