Whether you running, cycling or swimming, it’s important to look after your feet. Sometimes injury can’t be avoided but looking after your feet is no hassle especially if you follow our top ten footcare tips.
Find the perfect fit
Getting the right shoe is vital for being comfy on a run. Poorly fitting shoes can lead to a myriad of issues for your feet. Blisters, callus’ and sore to just name a few. Spend time trying out different styles and brands. Don’t worry about the name on your trainer but how it feels to wear.
Maintain your shoes
The average shoes can handle 350-500 miles. Your height, weight, and gait are all factors can all be factors to your shoes life.
To look after them don’t put them in direct sunlight or next to heaters to dry them. This can cause them to shrink and that means we’re back to step one, ‘finding the perfect fit’. Store them in your house. Leaving them outside in the cool causes the sole to firm up and can make them less cushiony.
Having more than one pair of running shoes can be a good idea if your serious, or getting serious, about your runs.
You also might like – Why gait analysis works!
Get the right socks
If you’re not wearing proper socks, the money you spent on your new snazzy trainers may as well be thrown out the window. Wearing socks that don’t properly fit is one of the lead causes of blisters and other running troubles.
Get breathable, lightweight socks made from a water-resistant material. Socks are much cheaper than your shoes so buy a couple and see what’s most comfy.
Soften your skin
Moisturise but keep them dry. You want the skin on your feet to be healthy because otherwise, it can crack. Not good!
Dry skin can lead to heel fissures which are where dry skin cracks and bleeds. This can throw you out of action for a while so it’s best to take care.
Cold therapy
Exercise causes parts of the body to warm up and therefore swelling. After a hard run, try soaking your feet in ice water for 15 minutes or so to reduce the swelling. This is known as cold therapy.
Avoid fungus
Fungi like athletes foot can be avoided by making sure our feet are dry. The fungi of athletes foot look for moist, warm places to breed and your feet are often they’re #1 pick.
Athletes foot is a painful infection that makes our feet red, itchy and can cause blisters on our toes and soles of our feet.
Regularly change your socks and use antiperspirants on your feet. Cleaning your feet after a run will also help prevent and infections, just make sure they’re completely dry!
Work out your toes
No, I’m not kidding.
Your feet contain muscles that can be worked out like the rest of our bodies. If your muscles around your feet are weak they won’t hold the foot in a healthy position while we run. This could result in injuries or running postural problems and therefore, more injuries.
A simple one to try is walking around on your toes. For something a little quirky try towel pulls. Simple stand flat footed on a towel, curl your toes and try to grab some of the towel in between your toes and soles of your feet.
Massage
This doesn’t have to break your bank. Going to a professional is an option but an expensive one potentially. You might be lucky enough to have a willing significant other that will rub your feet for you. But then again, that could be just as expensive.
You can do a DIY foot massage with a tennis ball.
Standing or sitting, place the arch of your foot on the tennis ball. Roll the ball under your foot to relieve the pain. If a particular spot is especially sore you can focus on that pot by rolling it in small circular motions are that area.
Address pain immediately
We can all admit that we’ve probably ignored a foot problem in the past. Let’s not. If something shows up then deal with it immediately. Put down the post-run shake, forget the cold shower just get it sorted and out the way.
Night Splint
Wearing a night splint to bed can greatly reduce tightness and pain the day after your run. They can help reduce inflammation and pain in your feet. While your sleeping your muscles and tendons tighten up. By stretching them with a night splint, you can drastically reduce the day after pains.
