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ARE YOU FOOT HEALTH AWARE?
The old adage ‘out of sight out of mind’ is ideal when thinking of one’s feet! They carry us many thousands of miles in a lifetime and playing sport & team games just increases the amount of impact they receive.
We all know that playing sport on a regular basis has enormous health & fitness benefits, besides being pleasant and sociable. It stands to reason then, that it is important to be aware of what exactly is happening inside our sports shoes and to our bodies as a result of activity. The high intensity of force on the feet can sometimes bring about minor trauma – blisters, corns & callusing; to the more severe injuries like ankle sprains, knee pain and ligament tears. Footwear, running terrain and the environment can all increase the risk of injury and loss of participation. To help with this, the following reference guide may help boost injury prevention and comprehension.
FOOTWEAR – Take advice from specialist suppliers, make sure they fit and the toes box area is deep to prevent nail damage. Change every 500 miles.
STRETCHING – Daily! Go to yoga, Pilates or ballet classes for extra flexibility, which may be a useful complement to running and avoid tears and sprains. If the consumer’s occupation is more sedentary, daily stretching will increase the circulation and warm up muscles and maintain flexibility. This is also good for major joints too as it increases the production of synovial fluid and therefore the lubrication of that joint.
Which stretches? - hamstrings, abductors and adductors, the latter being particularly beneficial for cyclists. Calf muscles – very important in a new runner as sometimes these can spasm which causes the heel to elevate in compensation. This can then place more strain on the knees and back. Quadriceps – strengthening and stretching will also help stabilise the knee.
For runners, the medial aspect is important.With all stretching hold for 5- 10-15 seconds and repeat 5-10-15 times. Build up this process and DO NOT bounce or bob! For previous injuries, a warm bath, spa or heat pad can be used beforehand. Ice is also useful as it causes an increase in localised blood flow and has benefits if combined with massage.
So what of the feet and toes themselves? NAILS can often bruise or even be lost through trauma. Keep them short and tidy and protect with foam or polymer gel appliances such as ‘Silipos.’ HEELS may be callused and/or split. These fissures are often deep, sore and may bleed which can lead to infection. See a chiropodist/podiatrist for advice and treatment but keep them filed & moisturised with a good quality foot cream containing synthetic urea. CORNS appear over bony prominences particularly,where the pressure is highest. These can arise from faulty footwear or be combined with poor foot biomechanics. There may be accompanying knee pain and weak quadriceps. ‘Vaseline’ or similar applied to bony parts helps to reduce friction and the possibility of blistering. FUNGAL infections such as ATHLETE’S FOOT are very common. The feet contain more sweat glands per square centimetre than any other part of the body! Air the feet as much as possible & use surgical spirit between the toes daily. Always wear flip-flops or similar in changing rooms and showers – VERRUCAE can attack grown ups too! Cotton socks or cushioned walking/running socks are also available and may help increase comfort levels.
Enjoy your sport but be Foot Aware!
Further information on foot health products, services, suppliers, injury and health information can be found by visiting www.pinkfeet.co.uk
If you require a health fact sheet on Athletes Foot, please send an s.a.e. to Pinkfeetcare, PO Box 13223, Birmingham B13 3DR
