How to look after your feet for Races and Adventure
Whatever exercise, race or adventure you’re about to do your feet will play a crucial part. They are the workhorses of our body and we need to ensure that they are properly cared for. Here are 8 top tips for looking after them:
- Wash your feet include between the toes with soap and water regularly whenever you bathe.
- Washing with warm water is best and you should always dry your feet completely between the toes.
- A few days before a long race or event, Vaseline your feet every morning to help get them as soft as a baby’s bottom by race day.
- Switch shoes every day. For example, if you wear one pair of shoes today, avoid wearing it tomorrow so that it can be aired out in order not to trigger odours or foot infections
- Ensure that the shoes you wear are comfortable as possible and should not be tight, wide or narrow.
- A few bare-foot exercises will help all the muscles and ligaments work naturally. Try this Single-Leg Balance: Stand barefoot holding the back of a chair for balance, feet facing forward. Keeping your right leg straight, bend the left leg at the knee, so your foot is at a 90-degree angle behind you. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on each leg 2 to 4 times.
- Pay particular attention to nails. Cut them regularly and file any rough edges prior to your race.
- Experiment with a wide range of socks until you find what works: 2 x skinny running socks, anti-blister socks, no socks …
You’ve worked hard on the rest of your body, don’t ignore your only points of contact with the ground! Happy adventures everyone.