Holiday Foot Preparation- Black Friday Is Your Super Bowl!

Be “Thankful” for your feet on Black Friday and this Holiday shopping season

You would think that with internet shopping, the need to wake up at 3:30am the day after Thanksgiving to get a TV or Dishwasher for a discount price is no longer necessary. However, the day after Thanksgiving is traditionally the biggest day of shopping all year. This means people are operating on little sleep in frustrating lines and crowded stores. (I’ll shop from my couch).

This is also the wonderful time of year when we stand at holiday parties, spend hours cooking turkeys, cookies and holiday treats. Some will spend hours in the car traveling to visit relatives and loved ones. Although the belly and the heart are full this time of year, our wallets and poor feet seem to suffer.

So is it possible to make it through this holiday season without having foot pain? Yes! Give thanks-there are answers!

Here are guidelines for Holiday situations:

Holiday cooking:

• Wear stiff soled shoes, even in the kitchen. If the bulk of walking is from stove to oven to fridge, you want a shoe that has little bend under the arch.
• Don’t spend the day barefoot if you will be on your feet for hours at a time.
• Keep the high heels next to the dinner table but out of the kitchen.

Holiday shopping:

• Actually stretch! Warm up your Achilles and hamstring muscles before going on “shopping walks”. You’d be surprised at how far you actually do walk when going to the grocery store or holiday shopping.

• Don’t make the mistake of wearing flip flops all day thinking that they will be more comfortable.
• Cotton based socks can help absorb moisture and keep your feet dry. Baby powder can also help keep the feet dry.
• Although it may sound silly, distribute your shopping bags evenly. Placing too much weight on one side causes the body to compensate unevenly which can lead to unnecessary pains. (remember that with a 1 year old on your hip).
• God gave us shopping carts for a reason.
• Ditch the purse and go with the giant diaper bag or backpack for guys.

Consider Black Friday like your Super Bowl:

• Stay hydrated, eat small meals frequently. Pack snacks to keep your energy up.
• Have ice packs and ACE wraps ready to go after your long day (See RICE therapy blog).
• Biofreeze, IcyHot and other analgesic gels can be applied to the heels and feet.
• If you can handle anti-inflammatories, take them in the morning before you start your busy day and again during and after to keep swelling down.

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Now is the time of year to be full of thanks. We have modern medical solutions that can cure almost all foot and body aches. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Holiday season.

As always, never self-diagnose and always consult your physician before starting any medical treatment.