Top tips to keep your feet happy and healthy in summer
Most of us welcome the arrival of summer with open arms and there are lots of great health benefits that come along with the warmer days – there’s more opportunity to get outside and be active, an abundance of fresh produce is in season to enjoy and Vitamin D from sunshine helps to keep bones healthy.
That being said, summer can be a problematic time for feet with the threat of blisters, cracked skin, sunburn an even stress fractures and painful joints and arches due to long hours wearing non-supportive flip-flops.
We don’t want painful feet to ruin your summer so read on for our top tips to keep feet happy and healthy all season long.
1. Choose supportive footwear
When it’s hot, it’s natural to reach for your flip-flops. They’re the perfect choice for beach and pool days and, because they allow air to circulate can keep feet dry and comfortable even when the temperature is elevated. While they might be good at keeping feet sweet free, flip-flops can also cause problems for feet if you wear a pair that doesn’t offer sufficient support. A standard flip-flop provides little to no support for the arch, doesn’t have much cushioning and won’t absorb jars and impacts.
Wearing this kind of shoe for too long can lead to stress fractures, tendonitis and painful feet and ankles. It can even cause joint and back problems. To ensure you can still wear flip-flops in summer, choose a pair of Kenkoh Japanese flip flops. Our massage sandals are designed to provide plenty of support for the foot, with orthotic arch support and cushioning. Even if you wear them all day, all summer long, your feet and joints will be supported.
2. Look for shoes with adjustable straps
Hot weather can make your feet and ankles swell up, which can make shoes tighter. If you don’t have adjustable straps, this can cause rubbing, pinching and cause painful blisters to form. Look for shoes with adjustable straps so you can create a more comfortable feet if needed, alleviating the friction that can lead to blisters.
3. Don’t go barefoot
You may have romantic visions of walking barefoot through the park or along the beach but going without shoes can put you at a greater risk of contracting viruses, getting fungal infections or coming into contact with harmful bacteria. Always wear shoes to keep germs at bay.
4. Swollen feet
As we have already seen, if you’re on your feet all day in the heat you could well find that your feet and ankles swell up. Kenkoh reflexology sandals are medically proven to boost circulation making them a great choice if your feet are prone to heat-induced swelling.
5. Cracked heels
The heat of summer can dry out skin and when that happens on the feet, you can be left with painfully cracked heels. Shoes with an open back can exacerbate this problem, meaning it’s particularly common in summer. To avoid this, exfoliate your heels regularly using a pumice stone and apply an intensive hydrating moisturizer or balm to keep the thick skin softer and more supple.
Cracked heels can be very painful – if they start to bleed treat with an antibiotic oil and apply a waterproof band aid.