crane@faant.com.
Best regards
Dr Marybeth Crane
http://www.faant.com
Are Your Feet Vacation Ready?
Although rest and relaxation are the goals for most
vacations, they usually involve a lot of walking and a lot
of walking usually involves sore feet.
"Walking is great exercise and one of the most reliable
forms of transportation," says Marybeth Crane, DPM, FACFAS,
a foot and ankle surgeon with Foot and Ankle Associates of
North Texas, LLP in Grapevine, Texas. "But if your feet
aren't in the best shape or you don't have the right shoes,
too much walking can cause foot problems."
According to Crane, good foot care is essential if you plan
to subject your feet to long periods of walking. Some
simple foot care tips include:
1. Wear thick, absorbent socks (acrylic instead of cotton)
and change them often!
2. Dry feet thoroughly after bathing, making sure to dry
between toes. Use powder before putting on shoes and even
anti-perspirant on your feet if you sweat profusely.
3. Nails should be cut regularly, straight across the toe.
Check for ingrown toenails and avoid cutting them too short.
4. Moisturize your feet regularly and watch for athlete's
foot fungus infections.
5. Massage any aching muscles after exercise and apply ice
to any sore joints for at least 15 minutes.
6. Bunions, hammertoes or any other serious foot problems
should be evaluated by a podiatric foot and ankle surgeon
prior to your planned vacation. Custom in-shoe orthotics
can help balance your feet so your walking vacation can be
more enjoyable and pain free!
"The right shoe is also important to healthy walking," say
Crane. "The ideal walking shoe should be stable from side
to side, and well-cushioned, and it should enable you to
walk smoothly. Many running shoes will fit the bill." She
adds there are also shoes made specially for walking.
Walking shoes tend to be slightly less cushioned, yet not
as bulky, and lighter than running shoes. Whether a walking
or running shoe, the shoes need to feel stable and
comfortable.
Never wear new shoes for the first time on vacation. Always
"break them in" for at least a week to make sure the fit is
proper and there are no seams rubbing! Blisters can put a
damper on a vacation!
Also, two pairs of shoes can be very helpful in making your
vacation more comfortable. After a vigorous day walking,
your shoes need almost 24 hours to dry out and become more
functional.
Warming up exercises to help alleviate any muscle stiffness
or pulled muscles is also advised before walking. Loosening
up the heel cords (Achilles and calf) and thigh muscles
before a walk is especially effective.
"If you're not accustomed to long walks, start slowly and
rest if your feet start hurting," says Crane. "And above
all, have fun."
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Your feet should last a lifetime! For more foot health tips
and doctor-approved foot care products, visit
http://www.faant.com or read my blog at
http://www.myrundoc.com
