It’s a busy time of year – and your feet are likely to be working even harder than normal, leading to problems
Christmas can be a hectic time. We’re on our feet a lot – whether it’s shopping for presents, heading to a Christmas market, or dancing the night away at the work party.
And that means our feet are taking the brunt of the festive season, leading to a variety of potential issues. Heather Smart, podiatrist and co-founder from ZeroSole, said that painful thickenings of the skin, known as corns and calluses, were “a common problem at Christmas, affecting up to 48% of us”.
With our feet covering more miles than usual, the skin is exposed to greater pressure and more friction, Heather said. This can cause a corn or callous to develop, or aggravate pre-exisiting ones. Tight footwear with little cushioning can contribute to this by increasing pressure points and friction.
Heather said: “Metatarsalgia (ball of foot pain) is another common cause of foot pain during the party season, particularly for high heel wearers, as the foot’s inclined position combined with a tight toe box increases pressure through the balls of your feet. This can lead to inflammation of the joint capsules and soft tissues, and sometimes the entrapment of nerves within the forefoot (known as a Morton’s neuroma).”
Keep your feet pain-free during the party season
Wear supportive footwear: Heather said: “If you’re spending long hours on your feet, such as doing your Christmas shopping, keep your feet well supported and cushioned. Try wearing a pair of running-style trainers or walking-style boots. This will help prevent foot fatigue, metatarsalgia and pressure points (such as corns) from developing, by absorbing shock and holding the feet in a more efficient position.”
Try acustomisableinsole: Heather said: “Reduce pressure further by wearing specialist pressure-relieving insoles. ZeroSole is clinically proven to reduce sole of foot pain caused by corns and calluses, by reliving pressure directly beneath the site of pain. Customisable low-pressure zones can be created anywhere across the sole of the foot affected by a corn/callus or foot pain – helping to not only prevent some foot lesions, but also helping lesions to heal. Simply peel away the hexagon components which are situated beneath the site of pain to provide instant pressure relief and pain relief.”
Get stretching: Heather said: “All that additional standing and walking can fatigue the muscles in your feet, causing sore aching feet. Kick off your shoes at the end of the day and spend time stretching your toes, your calf muscles and try drawing the alphabet with your feet to further loosen tight joints.”
Swap high heels for kitten heels: Heather said: “If you are a lover of heels, it’s a good idea to limit heel height to 1.5 – 2 inches. Additionally, choose a wide-fit option. A lower heel will limit the repetitive stress through the balls of your feet, and a wider toe box will reduce forefoot impingement. This will help to reduce your risk of metatarsalgia, including Morton’s neuroma. Adding additional cushioning layers can also help absorb shock across the balls of your feet.”