Running can take your health to the next level, but it can also cause you mobility issues in a twisted sense of fate. When we run, we are placing a large amount of pressure on our feet and ankles. That can cause problems like pain, tendonitis, and sprains if you are not careful. To ensure you can maintain your hobby and keep your feet healthy, follow these tips.

Run With Healthy Feet

• Wear the proper footwear-the wrong shoes cause blisters, corns, and problems with your tendons. However, when you have the right shoes, you have an extra cushion and arch support to help your balance. If you are a runner, avoid basketball or soccer shoes. Shoes made for a specific set of activities don’t offer the support that runners need to utilize.
• Know your terrain-most runners choose to work out on concrete or asphalt, which causes a large amount of shock and pressure on your feet. Instead of running on these surfaces, try to find an area with dirt. Dirt will absorb the impact where concrete does not.
• Don’t skip your warm-up-stretching and warming up is vital because it will save you from pain and injuries. You need to walk before you run for at least fifteen minutes.
• Don’t run straight through-instead of running the entire session; alternate between running and walking. It also lowers the impact placed upon your feet which helps you maintain healthy mobility.
• When you have had enough-if you feel pain when running, you need to stop because your body is warning you. Don’t keep pushing beyond what you know your capabilities are.

Running should be a fun activity that doesn’t leave you in pain for hours after. If you are experiencing issues when you run, see a podiatrist immediately. Armed with the best knowledge and care, they will ensure that you can run anywhere you like with happy feet.

The medical team at Your Next Step Podiatry has offices in several convenient locations. We serve Berwyn, Chester County, and the Western Suburbs. We also serve Montgomery County, Greater Philadelphia and Lower Merion, and the Downingtown areas. We can help bring your feet back to their best health. Board-certified Dr. Eric Ricefield, Dr. Mark Yagodich, and Dr. Aliza V. Eisen, board qualified, offer diagnoses and appropriate services for treating various conditions. Call our Downingtown office at (610) 873-0322 or our Ardmore office at (610) 642-8837 to see us right away.