A new year often brings new health goals and new motivation to be more active, and often, that means trying a new fitness routine or sport. But before you jump in, it’s important to make sure your feet and ankles are prepared for the added impact and strain.
Because they support your entire body, these areas work harder than almost any other part of your body during exercise, and even seemingly minor issues can quickly derail your progress — and lead to a lot of pain, too.
At Texas Foot & Ankle Specialists, PLLC, we’re all about getting — and staying — healthy. To that end, our team has compiled a list of five simple actions that you can take to reduce your risk of injury while improving your workout and your results.
When choosing shoes, it may be tempting to put fashion first. But wearing the wrong shoes for your activity is one of the fastest ways to develop foot and ankle pain. Different activities place different demands on your body and different strains on your feet and ankles. Making sure your shoes “match” those demands and strains goes a long way toward protecting your feet and avoiding injury.
When selecting shoes for any activity, make sure they fit well without slippages or friction, offer plenty of arch support, and feature ample cushioning. Our team is skilled in making shoe recommendations based on your activity, your gait, and other individual factors for optimal support, reduced risk of injury, and improved performance, too.
Once you find the shoes that suit your activity, it can be tough to give them up. But as important as it is to select the right shoes, it’s equally important to replace them when they start to wear out. Once cushioning and support wear down, your feet and ankles are subjected to greater shock and strain with every step or movement you make, increasing the risk of injury and pain.
In a nutshell: If you notice uneven wear, reduced comfort, or new aches after activity, it’s likely time for a new pair. Not sure if your shoe needs to be replaced? The American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine offers some helpful tips and graphics on its website.
It’s natural to be excited about a new workout, but going “all-in” and doing too much too soon can quickly lead to pain and injury. Sudden increases in intensity or duration put a lot of added strain on joints, ligaments, and tendons — even the bones in your feet can suffer.
A safer approach is to build up gradually. Increase time, intensity, or distance in small increments to give muscles, ligaments, and tendons time to adapt. By ramping up gradually, you significantly reduce your risk of overuse injuries like plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, and tendonitis.
We get it: You’re busy, and taking time to warm up feels inconvenient. Unfortunately, ignoring the warm-up substantially increases your risk of injury. Why? Because your feet and ankles depend on flexibility and full range of motion to handle impact and movement during exercise. Cold muscles and stiff joints are much more likely to strain under sudden movement.
Fortunately, a good warm-up doesn’t need to be complicated. Just 10-15 minutes of light cardio, calf stretches, and foot and ankle flexion help improve circulation and prepare your muscles and other tissues for activity, lowering your risks of sprains, strains, and other painful injuries.
Pain is your body’s way of telling you something isn’t right. If you feel a sharp twinge during exercise or notice swelling afterward, don’t ignore it or chalk it up to a temporary problem. Early intervention is always better than delaying care, and it can help prevent a minor issue from turning into a major problem.
Instead, give our office a call at the first sign of unusual symptoms and schedule an evaluation with our team. We can not only determine if you’re experiencing the early signs of injury, but also provide you with personalized guidance tailored to your needs to help prevent injuries in the future.
Starting the year with a new fitness plan is exciting, and taking care of your feet and ankles ensures you keep that momentum and motivation going so you can reach your personal goals. If you’re starting a new routine, scheduling a foot and ankle evaluation first — or at the first sign of discomfort — is one of the best ways to prevent injuries and avoid downtime. To schedule your evaluation, request an appointment at our locations in Mesquite, Forney, and Kaufman, Texas, today.
