During the New Year weekend, various activities require you to be on your feet. You find yourself standing and walking for hours cooking New Year’s dinner, decorating the house, among many others. Because of that, it is common to develop some discomfort known as holiday foot problems, such as Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, neuromas, and shin splints.
The primary cause of foot problems arises from muscle strain and fatigue from walking in uncomfortable shoes for a long time and standing for prolonged hours.
How can I avoid these common holiday foot problems?
All efforts might be wasted when you can’t complete your envisioned look. For example, you cannot rock that pretty shoe you have planned with your fabulous New Year dress because you developed a holiday foot problem.
Now let us discuss five practical tips for preventing common holiday foot problems.
Invest in supportive shoes
Choose comfort over fashion. When running New Year’s errands, you do not need to suffer with uncomfortable footwear like heels or tight shoes. Instead, why don’t you wear cushioned and comfortable shoes that support your heel and foot arch all day? Recommended footwears are comfy sneakers and tennis shoes.
There are some factors to consider when picking comfortable footwear. Some of these include:
● Size: Only pick shoes that are the right size. If they are too big, they could strain your feet and cause plantar fasciitis; if they are too small and tight, you could develop corns or hammertoes.
● Cushion and Support: Do not comprise cushions in your footwear; add additional orthotics insoles to give it more support if you have to. Especially for people with flat feet, you need that extra cushion to provide good arch support.
Take frequent breaks
The primary action of the feet for mobility, maintaining a long-standing position or walking for hours, could strain the feet and even result in permanent damage.
Take short breaks as much as possible during the day to get off your feet. For people prone to swelling, you could lift your leg to reduce the inflammation and indulge in warm foot baths after the day’s events.
While working at home, you could use foot massage rollers during your breaks to massage your feet and improve blood circulation and anti-fatigue mats and acupuncture slippers while you work to relieve the pressure on your feet.
The effects of exercise are very significant in foot health. Stretching helps to relieve muscle strains and aches after long hours of walking, standing, and running. Engaging in calf and arch stretches relaxes your foot muscles and joints and prevents you from limping the next day.
Some of the benefits of exercise for foot health include:
● Regular exercise improves flexibility and body balance, reducing the risk of falls and injuries.
● Regular stretching relieves pain in the heels and plantar fasciitis of the foot by keeping the tendons, ligaments, and joints active and sturdy.
● Exercise strengthens the lower limb muscles and maintains body weight.
Eat healthily
Avoid overindulging in New Year treats. Of course, we could get a little high on the festive fever and munch on everything we see. However, we need to exercise caution in some foods. It may be challenging, but it helps you avoid accumulating unnecessary toxins in your body and foot.
An example is food and beverages, such as shellfish, red beef, and beer, with high amounts of purine that could result in gout. Gout causes excruciating pain from the accumulation and crystallization of uric acids in and around the ankle joints, foot, and other body parts.
While you engage in New Year treaties, remember to hydrate regularly.
Be cautious of ice and snow.
You can quickly develop ankle and foot problems from falling on ice and snow—exercise caution when walking on snowy paths and icy patches. And if you fail, administer an ice pack on the injured surface before you go to the doctor.
“Celebrate endings—for they precede new beginnings.”
Jonathan Lockwood Huie.
Taking good care of your feet is vital for wholesome general well-being. Foot problems could result in back problems and other detrimental effects on the body.
Asides from the tips listed above, there are some other things to watch out for, such as
● Be pedicure-conscious. You could easily contract infections from a pedicure session. Ensure the salon is adequately sanitized, and take your personal pedicure instruments along.
● Change that worn-out footwear. You have been thinking about it for a while; why don’t you gift yourself some new footwear this holiday?
And finally, pay attention to your feet. Have you been experiencing discomfort on your foot or noticed an ingrowth, swelling, or blisters? Visit a podiatrist for proper foot treatment.
At Vargas foot and specialists, we have a professional and certified medical team ready to meet all your podiatric needs. We can customize your treatments to meet your specific needs; we have a wide range of modernized technology for full-scope diagnosis, treatment, and preventive care.
Book an appointment with us today. Happy Holidays!
