Most of us really enjoy the summer, we get a chance to get
outside and enjoy the weather and our surroundings. It’s the time of year where
we shed layers of clothing to stay cool – and that can include our footwear.
Who doesn’t love going barefoot? Sandals? Love ‘em! But unprotective or poor
choices in footwear can lead to foot pain or other foot health issues if you
aren’t careful.
Here are some common problems to watch out for so that you
don’t ruin your summer fun!
Going Barefoot
I love the feeling of sand between by toes at the beach, but
what I don’t love is stepping on something sharp and cutting the bottom of my
foot and then limping around and trying to keep it clean while I try to find a
band-aid! It’s a better idea to wear sandals or flip flops (one of the times
they are useful) while you are walking on the sand.
The same goes for running around barefoot in your yard and
stepping on a rock or doing yard work barefoot and dropping something on your
toe – no one wants to spend their weekend having surgery. Always wear sneakers
or other protective shoes when you or your kids are working or playing in your
yard.
Also, you can cause foot pain when walking barefoot,
especially people who have high arches. They need a shoe or sandal that is
supportive of their arch, or you can cause overstretching which can be very
painful.
Flip Flops or “Cute”
Sandals
Flip flops are better left to the pool and the beach as I
have blogged about earlier, they can cause a slew of injuries and problems.
Cute Sandals may look great but the problems they can cause are not worth it!
They can cause the same kinds of problems as flip flops, plantar fasciitis, bruising
of the joints of the forefoot, injuries between he toes, tripping injuries, and
sprains. Spend a little more and get a sandal with some built in arch support,
or one that can discretely accommodate your foot orthotics.
Kid’s Sports Cleats
Many kids are playing summer sports during the hot summer
months, and it is common for kids to experience heel pain from baseball cleats.
They are often poorly made and the cleats on the heel can result in bruising of
the growth plate at the heel in children. There is also little to no arch
support in most kid’s cleats. An orthotic goes a long way to alleviate the
stress and pain cause by these unsupportive shoes.
Sunburn
Many people simply forget to apply sunscreen to their feet,
causing painful sunburn and sometimes swelling that makes it difficult to put
on shoes or sometimes even walk around.
Exercising
With the summer comes the desire to look our best and “get
into shape”, and many people tend to jump right in and sometimes overdo it.
People wear shoes that are old and worn out to exercise in, and they are not
supportive enough in the right places. There also tends to be more overuse
injuries such as stress fractures and tendonitis. Wear a good, supportive,
stability shoe and doesn’t’ wait untilt he are worn out to get a new pair.
Check with your clinician to see if you could benefit form foot orthotics to
help support your feet, ankles, knees, hips and back.
Hot, Sweaty Feet
All the sweating and swelling that running around in the summer
can lead to can also cause some other problems such as corns and blisters. Be
sure to wear cushioned socks with your footwear, and if you have corns or
blisters, try blister pads over the blisters and donut pads over the corns to
keep them from getting more painful.
Athletes foot can
also be more of a problem in the summer because more people can be running around
barefoot spreading it, so be sure to wear flip flops (again – one of the times
they are useful!) around the pool and at the gym shower.
For many of us this is one of our favorite times of the year,
so keep your feet in mind and have a safe, happy, wonderful, fun-filled summer!
No comments:
Post a Comment