Everyone needs good feet, especially runners and cyclists. This has been brought home to me through my parents both needing to see a chiropodist as they’re both pensioners and, for that age group, I understand it’s a common thing to do.
Our feet do an amazing job but just spare them a thought for them with all the pounding and stresses they go through in propelling you through a lengthy race. I reckon I take over 10,000 strides every hour when I am running! Having taken the trouble, yet again, to make sure I have the right running shoes, here’s a few tips for looking after feet:
- Deal with any problems as they arise. Consider your Doctor or maybe a chiropodist or a podiatrist
- Always have good fitting shoes. Don’t be tempted to squeeze your feet into some fashionable but ridiculous looking and uncomfortable shoes – sorry but that would be plain daft
- Have the size of your feet checked from time to time. Even as adults we can change shoe size and shape through the years. I can vouch for this – my feet are half a size bigger now that when I was 15 years younger.
- Aim to buy shoes in the afternoon – apparently feet expand during the morning
- Do not wear the same shoes on consecutive days; giving leather shoes a rest allows time for any sweat or moisture to dry naturally and this lowers the likelihood of fungal problems or cracked leather
- Pay extra attention to your feet if you are diabetic. Do you know if you are diabetic or whether there is a possibility?
- Do not buy plastic shoes that don’t breathe and will lead to sweaty feet
- Wash your feet daily, or have a shower; not too hot
- Take care drying your feet, especially in between your toes. Avoid pulling your toes around to shove a thick towel in between your toes. You might risk breaking the skin which can lead to infections
- Clean socks everyday
- Remove hard skin
- Consider wearing flip flops at public swimming pools to avoid picking up an infection
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