Tuesday 24 June 2014

Why Do You Need to Protect Your Feet at Workplace

There are several occupations or working environments where your foot’s firmness is tested every day. This significant body part has to bear the brunt of daily working life. The foot gets exposed to several hazards like standing or walking for prolonged hours; sometimes on slippery or rough surface. Operating  machinery for longer span can lead to foot ailments too. Then, by wearing high heels or stilettos at workplace you might be paving way for foot ailments.

Working Environment & Your Feet

There are several things that disturb your foot’s comfort while working. Start with the type of floor. Standing or walking for extended hours on hard, unyielding surfaces can cause several foot problems paired with lower leg pain and backaches. The problem aggravates if you wear hard soled shoes. Often arthritic problems raise their heads from such uncomfortable working conditions. Concrete or marble floors are comparatively better in this respect. Again, working on slippery floors might prove to be risky too. Weather conditions also play a role in creating foot ailments. Working in extreme heat can cause sweaty feet which further escalates to painful blisters.

Common Problems Associated with Working Feet

Most typical working foot ailments are severe ache in the arch and heel portion along with soreness of ball of the foot or leg. Then, you might experience itching or discoloration of the affected part. Poor blood circulation can cause numbness and tingling sensation in the foot. Swelling of the feet or leg frequently happens in an unfavorable working condition.

If you need to work with heavy machinery, then foot injury risks like crushing, punctures or amputations are higher. Working on slippery surfaces or cluttered walkways aggravates chances of sprained ankle, foot fractures or broken bones. Corns, hard skin, athlete’s foot and sweaty foot are few direct outcomes of working on hard, inflexible floors.

Ways to Protect your Foot at Workplace

Don’t wait for foot ailments to raise their heads. Start early to ensure a fit and healthy working foot. Here are few tips:-

  • Select footwear matching your working condition. While some professions demand good-fitting and supportive shoes, there are hazardous working conditions where safety footwear is highly advisable.
  • You should always shop for properly fitting shoes that offer enough space to your toes
  • If you can’t do without those fancy high-heels, stick to a heel height of approx. 1.57 inch for regular use. Again, if you need to be on your feet constantly, then better bring down the height to 1inch.
  • Wearing damp, sweaty shoes is a strict ‘No-No’! Keep at least two pairs of shoes for work purposes so that you can always alternate between days.

Finally, try to pamper your foot as much as possible by following a regular foot-care regime. In case you sense any kind of working foot ailment, get in touch with a foot specialist without delay.

Wednesday 18 June 2014

How to Choose Sports Shoes and Trainers

Sports shoes can immensely impact your feet. Choosing the wrong shoe means you are inviting foot conditions. Your feet won’t feel good if you decide to use jogging pair to play football or tennis. The problem is that sportspersons often tend to overlook this very basic yet crucial fact.

Trainers are significant piece of fitness equipment wearing which a player can protect his feet from severe injuries. Picking up ill-fitting sports shoes can result in serious foot ailments coupled with back, hip or knee pains. Some common foot conditions that a player might face are Achille’s tendinitis, serious leg pain, soreness of toes coupled with painful blisters. All these ailments mostly arise because sportsmen and women pick up wrong shoes for their chosen sports. If you are into regular sports activities, then continue reading to know how to ensure adequate protection of your feet by selecting the right sports shoes.

Shoes for Running

Use your running pair only for running purpose. Such shoes need to be extremely flexible so that your foot can bend effortlessly with each step. Again, it is never advisable to wear running pair for racquet sports that demand sideways stepping.

In order to ensure best fitting running shoes, you can order a customized one matching your particular foot type. Get in touch with any expert running shoe retailer who will carry out a gait analysis to suggest the appropriate running pair.

Shoes for Tough Games

Sports like football put excessive pressure on feet. A footballer often suffers from corns, calluses, damaged or ingrown toenails. Only a perfectly fitting pair of boots can offer relief from such painful conditions. Check out during the training session whether you feel comfortable wearing the new pair, before trying it out in the field.

Shoes for Racquet Sports

Tennis or squash demands lots of side-to-side movement. Thus, a running shoe won’t solve the purpose. Ideally, your racquet sport shoes should be heavier and firmer than running pairs, so as to support the stop-and-go action. Of course, comfort should be the decisive factor too. It is also suggested to replace racquet sports shoes on a regular basis.

Shoes for Court games

When it comes to picking up pairs for court games like basketball or netball, always give priority to elasticity and sideways support. Cross-trainers are often preferred for court games since these are stiffer and designed to support side-to-side movement. Also, these shoes adapt to various other sports activities.

Boots for Walking or Hiking

A morning walk is a great way to boost activity level. There are also adventurous souls who love to embark on hiking trips from time to time. Be it daily walks or a day-long hike, it is very important to select appropriate footwear, matching the purpose. A pair of comfortable shoes perfectly meets the criteria of casual walkers. However, serious walkers and hikers should invest in proper walking pairs or lightweight walking boots.

Still if you feel that your sports activities are not matching the sports pair, then a good idea is to consult an expert podiatrist for better guidance.