So here is your mid-January resolution pep talk. If getting in shape and exercising was your new year's resolution, you'll need a starter package! First dedicate time into your schedule. It's like lunch. It is in your schedule every day. It may get pushed back or shorter depending on the day however, you always eat eventually. You will always exercise ever day! Find something you enjoy doing. Should you get board running round the track, don't do it. Try out community classes, new sports, and get a work out buddy! Most importantly, you need to be physically prepared for the activity. See your personal doctor for those who have any current medical conditions to understand about activities best for you. Ladies, I have great news! You need to buy new shoes - Doctor's Orders!
Not all sports are created equal and they cause different stresses in your body and especially your foot and ankle. Pushing, slamming, crushing, jamming, twisting, and turning; your shoes and feet are going for a beating. If you are pulling your old athletic shoes out of the closet, you probably have to move them to the garbage. Athletic shoes break down over time and lose their supportive properties. Depending on the sport and just how often you use them, shoes should be replaced every 3-6 months. It's also vital that you buy sport specific shoes. Different sports or exercise programs involve varying movements and therefore are at special paces. Your supporting structure should accommodate these different stressors. Your new shoes have to be well fitted. Make sure to go shoe shopping within the afternoon since your feet do increase in dimensions through the day. Don't be afraid to test on different sizes. You may think you are a size 8 but sizes do vary from brand to brand. Many people wear their shoes too small. This can slowly cause deformities and complications of the feet.
So how can you realize it's the right size?
It's most important that your shoe bends where your foot bends which the widest part of the shoe is in the widest part of your foot. After this is established, then look to determine where your toes are. There should be a minimum of a finger's breadth of space from your longest toe to the end of shoe. You may need to try several different brands, styles, and sizes to locate the perfect match. Also, be sure you stand up and walk around within the shoes on BOTH feet. Your feet aren't the same size so what feels right on one foot may still be too small for that other.
After you discover the perfect fit, and also you start your work out, don't be discouraged if you began to feel foot pain. Over 75% of the population has at least one foot problem. Increasing activity may aggravate your condition, but you will find simple answers and solutions. Most foot problems are because of the biomechanical structure and function of your foot. When these problems are present, it's common to experience pain inside your foot, ankle, knees, and back, but using orthotics quickly corrects the issue. Orthotic help control and correct the biomechanical function of the foot. Since not all feet are created equal and that we do different activities, custom orthotics is the greatest solution. A podiatric physician can cast your foot and a mold will be created. A lab will then use that mold to form an insert. Based on your history and physical, a doctor and lab chooses specific materials, and accommodations to accommodate and correct your particular foot structure and biomechanical function.
So go buy some new shoes and obtain towards the gym. You aren't allowed to make use of the excuse "my feet hurt too much." Podiatric physicians can help you discover the right shoes and help relieve pain while you still gain at the gym! It's a new year and time for new shoes and a new you.