FitSugar

How-To: Heal Cracked Heels

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Warm Summer weather inspires many of us to wear flip-flops and walk barefoot. When your feet are exposed to air, it can cause dry skin on your feet, which will create calluses. The pressure of pounding your feet on the ground when you run can then lead to heel fissures, or cracks in the skin. They most often occur on your heels, but you can get them anywhere you have extremely dry skin. If you continue to run, the fissures can split open further and become deeper. When that happens, the fissures can bleed and expose the underlying tissue to infection. Plus they're really painful, which makes running downright impossible.

Want to know how you can prevent fissures? Then read more.

Before you go to sleep, soak your feet in water or take a bath or shower. Then lather your feet up with intense moisturizing lotion, salve, or body butter, and wear socks over them.
Wear socks and shoes that cover your feet to help keep the skin moist. I know this can be a pain during the Summer, but it will really help heal your cracked heels.

Drink lots of water throughout your day to help moisturize your body from the inside out.

To get rid of dry skin on your heels, try using a pumice stone in the shower. It gently sloughs off dead skin cells, eventually revealing softer, smoother skin. If you already have small cracks, just be careful not to irritate those areas.
If you live in a dry area, try using a humidifier in your home to help keep moisture in the air.
I know it's tempting to continue running, but if you have a deep fissure, pounding your feet will only make it worse. Switch to walking until your cracked heel is under control.
If you already have a big crack, make an appointment with a podiatrist. They can help get rid of the hard, dry skin on your feet, so that your fissure can heal.

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Strengthen Your Feet With Marbles

FitSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:00:00 -0700

You need a strong base if you're active walking, biking, dancing, or running. Your base is your feet so you need to strengthen your trotters to prevent injury. Here's a fun way to strengthen your feet using marbles:

Place 20 marbles on the floor. Pick up the marbles one at a time using your right toes and drop the marbles into a small plastic bowl. Repeat this pickup game with your left foot. I suggest a plastic bowl since it muffles the clank of marbles dropping into the dish.Try to play footsie marbles at least once a day.

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Running Explained: Pronation

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:00:00 -0800

If you're a runner, it's a must to know what type of pronator you are. Pronation refers to the way your foot rolls when it hits the ground, and there are three types: normal pronation, overpronation, and underpronation (aka supination). Figuring out your running pattern will help you buy the right kind of running shoe, which will not only make running more comfortable, but it can also prevent injury. I have made a chart to help you figure out what is going on with your feet when you're running. Let your personal research begin when you read more.

	Normal Pronation	Overpronation	Underpronation
Description	After the heel strikes, the ankle rolls inward slightly and the foot comes down flat and forms a stable platform for the runner to push off from.	After a heel strike, the ankle rolls about 15 degrees inward as the foot makes contact with the ground. Then the runner pushes off with the big toe.	After the heel strikes, only the outside edge of the foot hits the ground. Then the runner pushes off from the outer toes.
Type of Arch	Usually have normal arches.	Usually have low or flat arches.	Usually have high arches.
Wear on sole of sneaker	Even wear along the heel and front of the foot.	Wear on the heel and inside of forefoot.	Wear on the outside edges.
Recommended Sneaker	Neutral or stability running shoe	Motion control or stability shoe	Neutral running shoe with extra cushioning

So tell me, which type of pronator are you?

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Minutes to a Healthier You . . .

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Sometimes it's the little things we do to keep on track for optimal health that make a difference. Most of the time they take just a few minutes, or even seconds, to do. Taking care of your feet is one such activity, and I ask you, what have you done for your feet lately? Our feet propel us into the world, move us around, and create a platform on which we stand, but we neglect them.

Here are two easy moves you can do, even before getting out of bed, to take care of your trotters.

First, circle your ankles five times, then reverse the direction of the circle. This move will prime the ankles for motion and jump start your circulation.
Then flex your feet, pulling your toes back toward your head. This stretch starts to lengthen your Achilles tendon and stretches the fascia on the bottom of the foot, called plantar fascia. When plantar fascia gets to tight, it can tear and become inflamed causing the quite debilitating problem of plantar fasciitis. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds. You can increase the intensity of this stretch by placing a strap (or the belt of a bathrobe) around the ball of your foot and pull both ends of the rope evenly with your hands (like this). For this variation, you might have to get out of bed though.

Take care of your feet and they will take care of you.

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5 Things: Happy Hiking Feet

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Autumn is my favorite time to go for a hike. I always try to take a trip somewhere to catch some mountain views of colorful foliage. I pack some food, plenty of water, and some extra layers and head out early so I can get to the summit by noon for lunch.

This kind of hike takes about five hours, and it can wreak havoc on your poor feet. Here are some tips to keep your trotters pain free.

Buy hiking boots that cover your ankle. This will keep your ankle stable and prevent it from turning or twisting. Also make sure they fit properly and have a rugged sole that will grip on wet and uneven terrain. Break in your new hiking boots with shorter hikes before committing to a day-long hike.

Give yourself a pedicure before your hike. What I mean is to make sure your toenails are cut short and square. Long toenails can bruise or cut into the skin.
Wear wicking socks to prevent your sweaty feet from staying moist and causing blisters.
Pack band-aids or moleskin pads in your lumbar pack just in case you feel a blister forming.
Rest your feet. When taking breaks for water or lunch, take off your boots and socks and let your tootsies air out. You can also elevate them to help reduce swelling.

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Revamp Your Cardio: Move Your Feet

FitSugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 07:30:00 -0700

One way your body may be getting bored with your cardio workouts is that you're always working the same muscles over and over again. In order to constantly be challenging yourself, it is a good idea to use different machines. OK, but what if you own an elliptical machine at home?

Don't worry, you can still switch things around (and still use the same machine) simply with how you use your feet while on the machine. Use your toes to really work your quads (front of your upper legs) a little more. Use your heels to really work your booty and hamstrings (back of your upper legs) a little more. I like to alternate two minutes of pushing with my toes with two minutes of pushing with my heels. You can also try this while biking and while doing stairclimbers.

Fit's Tip: I also find that this technique can help with toe numbness, which can be a big problem.

Fit Find Faves: Things for Your Feet

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 03:00:00 -0700

Here are some recent Fit Finds of things that are great for your feet. Check 'em out!!!!

Check out these Chacos that Brown Sugar found. They are comfy, good for your feet and excellent for stomping through streams.

redegg swears by these inserts for your high heels by Insolia. It looks like they will make wearing heels much easier on your heels.

scratch5 found these cite Allrounders by Mephisto. They sure do look comfy.

Check out what other Sugar users are bookmarking as Fit Finds. Chances are high you will find something to satisfy the happy, healthy you. If you want to lean more about bookmarking in the Sugar pages, read geeksugar's excellent tutorial.

Which Part of Your Body do You LOVE to Show Off the Most?

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Well, FabSugar inspired me with their poll called Which Body Part do You Try to Hide the Most?

I want to know, which part of your body do you LOVE to show off?

Athlete's Foot: Keep it Off Your Feet

FitSugar — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 03:00:00 -0800

Ever since high school when we were forced to take freshmen swimming, I have been mortified of getting athlete's foot. It seemed that someone in the locker room always had it, making showering one frightening experience.

Nowadays I wear rubber flip-flops when I use the shower at my gym. Mainly out of fear but sometimes I wonder: Can the fungus permeate my thongs?

I have since found out that my fear is somewhat invalid. The fungus that causes athlete's foot lives (and thrives) in warm, moist places, making public showers picture perfect breeding grounds for the germ. Wearing flip-flops decreases your risk (phew), but it's also very important to wash your feet with soap. Once you wash your feet make sure to dry between your toes immediately after your shower so there are no warm, moist places for the fungus to live when you put your shoes on. Wear flip-flops every time you shower in a public place and be sure to wash and dry them off too. However should you get the infamous athlete's foot, it is not the end of the world since most drugstore treatments get rid of it pretty quickly.

Why Do Some Feet Smell?

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 04:00:00 -0800

Occasionally I get a question that I feel is relatively absurd and I thought this one fell into that category: Why do feet smell? After considering it more, I realized it wasn't as weird as I thought and actually a good question. Why do some feet smell? So here it is.

Did you know that feet have more sweat glands than any other part of the body? 250,000 sweat glands per foot to be exact. As the foot sweats and the sweat is trapped inside footwear, it can begin to have an odor. The interaction of the sweat and the footwear along with bacteria are what causes the smell.

Sweat itself is basically just salt and water so it doesn't have a smell of its own. The smell is actually caused by bacteria on our skin (totally normal by the way) which eats the sweat and excretes waste that has a strong odor [Gross]. The inside of a shoe is not exactly the poster child for proper ventilation so the sweat can't evaporate, providing a breeding ground for bacteria.

The truth: stinky feet are not a major health issue but a result of sweat -- Plain and simple.

So how do you prevent it:

Wash your feet with strong anti-bacterial soap
Wear clean socks
Air your shoes out and don't wear the same shoes everyday
Wear well-ventilated shoes
Wear socks, preferably made of cotton or other absorbent materials

Fit's Tip: If it is still a problem, then try changing your socks a few times a day, buy some Odor-Eaters or try applying an antiperspirant to your feet.