Please your peds

Published 9:00 pm Friday, March 31, 2006

While it may be tempting to run out and buy insoles for every pair of shoes you own, remember there are other things you can do to help your feet stay happy.

Make sure your shoes and boots fit correctly: Backpacker Magazine reports that 7 out of 10 hikers wear improperly fitted boots. See the American Podiatric Medical Association (www.apma.org or call 800-366-8227) for tips on foot health. While you’re at it, visit www.backpacker.com and check out the Footwear Center, where you’ll find a guide to buying good fitting boots, socks and more.

Stretch: Tightness in the Achilles tendon, calf muscles and plantar fascia can cause problems for your feet and the rest of your body, too. Stretch often, not just before athletic activity, said Dr. Tom McCord of the Everett Foot Clinic.

Vary your activities: Repetitive stress injuries are more likely on feet that don’t cross train. If you’re a hiker, be sure to bike, swim or lift weights to move the feet in a different way for better strength and flexibility, McCord said.

Iffy insoles: If you’re trying new insoles, start slow. Wear them for a few hours a day at first and gradually build up to more hours by the end of the week. If you feel pain or discomfort after wearing them regularly for a couple weeks, stop and see a doctor.

See a doctor: Backpacker recommends you visit a podiatrist if your big toenail becomes ingrown easily, you get a blister in the same spot every trip, you have heel pain every morning, your arches ache on longer hikes, or if you routinely twist or sprain your ankles.

Sarah Jackson