Our Tips for Spring Foot Care

Sunday is the first day of spring, and when the weather warms up, it’s time to take our exercises and activities outdoors. But after the calm of winter, our lower limbs and feet become very vulnerable to injury. Today Dr. Hubert Lee at CarePlus Foot & Ankle Specialists in Bellevue, WA, is sharing some simple tips to care for your feet this spring. 

Keep in mind that if you’re increasing your outdoor activity or starting a new workout regimen, you’ve got to be careful! Even simple physical activities with repetitive movements can cause or worsen injuries like Achilles tendinitis, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis. 

Whether you’re an experienced athlete or a weekend warrior, you’ve got to be smart when increasing any physical activity, starting with the following steps:

• stretching out and warming up
• wearing supportive shoes that are appropriate for your activities
• progressively increasing your activities.

When you have a solid foundation at the start of your training, you make yourself much less susceptible to injuries.

Proper Footwear: The right footwear should stabilize your feet and ankles, allow your limbs and feet to work as needed for the activity, and fit comfortably. Schedule an appointment with your podiatrist for assistance in choosing supportive insoles or suitable footwear. The correct shoes should provide support and comfort to stop injuries from happening. 

Treatment: If you’re injured, you should:

• rest the affected area
• hold off from intense physical activity
• take anti-inflammatory medications
• apply ice or cold packs to reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain.

In cases of extensive bruising, loss of stability, discoloration, more severe pain, or symptoms that last longer than a week, you should schedule an appointment with us immediately so we can determine the severity of the injury. We offer several supportive devices and treatments to help you through your healing process. We can also evaluate your training methods and footwear to see if either might be causing or worsening the injury.

Spring is the perfect time to get your body moving and enjoy the outdoors! Just be sure to start slow, gradually escalate your physical activity, warm up, and stretch. 

If you need help putting the spring back in your step, contact Dr. Hubert Lee at CarePlus Foot & Ankle Specialists in Bellevue, WA. You can schedule an appointment online or by calling us at 425-455-0936.