Now that I’ve said my piece about our resolution to eat better, let’s talk about our exercise routine. Did you know there’s actually quite a bit of damage that we can do to our feet if we jump into exercising without considering the consequences? The very first point to consider before tackling this goal is to ensure we are healthy enough for exercise. It’s always a good idea to make a quick stop into our Primary Care Physician’s office for a physical exam to get the green light before beginning any type of exercise regimen.

Once the doc has verified we’re healthy enough for exercise, let’s make sure we consider what we wear when we exercise. I’m not qualified to give you advice about Lululemon or the latest in athletic fabwear today, but I do have opinions about what we put on our feet. As a Foot Doctor in Manteca, I’m acutely aware of the negative consequences of poor footwear choices, since I can see the damage it causes over time. Conditions like ingrown nails, plantar fasciitis, and more can be traced back to footwear issues. When I work out, I make sure that my shoes fit correctly with enough wiggle room for my toes and have proper arch support, cushioning, and flexible soles. I’m not paid by Brooks Running company, but you’ll always see me wearing a pair of their running shoes when I’m exercising. Feel free to ask me why on your next visit to the office.

My last piece of advice here is that we should make sure we ease into our new workout routines, one step at a time. Conditions such as heel pain, also known as plantar fasciitis, often creep up when starting an exercise routine too quickly. If exercising causes foot or ankle pain, stop immediately to prevent further damage and make an appointment to have it checked out. Pain in our feet is our body’s way of warning us that something is wrong, so we shouldn’t ignore it. There are plenty of non-weight bearing exercises we can continue in the mean time to get our cardio workouts in, such as swimming, cycling, or utilizing rowing machines at the gym.  

I hope these little tidbits of advice can help you meet your resolutions to achieve better overall health without sacrificing the health of your feet in the short or long term, and I wish you the best and healthiest year yet!