Top Tips to Prevent Foot Injuries

Most people, both athletes and non-athletes, tend to take their feet for granted and only think about them when they’re in pain. For athletes, you can’t run, jump, kick, juke, or backpedal if your feet and ankles are not as healthy. Failure to take care of your feet might be the difference between finishing the season (or match) in style and warming the bench while your teammates complete the job. Whether you’re a weekend warrior who for fitness and pleasure, or a college player engaging in different games, or pro player who plays and trains every other day, here are important tips to prevent injuries in your lower limbs.

Change Damp Shoes and Socks

Be sure to change shoes and socks if you train often or if your lower limbs sweat a lot. Damp footwear is the primary cause of fungal infections and nasty blisters. Dispose of used shoe liners. Most importantly, consider wearing socks with moisture-wicking properties to keep your feet cool and dry.

Choose Sport-specific Shoes

If you’re a sports enthusiast, you might have noticed that shoes differ from game to game. You don’t want to use soccer cleats to make all the jumping in a basketball court. You’ll get more injuries than you imagine. Buy shoes meant for your sport.

Buy New Pairs of Shoes

Take care not to hang onto your favourite pair of shoes for too long. Even the highest quality and well-cared shoes will eventually succumb to wear and tear. Also, old shoes are breeding grounds for bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, which can lead to athlete’s foot, warts, fungal toenails, and other kinds of foot diseases.

You can also do the following to prevent foot injuries:

• Cross-train- engage in both high-impact and low-impact sports
• Ease into new sports, activities, and exercises

If you get a foot or ankle injury, consider seeking podiatric care.