Whether you are a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, the demands made on your feet and lower limbs can lead to a range of injuries, including blisters, sprained ankles, torn ligaments, shin splints (leg pain), knee pain and other joint and muscle problems. Added to these are common complaints such as corns, calluses and athlete’s foot. Your running style, poor footwear, faulty foot mechanics, and even minor limb length differences can also contribute to injury.
Before you risk further injury, try these helpful tips for enjoying a more active lifestyle with proper athletic foot care:
- Wash your feet every day, and always dry them thoroughly.
- Wear only good-quality, well-fitting cotton socks.
- Always use the correct shoe for each sport and surface.
- Get in shape. Being overweight or out of shape places added stress on the feet.
- Condition yourself gradually with stretching exercises for 15-20 minutes before starting and after any activity (“warm-up” and “warm-down”).
- Wear correct shoes. Footwear should be given the same consideration as any other piece of sporting equipment. Sports shoes should protect as much as possible, be durable, and should be right for the sport and surface. If running, the shoe should have adequate cushioning in the mid-sole and a flared heel for stability.
By following these helpful tips, you should be able to enjoy a more active lifestyle – and the sport of your choice – free of pain and with reduced risk of injury due to improper footwear. However, if you do encounter foot, ankle or leg pain, a sports and fitness medicine podiatrist might be able to help. Through medical and biomechanical treatment of the foot, ankle and lower extremities, a sports medicine podiatrist might be able to help resolve the issues you are having. Such issues can hamper your ability to fully enjoy the sport you love, and can limit your overall activity level.
By employing the science of sports and fitness medicine, today’s modern podiatric procedures, and years of experience helping people with their foot and ankle problems. Metro Foot and Ankle Centers, PC can help you resolve those nagging issues and faulty foot mechanics — and get you back on your feet to enjoy the active lifestyle you so enjoy.