top of page

Show your FEET some LOVE!

Writer's picture: Trainer EmilyTrainer Emily

\


Taking care of your feet is essential for taking care of your entire body! If you consider the kinetic chain, injury or dysfunction of at the foot or ankle can lead to potential dysfunction or injuries of the knee, hip, and even spine.


Start by choosing an appropriate quality shoe (1)! If you already have problems, I suggest talking your orthopedic or podiatrist for recommendations, and if you are looking for a running shoe visit a reputable running store that has a staff member qualified to look at your feet and gait to assist in making recommendations. There are a variety of shoes to suit your fitness and training needs; here are some considerations:


Running: cushion and proper arch support;

Walking: flexible sole, adequate toe box flexibility, mesh too keep cool

Weight Lifting: stable & sturdy (cross trainers if you will be performing multi-directional exercises); Olympic lifters may desire a heel lift & more rigid structure

Group fitness shoes: multi-directional demands are very high, so having a shoe that supports the ankles as well as the arches, and can tolerate high impacts will be good

Cycling: Do you require a road or mountain biking shoes? Both have benefits, check with your local bike shop for more details.

Most importantly, remember to replace your shoes every 300-500 miles (3-6 months depending on your training frequency). Sometimes if you start to feel an ache or unusual strain in the knees or hips this will be a quick fix! I recommend having a pair of shoes dedicated only to working out or running. Personally, I have my training shoes, my running shoes, my tooling around town shoes, & my worn out lawn shoes/play at a muddy park with the kids shoes.













Give your feet some TLC. Try to give them. massage once in a while (by hand, with a therapy gun, tennis ball, soup can, bottle of frozen water ... ), or an epsom salt soak

1-1.5cups: 1gallon H2O (2, 3) or 2 cups : standard bathtub. Note many manufacturers do not recommend using salts if you have jets, and you should check with your physician or medical professional concerning risks of Epsom salts such as (but not exclusive to): dry skin, lowering blood pressure, skin infections, etc.





STRETCH!! Not just your feet silly. Consistently stretch your calves (gastrocnemius & soles) & peroneals, anterior & posterior tibias. These muscles all have insertions (end) in areas that effect the foot. Pay special attention to these muscles if you strength train, run, sprint, perform agility or plyometric movements, and as silly as this sounds- drive for long periods of time or wear high heels.



In summary:

  • Your feet are super important!

  • Take good care of them. Some ways you can do this are: get quality adequate shoes, TLC with massage or Epsom salt soaks, & stretch!!!


Take care of those tootsies!


HAPPY NATIONAL I LOVE MY FEET DAY!!!





REFERENCES
1. Long, Amber. October 27, 2015. "Are You Wearing the Right Shoes For Your Workout?". Acefitness.org. https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/blog/5702/are-you-wearing-the-right-shoes-for-your-workout/
2. Rath, Linda. July, 26, 2021. "Why Take An Epsom Salts Bath?" Webmd https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/epsom-salt-bath
3. Whelan, Corey. April 23, 2020. "The What, Why, and How of Epsom Salt Baths". Healthline.com. https://www.healthline.com/health/epsom-salt-bath/










12 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page