A NEW New Year's Resolution

If you are like me every year I make the decision in the New Year to become more healthy and start exercising more. In January, I have a lot of drive and conviction. However, come February I find it is harder and harder to stick with my resolutions. Often it is one thing or another that gets me off track.  I am tired of making the same resolutions every year and I have decided my resolution for this year is to make sure I fulfill my healthy/exercise resolutions in order to have an entirely new resolution next year. If you are as motivated as I am this year, don't let foot pain cause you to stop those healthy habits.  Here are some tips to keep those feet healthy and stick to our New Year's resolutions.

1-Before beginning a new exercise program make sure you are wearing the correct shoes for the activity. If you are running be sure to wear a running shoe. Wearing a walking or non supportive sneaker can cause shin splints, plantar fasciitis, heel pain, or calluses. 

2-Don't jump into an activity. Don't decide to run 3 miles if you haven't run before. Instead start walking and then add a few minutes of jogging. Then you can build up to running. If you jump into an activity your body has not been trained for, you can run the risk of developing tendonitis, stress fractures and plantar fasciitis/heel pain.

3-Corns and calluses can start to develop with all the new activity.  Using a pumice stone after a shower or bath when the skin is nice and soft can prevent the corns and calloses from getting thick and painful. Also, use a lotion to keep the calluses and corns nice and soft can prevent soreness.

4-With all the increased activity, athlete's foot (a fungal infection) can easily develop. Make sure to wear socks that wick moisture away from you feet while you exercise. Your feet in a normal day can produce nearly a pint of sweat. Fungus thrives in dark, moist environments. Therefore, to lower your risk of developing this skin infection, keep you feet dry during activity with socks, and change your shoes and socks after activity.

These are some tips to try and keep us going so that next year we can finally make a new New Year's resolution.

Dr. Alexandra "Sandie" Grulke
http://www.podiatrycarespecialists.com/