Taking care of your feet is a year-round process, so to help, we thought we’d put together a monthly guide to help you get through some of the challenges each month and season may bring. We’re starting the series with August, which presents a lot of challenges for parents and kids alike. Below, we take a closer look at how to keep your feet healthy in August.
Protecting Your Feet in August
August is for squeezing in those last few days of summer before school, so the topics we’re going to focus on this month include foot safety at the beach, how to keep your feet safe when wearing sandals, back to school shoe shopping, and how to keep your feet and whole body healthy if you’re playing youth sports.
Foot Safety At The Beach – As we talked about in this blog post, there are a number of common foot issues that can occur at the beach. From cuts to sunburn and everything in between, you’re going to want to take some extra precautions when going barefoot at the beach. Only go barefoot in areas where there aren’t sharp rocks or other debris, and make sure you continually reapply sunscreen. Check out the linked blog post for more in depth tips at the beach.
Foot Safety When Buying and Wearing Sandals – Sandals help to keep our feet from sweating, but they also don’t offer as much protection as a regular shoe. When it comes to buying the right pair of sandals, be sure to look for things like arch support, grip and durability. For more sandal buying tips, check out this blog post. Also, while you may enjoy wearing sandals in the summer, be sure they are appropriate for the day’s activities. If you’re going to be on your feet a lot or walking through rough terrain, switch to a more athletic or protective shoe.
Back To School Shoe Shopping – Not too long ago we penned a blog that shared some tips for buying shoes this back to school season. Check out the post for a more detailed explanation, but we always recommend buying shoes in store so your child can be professionally fitted, and make sure they are comfortable and durable. Make sure they have the right shoes for gym class or after school activities, and don’t just assume hand-me-downs will keep your child’s feet protected!
Foot Safety in Fall Sports – If you’re going to be playing football or soccer this fall, be sure that you take time to prepare your body before the season so it is ready for athletic activity. On game days or before practice, give yourself plenty of time to stretch so your muscles can transition from a passive state to an active state. Finally, make sure that your cleats fit properly and that you remove yourself from activity if you suffer an injury or something just doesn’t feel right.
We hope you enjoyed the first month in our year-round look at protecting your feet! In September, we’ll examine topics such as Labor Day, training for a marathon, and yardwork, among other topics. Thanks for reading!