Don’t Let Foot Pain Ruin Your Holidays: A Survival Guide

Over the holidays, there are so many wonderful experiences and good times with family and friends to look forward to. The last thing you want is for foot pain or a foot injury to dampen the season.

Paying attention to your shoes, foot care routine, and a few basic safety precautions are usually all you need to keep your feet happy for holiday fun. Thomas Rambacher, DPM, FACFAS, FAPWCA, and Amber O’Connor, DPM, from Podiatry Hotline Foot & Ankle in Mission Viejo, California, offer these recommendations to help your feet stay healthy and pain-free throughout the holidays.

Choose your shoes carefully

Whether you’re going to a party, selecting a tree, or shopping for the perfect present, you can expect to be on your feet more than usual throughout the holiday season. And holiday parties often call for glitzy, glamorous shoes you want to show off on the dance floor.

Wearing inappropriate shoes for the occasion can lead to problems. Unsupportive shoes can cause foot pain, calluses, blisters, and corns. You can even sprain or fracture your foot or ankle with an awkward step when wearing the wrong shoes.

Shoes with high heels, a pinched toe box, and no support are especially hazardous if you’re diagnosed with a chronic condition like:

Our team helps you select shoes that look great at holiday parties and events while still offering ample support. In general, we recommend choosing low-heeled shoes with plenty of room at the front. Bring more supportive shoes you can wear to and from the event and change into if your feet start to hurt.

We also fit medical-grade custom orthotics that you can wear in every pair of shoes, even formal wear. These help ward off foot pain, prevent painful calluses, and keep structural abnormalities like flat feet corrected.

Mind your holiday diet

For everyone, eating a balanced and nutritious diet benefits their foot and overall health. Maintaining a healthy diet and drinking lots of water can help reduce foot swelling and reduce the risks of weight gain that puts strain on your feet.

Watching out for certain foods common at holiday events is especially important when you have a chronic condition like gout or diabetes. Eating too many rich foods and drinks, such as red meat, organ meat, shellfish, alcohol, and highly processed or sugary foods, can trigger a gout attack at the wrong time.

If you’re diagnosed with gout, limit alcohol and meats high in purines. If you have diabetes, remain mindful of your food choices to keep your blood sugar stable. Find out in advance what food will be served at events or restaurants, and consider bringing your own healthy snacks.

Get safe pedicures

There’s nothing more fun than showing off your glamorous toenails at holiday events. But choosing a salon with poor hygiene practices can leave you with a nasty fungal or bacterial infection, or an ingrown toenail.

When choosing a salon, select only licensed places with high safety standards that treat nails and cuticles properly. When painting your own toenails, ensure you cut your nails in a straight, even line.

Rest your feet whenever possible

All that shopping and dancing can leave your feet exhausted. Give yourself plenty of opportunities to sit down and take breaks.

You can help tired, cracked feet recover by giving yourself a foot massage, soaking your feet in a warm bath, applying lotion, and getting plenty of rest. Over-the-counter medication can relieve temporary aching and swollen feet.

Follow your usual foot care routines

During the busy holidays, it’s essential to continue with everything you usually do for your feet. This includes checking diabetic feet for sores and cracks, wearing accommodative shoes and custom orthotics, and maintaining your lifestyle as much as possible.

Our team is here to help you attend your regular foot care appointments or with any acute problems that arise over the holidays. Contact us to schedule your appointment.