Common Foot Problems During Summer Travel: How to Avoid Them
As soon as the weather heats up, people head out with the kids for some sun in the fun. Summer travel plans are usually much anticipated, but can be wrecked by a minor foot problem. By taking some simple precautions, you can enjoy the trip and have a great time.
In planning their trips, vacationers start thinking about their new outfits and ways to enjoy the outdoors. Often times, this means fashionable but flimsy unsupportive footwear. Even if it is cute, it may not be adequate to support your feet when walking long distances. Many people dont seem to realize this.
Many people walk more when theyre on vacation than when at home. There are sights to see and things to do. You wander and stroll about enjoying your trip, but racking up the miles. You must wear supported shoes.
Wearing flip flops that are flimsy and have no heel on them can lead to heel pain known as plantar fasciitis. This is the most common condition treated by podiatrists in the United States. Up to 40% of all Americans will develop heel pain caused by plantar fascitis at some point during their lives. Most of them first experience sharp heel pain when they get up and step out of bed. Many will also develop an aching pain throughout the arch. This is a minor problem, but can be very difficult to get rid of without treatment.
However, it is very easy to prevent by stretching your feet in the morning. Place a towel over the ball of the foot and pull your toes toward your nose while keeping your knee straight. Make sure you wear athletic shoes during the bulk of your walking and you can avoid this problem.
Disneyland is no place for flip-flops. Most modern amusement parks are very big. Because of this, you have to do a ton of walking if you want to go on all the rides. You have to be sure to take good care of your feet. In addition to causing heel pain, flip-flops can also lead to another very common injury which most people dont think about until it?s too late. When wearing sandals or flip-flops make sure you put sun block on the tops of your feet. The skin on your feet is hidden from sunlight for most of the year. Once they are suddenly bathed in sunshine they can be easily burned. This can ruin your vacation.
If you get a bad sunburn on the tops of your feet, not only will sandal straps cause irritation, but you might even find it difficult to wear other shoes or even socks. You can find yourself stuck in a hotel room instead of enjoying all of the activities you?d planned. Dont let sunburned feet ruin your itinerary.
You also need to be very careful when going barefoot. Most people cant wait to get their toes in the sand, but keep in mind that all sorts of debris washes up on the beach or gets dropped by passersby. Not only is it possible to step on a sharp object or piece of glass, but simply walking on sand can prove a tremendous workout for the feet.
If you overdo it and spend a great deal of time walking back-and-forth on the beach barefoot looking for seashells, your feet will be incredibly sore the next day. The small muscles on the inside of the feet that help to stabilize all the joints become very tired and sore when overworked. This can make your feet so sore that it is difficult to enjoy the rest of your vacation. If you know youll be walking on the beach, spend some of that time wearing supportive athletic shoes.
Airports can also be an unrecognized source of foot problems. High Security is a fact of modern day travel. We all know this is essential to allow us to all travel safely on the airlines. The danger comes in when you take off your shoes and sock, and walk through the airport screening line. You dont have to stand in line at a major airport for very long to realize that there are thousands of people every day walking barefoot through the airport.
Imagine how many of those people who have foot infections such as athlete?s foot, fungal toenails, or bacterial and viral diseases. These little bugs can remain dormant for long periods of time in the carpet at the airport screening lines. It is easy to catch one of these diseases, just by walking barefoot in the same place that they had been standing in the airport security line.
There are some simple steps you can take to prevent this. The simplest precaution is to wear shoes that dont require removal in the security line. Keep in mind that all boots and big bulky athletic shoes will certainly require removal. As long as you have thin sandals or flip flops, the security officers might not ask you to remove them for screening. This is the best option.
There are other options as well. I have seen people in line at the security counters, place shower caps over their sock feet in order to walk through the line and not become contaminated. There are also commercially available disposable slippers that you can carry in your pocket and put on when you remove your shoes. Any of these can help protect you from virus, fungus, and bacterial infections.
Just by taking a few simple steps you can protect your feet, stay healthy and enjoy your vactaion without any foot pain. Have a great trip and enjoy the sunshine safely.
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Dr. Christopher Segler is an inventor, foot surgeon, and award winning clinical researcher. He invented and patented a surgical instrument to simplify foot surgery. He teaches other surgeons about his unique techniques to decrease pain after foot surgery. He only treats patients who place a tremendous value on health. He does not accept any insurance. You can learn more about common causes of foot pain at http://www.anklecenter.com .