7 Walking Tips for Healthy Feet
Walking is a low-impact exercise that still provides your body with a host of powerful health benefits. Regular walking strengthens your heart, reduces your risk of diseases, prevents dementia, boosts your energy levels, improves your immune system, fights anxiety, and depression, tones your legs and butt, and aids in weight loss.
Despite all these benefits, though, walking can bring a number of foot problems, including blisters, swelling, and pain. The following walking tips for healthy feet will help you reap only the best benefits from your daily strolls.
1 Keep a good posture
Walking tall without leaning forward too much helps you keep a good posture and reduces the pressure put on your feet. Avoid swinging your arms too hard and keep your body straight. By maintaining proper posture, you are able to actively use the muscles of your legs and hips, reducing the foot pain.
2 Stop blisters before they start
Band-aid anti-blister sticks or solid lubricants are an effective weapon against blisters. However, it is best to invest in a pair of high-quality shoes that will reduce your risk of blisters and other foot issues. If you walk a lot during the day, opt for the walking shoes like sneakers or flats to protect your heels and toes from the painful swellings.
3 Keep your body hydrated
Prevention is better than correction so make sure you drink enough water throughout the day to prevent or heal cracked feet. Apply a moisturizer before bedtime if the skin on your feet is overly dry. It is a lot easier to walk when your heels and toes are hydrated and healthy rather than dry and cracked.
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4 Take short breaks
When you walk long distances, taking short breaks is a must to avoid muscle soreness and foot pain. Do some foot muscle stretches before, during, and after walking just like you stretch before your workout.
Sip your water every 10 minutes and roll your shoulders several times forward and backward whenever you feel the body stiffness. Do not finish your walking session with sitting or lying; do a few stretches to avoid injuries and pains.
5 Let your feet breathe
It is not enough to wear cushioned, breathable socks; your walking shoes should provide your feet with a high level of breathability. This will help avoid unpleasant odor, uncomfortable feeling, rash, and blisters.
6 Give your feet a cold bath
Instead of soothing your feet with a post-walking hot bath, give them a pick-me-up with a 10-minute cold foot bath. This will reduce the swelling in your feet and relieve a mild foot pain. While there are many tips saying soaking the feet in the icy water is an effective way to eliminate the swelling, it is still healthier to use cold or lukewarm water.
7 Avoid clipping your toenails too short
If you walk a long distance on a daily basis, it is better to say no to a pedicure. Clipping your toenails too short, though may lead to ingrown toenails and severe pain. Just clip your nails so that you feel comfortable in your walking shoes.
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Walking is good for your overall body and it offers a plethora of mental health benefits. But if you want to keep your feet healthy and happy when you walk a lot, these tricks will work wonders for you. Do you enjoy running?
