Thursday, June 14, 2012

Tips to Keep Your Running Feet Healthy

Running can be very intense and take a toll on your entire body - particularly your feet. Your feet bear the weight of your whole body every day as you walk, stand and run. Running may leave your feet sore and can put them at risk for many foot ailments.

In order to prevent injuries caused by running, Dr. Tejas Pandya has come up with some tips to improve the health of your feet.  They include the following:
  • Cut your toenails. Your toenails should be trimmed on a weekly basis. Toenails should not exceed the ends of your toes and should be cut straight across. Cutting on a curve at the ends of the toenail can lead to painful ingrown toenails. Toenails that are too long can be irritated by your shoes or other toes while you run.
  • Exercise your feet and toes. It’s important to exercise your entire body, but it is also important to pay special attention to areas like your feet and toes. Your feet are often ignored when it comes to exercise despite the fact that they do so much work for you day after day. You can perform simple exercises to keep your feet healthy, such as rolling your foot on a tennis ball, moving each toe individually and pivoting your ankles in order to strengthen muscles.
  • Wash your feet. You should wash your feet on a daily basis to keep them clean, healthy and infection free. Make sure to wash with warm water and soap. It’s also important to dry your feet completely especially between all of your toes so you do not develop fungal infections.
  • Stretch. Stretching helps keep your muscles from tightening. You should stretch at least 2-3 times every day. Try to stretch out your feet by pointing your toes to the ceiling and then the floor while holding for at least ten seconds. Make sure to alternate between each foot. You can also stretch your toes by lifting and pointing each toe individually.
  • Rest. Running can tire your feet out so it’s important to rest your feet. Try running on non-consecutive days so you have days to rest your feet in between. If you experience pain from running take more time to rest while icing and elevating your feet.
If you experience pain, or an injury, as a result of running contact our office at (518) 273-0053 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Pandya.

Resources:

http://www.fitsugar.com/Tips-Ease-Sore-Runners-Feet-Prevent-Injury-22125091
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