Regular exercise can improve your heart and lung health and strengthen your muscles. It can give you more energy to help you better tackle the tasks on your daily schedule. However, this activity can wear down other parts of your body, like your feet, if you do not take proper care of them.
To prevent injuries, you should consider foot care before, during, and after your workouts. Read on to learn tips from your podiatrist to keep your feet healthy while you exercise.
4 Ways to Protect Your Feet During Exercise
Choose Appropriate Footwear
What you wear on your feet as you exercise will play a major role in protecting them from harm. Running and weightlifting can put pressure on your feet, so you will want to choose shoes that will absorb impact and keep your feet comfortable and safe.
You should wear shoes that fit well. Shoes that are too tight can increase pressure on your toes and feet while those that are too loose will not provide adequate protection for your feet.
Do not forget to consider socks as well. Good socks should cushion your feet from your shoes, helping you avoid friction from the shoes that could cause blisters. Change your socks after wearing them during a workout so that your feet do not linger in the moist, sweat-soaked material.
Stretch Before Your Fitness Routine
Athletes recognize that stretching before doing exercise is important. Loosening muscles and tendons will improve your range of motion and therefore your fitness performance.
But this pre-workout regimen will also help you prevent injuries that can occur when your muscles are tight. You should stretch your feet as well to avoid straining or tearing a tendon or muscle. Ask your podiatrist for the best stretches for your feet and ankles.
Pay Attention to Your Feet During Your Workout
Even if you have prepared your feet and ankles before you exercise, you should pay attention to the way they feel during your workout too. Tightness, cramping, or tingling in the toes, feet, or ankles should not be ignored.
Though you may feel tempted to continue your workout despite uncomfortable symptoms, pushing through these issues could lead to a major injury. Take a break if you feel pain or other symptoms. If they persist, talk to a podiatrist. Addressing a foot problem promptly can prevent a serious break or tear, helping you avoid surgeries and other intense treatments.
Practice Aftercare for Your Feet
Attention to your feet should not stop at the end of your workout either. When you finish your exercise, you should take time to care for your feet so that they can recover from this activity.
Keep your feet clean and attend to blisters or other signs of damage as soon as possible. You can prevent blisters and dryness by moisturizing your feet.
Rubbing lotion on your feet after a shower will keep the skin there healthy. This can also be a good way to assess your feet for signs of injury that you may not have noticed during your workout.