With the holiday season almost upon us, the last thing you need to worry about is your feet. Chances are you havent pampered your feet for a while as they have been wrapped up in socks and shoes throughout the winter months. If you are able to visit your Chiropodist or Podiatrist before you leave, try to include it on your to do list. Your Chiropodist or Podiatrist can remove callus and hard skin, debride painful corns and cut toenails as well as addressing any other foot related issues you may have. If you are unable to make an appointment here are our top tips on how to prepare your feet for that upcoming holiday:
- In the weeks leading up to your holiday use a good foot moisturiser every day after bathing to re-hydrate the feet. You will only need a pea sized amount and youll soon start to notice the difference. We recommend a good quality foot moisturiser.
- To remove hard skin, purchase a foot file and gently file the problem areas. When you have finished again use a good moisturiser.
- Trim your toenails straight across rather than rounding the corners as this will help to prevent ingrown toenails.
- If you do have an ingrown toenail, soak your feet 4 times a day in warm water as it can soften the nail so that it becomes less painful. Make sure you keep your toe clean and keep a dressing on it if the skin is broken. The best sort of dressing are non lint ones which will not stick to the skin. This will help reduce the risk of infection, as if it becomes infected you will need to seek the attention of your podiatrist who may be able to offer you anti-biotics to reduce the infection.
- If you have corns, try to get them treated by your Podiatrist before you leave. However if this is not convenient you will need to make a felt pad for your corns to alleviate the pressure from your shoes. See our article on how to make felt pads for painful corns for further information.
Things to consider when packing your bags:
- Comfortable footwear. On holiday comfort should always come before style. Choose your footwear carefully depending on your activity. If you wear orthotic devices at home make sure you take them along to put in your shoes.
- Plasters. Always pack a box of waterproof plasters as blisters can cause pain and discomfort. If you get a blister consider applying a breathable waterproof plaster. Look at how you got the blister and see if you can alleviate the pressure by switching shoes or using some foam or felt to protect the blistered area from further friction.
- Suncream. Our feet are often forgotten when applying suncream but sunburn to the foot can be extremely painful and can affect your walking ability. If you are on a sunshine holiday your feet are not likely to be covered up. When you are sat in the shade or under an umbrella try to ensure that your feet are covered too.
If you have followed all of our advice the next thing to do is Relax and Enjoy!