PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD:

TIPS YOUR FEET

WOULD WANT YOU
TO KNOW BEFORE
EXERCISING
When you’re talking about a part
of your body that has 26 bones,
33 joints, over 100 ligaments,
multiple layers of muscles and
tendons and a framework of nerves
and blood vessels you really should
understand the impact exercising
has on your feet.
Here are 50 tips for anyone who is
active to integrate into their lives
to ensure each foot has the best
chance of supporting you through
your next walk, run, hike, swim,
jump, ride, kick or dance.
1. Always fit shoes with the socks that you
plan on wearing during exercise. Socks
should be made of a poly-cotton blend that
pulls moisture from the skin, fit well, and
be comfortable when worn with your shoes.

2. Never exercise with holes in your

socks; you are asking for trouble, you
will get blisters! Have at least 3 pairs of
socks to ensure you have a fresh pair
for each workout.

3.Make sure you have the

correct sock size; don’t run
with your partner’s socks,
hello blisters again!

SOCKS
4.Prone to sweaty smelly feet? Change your
socks twice daily and wear bamboo socks;
these are anti bacterial and reduce sweat on
your skin by drawing away the moisture. They
also reduce Tinea.
5. If you are prone to
blisters, try wearing Injinji
performance toesocks,
they also help to promote
correct foot posture and
balance.
 6. All trainers have a life span, durable trainers can
last up to 600-800 km depending on the weight and
terrain they are being used in, a trainer that is not as
durable and lighter in weight can last up to 200km.
If your trainers are wearing in any area you need to
take notice and look into buying a new pair.

7. When buying your trainers, buy them when you

have walked around the shops or at the end of the
day when you have been wearing your work shoes all
day, your feet will have swollen. When we start run-
ning, your feet will swell. We want to make sure you
are not buying your shoes too small.

8. If you wear Orthotics, don’t

forget to take them with you when
trying on new trainers!

TRAINERS
9. There is an amazing selection of trendy trainers
and fashion sneakers out there to buy, but please
make sure you are buying to your foot type and for
what you are going to be using them for; you don’t
want to welcome any injuries do you?

10. Have your trainers fitted properly.

Taking your old trainers with you will
also help a Podiatrist or shoe fit expert
analyse your foot type and use to then
prescribe you with a trainer that fits you
and the terrain you regularly use.
11. Aches and pains at the top of the foot
can be caused by laces that are not correctly
tightened. Remember laces are there to
adjust the fit of the shoe to different types of
feet:
• If you have a wide forefoot, try loosening
the laces towards the toes or front of the
shoes, tightening progressively up the shoe.
• If you have high arched feet and the top of
your foot is rubbing, try loosening the laces
in the middle, tightening more above and
below.
• If your feet are narrow, it may feel more
comfortable to lace the shoe tighter in the
middle.

12. We all avoid shoes that are too tight but

choosing shoes that are too loose are just
as bad – loose shoes can cause excess
rubbing and friction leading to blisters,
callus and sore patches.

13. Always wear your new shoes in

before taking on your usual workout.
Wear them for a few hours around the
house initially and then for a few short
walks or runs before attempting any
long distances/period of time.
14. Wearing signs to look out for in your shoes
are creasing through the foam in the midsole,
worn areas in the sole/tread pattern or loss of
stability. If you sit your shoes on a flat surface,
such as a table, and look at them from behind,
they should sit straight and evenly. The heel
should NOT be tilting inwards or outwards.

15. Shock absorption – Excess shock frequently leads

to pain or tightness in the plantar fascia (a thick,
ligament like structure that supports the arch of your
foot and acts as a shock absorber each time you take
a step). You should ensure your running shoes have
adequate shock absorption and are not worn out. You
also need to consider the surfaces you are running
on. Concrete or bitumen roads offer little to no shock
absorption.
Alternatively you should try to do the majority of your
training on grass or gravel surfaces which reduce the
demands on the plantar fascia.

16. If you enjoy a variety of sports and fitness, you

should also invest in a variety of trainers. Each
activity you participate in will see you perform
varied movements and therefore have a different
impact on your feet. Keep your running trainers for
running and your tennis trainers for tennis.
 17. Weight training in your brand new running shoes is a big NO
NO! Your new running shoes are made from soft foam to give you
cushioning and support. Weight training will compress this foam
and diminish the support and cushioning you will need when you
want to run in them. Make sure you have a separate ‘gym shoe’
for any weight training you’re planning on doing.

18. Ensure the toe box on your trainer

is seamless, this can cause bunions.

19. If you wear orthotics or are running

in your trainers, ensure there is a heel
counter, this provides additional stability.

20. Only buy trainers with a 4-6 mm heel

pitch if you have been taught to run, it
takes time and a lot of training to run with
a reduced heel raise. 8-12 mm heel pitch
is the normal to buy for a heel striker.

21. Dry your shoes out! Make sure your shoes are
completely dry before using them again. Damp shoes
can harbour bacteria and fungal spores which can lead
to unpleasant foot complaints such as Athlete’s Foot
and Fungal Nail infections. If your shoes are wet, store
them in a warm dry area and stuff the shoes with balls
of newspaper overnight.

22. Lastly, don’t skimp on trainers! Buy a

good pair of trainers that support you and
your feet, the upfront investment is also a
long term investment in your feet health.
23. Ensure you have your
Orthotics checked once a
year, your feet do change.
24. All orthotics have a life
span, some orthotics will last
6-12 months if you are a keen
runner, or if you are heavy on
your feet whereas others may
last 3-5 years.

ORTHOTICS
25. Customised Orthotics may be an
option for some people. Instead of
investingin a brand new pair you may just
need them recovered. Have your feet and
body biomechanically assessed and then a
podiatrist can have them recovered.

26. If you chose off the shelf or semi customised

orthotics, these will last you a reduced amount of
time. Again, it is advised to have your body and feet
reassessed by a podiatrist who can then determine
if you need a new pair of orthotics or if you should
return after a period of time to be reassessed.
27. Blisters can be avoided by wearing shoes
that fit well and by wearing protective padding,
particularly when shoes are new. Corns are
similar to blisters but are associated with long
term skin irritation caused by tight or ill-fitting
shoes.
28.Air blisters out when not
wearing shoes; your feet
need to breathe and blisters
29.Cover with Allevyn
even more so!
Thin dressing. These
can be bought from the
chemist; with cushioning
(a foam adhesive pad),
dress daily and keep dry.

BLISTERS
30. Drain the blister if it is large and painful. To
avoid infection use a sterile sewing needle, wipe
the area with antiseptic, pierce the edge of the
blister top and bottom, and drain the fluid. Do not
remove the top skin; it is an important protective
layer. Apply a dry dressing with antiseptic ointment.
Clean daily with saline until healed.

31. Once the blister has started

to heal, Aloe Vera is a good
way to moisturise the area.
Aloe Vera also helps promote 32. If the area around
healing, cooling the blister and the blister becomes red,
reducing inflammation.
throbbing and infected,
seek a GP for antibiotics.
 33. If you have calluses it is possible to reduce
them yourself. Once a week after a warm
shower or soaking your feet (magnesium salts
is very relaxing) have a foot file just for your
feet and file away the dead skin, from your
heels, ball of your feet and the apex of your
toes. Please be careful and do not take too
much skin off, this will hurt!

SKIN
34. If you have Diabetes or
Neuropathy, please do not
attempt to remove calluses
yourself. As your nerves are
not working you can make
your skin roar without even
realising it!

35. If you have a callus that keeps coming back,

for examples, one underneath your big toe, and
bleeding under the skin, see a Podiatrist; this
is a sign there is too much pressure in the area.
A Podiatrist will help you by assessing to see
if you have the correct trainers and if you need
Orthotics.
36. If you ignore corns and calluses, they will get
worse and can become infected. Don’t even think
about removing them yourself! Rubing away with a
pumice, or pedi-paddle, may only make the problem
worse. Leave this to a podiatrist who can also give you
strategies to prevent them from recurring.

37. Men and Ladies, if you like to dance the

night away or find yourself running for the
bus, you can buy silicone pads for the balls
of your feet. Foot angels are my favourite.

38. In general, look after your feet!

I think sometimes we forget how
much impact, strain and trauma we
put them through. Incorporate a daily
moisturising routine to help keep
them soft, healthy and looking young.

39. A good moisturiser to keep rough and

dry skin at bay is essential; ensure it has no
less than urea 15. A good cream I use on my
patients is ‘Callusan urea 15 foam’; this is
water based and soaks into your feet a lot
quicker than standard creams.
 NAILS
40. Have you had someone comment on
your sexy black toenails? Probably not
huh! Black toenails are usually a result
of micro-trauma to the nails over long
distances which cause bleeding under
the nails. There are many causes of this
issue including shoes being too short
with nails rubbing on the ends, or even
too big causing the toes to ‘claw’ onto the
shoe for extra stability. Ensure you have
the appropriate fit by checking the length
from your longest toe (not always the
big toe) both before and after a workout.
Make sure you do this whilst standing up
with weight on your foot (it helps to get
a friend to check for you) and you should
have at least a fingers width between the
end of the toe and the end of the shoe.
Keep in mind it may be very different pre
and post workout. Your feet can expand
by a full size when running a marathon
distance and you should be aware of this
when fitting your shoes.
41. Thickened nails - if you’ve ever
been unlucky enough to flaunt these
assets, it is likely your feet/nails have
been exposed to trauma. It is advised
that you see a Podiatrist immediately
to have your nails filed down, don’t
worry this does not hurt!

42. Ingrown toenails - having regular

treatments by a Podiatrist to have the
nails trimmed and reduce pressure
will not only prevent ingrown toenails
but will ultimately increase your
performance and give you the best
chance of smashing your PB.

43. If the ingrown toenails have been

causing your problems for a number
of weeks and have been infected, you
may need to consider nail surgery.
This is not as painful as it sounds. A
Podiatrist will inform you about the
straightforward procedure; and NO
you do not need to lose your whole
nail.
44. If you suffer from rolling your
ankle and damaging soft tissue,
you may be in the wrong trainers
or may need orthotics to stabilise
your foot – don’t ignore issues with
your feet; address the problem
before it elevates into something
more serious.

ROLLING ANKLES
OR FLAT FEET
CAUSING PAIN
45.If you are looking at your feet and feel
you have a flattened arch, again the correct
trainers will help your run more mechanically
sound and reduce the amounts of pressure
that will be going through your ankles and
knees.
 46. MUSCLE TIGHTNESS
If your calf muscle is too tight, this in turn puts
extra strain on the plantar fascia (which inserts
into the heel bone as does the Achilles tendon –
located below the calf muscle). Simple, regular
stretching of the calf muscles is important to
reduce the stress on the plantar fascia.
Massage of both the calf and plantar fascia can
also help to reduce tightness in the area.

47. INFLAMMATION
Whilst studies have shown that the plantar fascia itself is
rarely inflamed (it may be thickened but does not necessarily
have inflammatory cells present), the surrounding structures
can be inflamed and swollen. Ice is a simple way of not only
reducing the inflammation, but also any associated pain.

48. STRETCH OUT AND BUILD MOMENTUM

Before exercising, begin by warming up and gently
stretching for 5-10 minutes, focusing on lower leg
muscles. With any sport you try, always start slow
and build intensity as your skill/strength improves
over time to help prevent injury.

49. COOL DOWN AND REST

After reaching the end of a workout, cool down
and stretch for about 10 minutes. Submerging the
lower extremities in an ice bath after exercising for
long periods of time can reduce muscle soreness.
50.AND LASTLY...
WE’VE ALL HAD THEM – STINKY FEET!
Here’s a great home remedy to cure them:
Make some really strong black tea and
then soak your feet in it two or three times
a week for 20 minutes. The tannic acid has
been shown to temporarily shrink sweat
ducts so they don’t work as hard.
 Our feet really do get a pretty bad rap,
whether they’re smelly, ugly, big or sweaty
but essentially they transport us through life.
Taking the time to do the simple things
like investing in supportive footwear,
maintaining foot health and
visiting your podiatrist will allow you to run, walk,
dance, work and play for decades more to come.
www.elevate.com.au