Walking could be a terrific hobby and it is an easy form of exercise. Walking is perfect for your mind, body and soul. It all depends on the type of walk you decide to go on. Some walks can be short and sweet, a few blocks around the neighborhood. Meanwhile, other walks are more strenuous, adding up to several miles in total. Going on long walks may be a challenge. When you add on the common pains that could accompany long walks, like blistered and sore feet, walking can be a real pain. If you want to incorporate long walks into your lifestyle as a way to exercise and as a way to boost your mental health, but are looking for ways to keep care for your feet, here is everything you need to know about protecting your feet and how to nurse them after a long walk.
Prevention
The best way to treat a problem is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Prevention is consistently more powerful than a cure. Preventing yourself from experiencing painful blisters and sore feet is the best way to go when it comes to taking care of your feet before long walks. This may require you to take some preventative measures. If followed carefully, you can extend the length of your long walks in addition to making sure your feet can survive a few more steps the next day. Once your toes become blistered it will be far more difficult to discover any enjoyable manner to stroll on them for days after your walk until the blisters have healed.
One of the first steps of precaution you can take is to guard any regions of your toes that generally get sore. You know your feet better than anyone else. If you are prone to your feet hurting after a long walk, chances are you know which parts of your feet will start hurting first. Get one step ahead of those blisters and use specially designed blister tapes. Use the tape on any areas you believe generally experience soreness or actually have moderate warm spots beforehand when charting on your long walks.
Another great tip is to make sure your toenails are short and are not too sharp. Believe it or not, your toenails could be the reason you may be experiencing discomfort when you walk. They can rub on different sides of the inside of your shoes. Talk about painful.
Wear The Right Socks And Shoes
Wearing the right socks and shoes is one of the most important aspects of caring for your feet when taking yourself out for a long walk. If you are someone who needs to wear custom orthotics, do not forget those at home! Bring them with you! You will thank yourself later. Those types of shoes are possibly the best walking shoes you own. Bringing them on your long walk is a no-brainer.
You want to make sure that your shoes are not giving you any problems of any kind while you are giving them a shot around the house. A little problem could persist into a bigger problem if you ignore it. Wearing blister socks is another great way of preventing blisters or slowing down their formation. Blister socks allow your feet to stay warm, dry and comfortable. Most people choose to wear Merino wool socks because of their comfortability. They also help you control any foot ordor you may have from miles of walking.
Another option for socks would be Isocool socks. Where wool socks are comfortable and keep your feet warm, these socks are known to be breathable while still being able to draw out any moisture. In addition to keeping your feet dry, they also regulate their temperature, so you do not have to worry about sweaty feet while on your long walk.
When going on shorter walks, cotton socks will do just fine. If you are walking somewhere with hotter climates, silk socks are made for just that.
Care For The Skin
One aspect of caring for your feet when you are going out for a long walk is also includes caring for the skin. Most people overlook this step, but you will be surprised how some extra tender love and care of the skin on your feet makes all the difference. It is very important to keep your feet dry while you are walking, otherwise your damp feet will become itchy and pruned. Depending on the type of terrain you are walking on, getting your feet wet may be inevitable. If this is the case, you want to keep your feet dry as soon as you can.
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