Keeping Your Feet And Ankles Injury Free While Exercising
by Julia Gregory
Individuals that are active can be prone to a range of foot and ankle problems. Considering that these injuries can have long-term effects on a person's quality of life, it can be advisable to review some of the steps and considerations that can help keep your feet and ankles free of serious problems.
Invest In High-Quality Shoes
The quality of your shoes will be one of the main factors in determining whether or not you develop foot and ankle problems. Your shoes will be responsible for distributing the weight from your walking and running. Additionally, they will provide support to your arches and ankles to reduce the risk of injury. Individuals will often opt for cheaper shoes, and while this may not be particularly noticeable when it concerns shoes for casual activities, the same can not be said for low-quality exercise shoes. Individuals that are using inferior quality shoes may notice problems in as little as a single exercise session.
Thoroughly Stretch Before Exercising
Stretching before your exercise can help you avoid pulling or straining your muscles, and it can also help to reduce the risk of foot or ankle strain. Luckily, stretching this part of your body will be fairly simple and quick. For most individuals, this will only require them to lift themselves up on their toes and hold this position for several seconds. By repeating this action several times, you can help to loosen the muscles and tendons in your feet and ankles.
Minimize High-Impact Exercises
High-quality shoes and stretching can help to reduce the strain on your feet and ankles. However, high-impact exercises, such as running, can be extremely stressful to the feet and ankles. Minimizing the amount of high-impact exercises that you do can help to reduce this source of injury. Yet, this may not always be possible as some individuals may simply prefer running or other activities. If this is the case, making it a point to run where there is a padded track can allow you to enjoy the benefits of running while avoiding much of the unnecessary strain on your feet.
Know The Warning Signs That You Need To See A Specialist
If you notice that you have persistent foot pain or that your feet and ankles are swelling, you should see a foot and ankle specialist. When individuals first start to develop foot and ankle problems, they may wait far too long to seek treatment. This is a mistake that can contribute to a worsening of the damage to the feet and ankle. Individuals that must spend long hours on their feet for work can be particularly prone to this mistake.
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About Me
The decision to move one of my parents into assisted living was one of the most difficult I have ever made. I had extreme feelings of guilt that led to me being at the facility with my parent practically around the clock. It took a few months before I realized that I could not let my own life fall apart from the guilt I was feeling. I also learned that my parent was fine without me constantly hovering around. Since that time, I have had several friends express similar feelings of guilt. I started this blog to help others in the same situation understand not only their feelings about assisted living, but those of their parents.