Tips for Selecting the Correct Shoes for Your Vacation
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Tips for Selecting the Correct Shoes for Your Vacation
Ruthan Brodsky is a health and business writer who has written much about foot problems in her 26 years of health research and writing. To find out more how you can make sure your shoes fit without damaging your feet visit http://www.plantarfasciitistreatmentguide.com
The stories of how much their feet hurt while hiking in Oregon sometimes surpassed their stories of the flora and fauna and mountain scenery they were supposed to enjoy. They never thought about having any foot problems in the scenic coastal region of Oregon or Washington so they were not prepared when a foot problem occurred. As most of you know it is difficult to enjoy touring and hiking when your feet hurt.
Even if you are going on a cruise you are still going for short land trips and walking the towns or the ruins or the cultural events. Even if you are going on a driving tour you need to prepare for your feet because you, too, will stop, take a short hike around a lake, window shop up and down the artsy streets of a quaint city or visit the 400 year old cathedrals.
You may think about a new outfit for your trip and ways to enjoy the outdoors but you need to put your foot care as a priority or nothing will be fun. This means cute shoes are out and supportive footwear is in.
Many people walk more when they are on vacation than they do at home. Wearing flip flops that have no heels on them can lead to heel pain known as plantar fasciitis. This is one of the most common conditions that podiatrists treat because something like 40 percent of Americans will suffer from plantar fasciitis sometime in their lives.
Flip flops present another problem that most of us do not consider. When you do wear flip flops or sandals be sure to put sun block on the tops of your feet. Your feet are hidden from the sun most of the year but once they are soaked in sunshine they can get sun burned quickly. This is also true if you run around the beech in bare feet. Once you have sunburn it will be painful to put any kind of a shoe on your feet.
Traveling can provide you with a needed change in routine but it also requires that you pay attention to the changes that take place for your feet. If you sit a lot, at your job, at the bridge table, in front of TV, or playing video games your feet are not going to be used to the ups and downs of traveling and the extra walking. That means packing the right footwear.
Keep in mind there probably is no one shoe that will work for everything you do on your vacation. If you are going to a warm climate you will need one kind of shoe and another for an Alaskan cruise or skiing in Colorado. Whatever the case, you will need a good vacation shoe.
Traveling to tropical climates, you will probably want an open-toe vacation sandal to keep your feet dry in a humid climate. A good vacation sandal has support with a proper arch and heel support and is anchored to the foot with either an ankle strap or a sling back strap so that your orthotic stays with the shoe. If you want a more traditional walking shoe in warm climates be sure to wear socks that wick moisture to reduce the risk of blisters. You can get a blister when there is excess moisture at the friction points of your feet.
When you are in cold climates you need to balance your need for support, warmth and weight because it is exhausting to hike with big, heavy warm boots. And many of those do not have the flexibility you will need which means more problems especially if you have problems with plantar fasciitis. My advice is to purchase a couple pairs of wool socks for your cold weather vacation because they provide insulation and they naturally absorb moisture.
Some vacations require that you bring along more than one shoe especially if you plan to dine out, see a play or attend a special event. Hiking mountains requires different shoes than visiting an art gallery.
When traveling wear the pair of shoes that take up the most room in the suitcase. Sandals take up a lot less space in luggage than walking shoes. Besides, if you are flying, you will want to wear closed toe shoes in the airport.
Tips for Your Feet
1. Before your vacation visit your podiatrist if you are experiencing any pain, problems or discomfort with your feet or ankles. Foot pain is not normal.
2 Get your feet ready for your vacation. Begin a regular walking program with the shoes you plan to hike in or walk in and be sure to include some hills in your walk. Do this about 4 weeks before your departure.
3. Review your travel itinerary and the activities planned to make sure you pack the right kinds of shoes; and
4. Take at least one pair of supportive, comfortable shoes, two are better, and plenty of appropriate socks so they can be changed often. Try not to take new shoes you’ve never worn.
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