Foot help wanted

[Donna M]

I've started walking in my new sneakers to get ready for our trip in April. I have a problem with the soles of my feet almost stinging after awhile. This always seems to happen on trips to Disney or whenever I do a lot of walking when hot out (new or old sneakers). It will happen with flip flops too. I'm thinking of trying Body Glide on my feet.

Any advise would be helpful.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I've had luck with a combination of Dr. Scholl's inserts and heel cups.

Drink plenty of water, and take some sort of anti-inflammatory.

Do plenty of walking before you go, and during your trip and roll frozen water bottles on your feet before and afterwards.

Also, put the front half of your feet on a step and slowly lower your heel up and down kind of like a chin up for your feet.

Try to go to the parks in the slowest seasons, choosing the best park for the day, and the best attractions for the best time of the day. Make sure to use fastpass. The standing is the worst.

Finally, be firm in telling your companions...NO, I will not wait 90 minutes to go on Soarin or TSM. We can get the fastpass or not go at all, or I will sit on a bench and look at my lovely surroundings while you are in there.

 

[cc_nike]

My wife has feet problems and she swears by the Sketcher shape ups.

 

[Starr W.]

I've had luck with a combination of Dr. Scholl's inserts and heel cups.

Drink plenty of water, and take some sort of anti-inflammatory.

Do drink plenty of walking before you go, and during your trip and roll frozen water bottles on your feet before and afterwards.

Also, put the front half of your feet on a step and slowly lower your heel up and down kind of like a chin up for your feet.

Try to go to the parks in the slowest seasons, choosing the best park for the day, and the best attractions for the best time of the day. Make sure to use fastpass. The standing is the worst.

Finally, be firm in telling your companions...NO, I will not wait 90 minutes to go on Soarin or TSM. We can get the fastpass or not go at all, or I will sit on a bench and look at my lovely surroundings while you are in there.

I do the same thing freeze bottles of water and you will find me on the stairs stretching too.

I use Powerstep inserts I get from our local running shoe store. They cost more than Dr. Scholl's but I have found out I can get 6-9 months use out of them in my workout shoes(either run/powerwalk or boot camp workouts 5x per week).

I also alternate pairs of shoes when I am doing a heavy walking trip like WDW.

 

[Anal Annie]

I always have foot problems (and back & knee problems too) and always get blisters & stinging sensations. I tried those Sketchers Shape Up shoes briefly and they hurt my back really bad - I returned them. I have what is called pronation - which I found is also a problem when I ski and I had to get custom footbeds made for my ski boots. (Pronation refers to the inward roll of the foot during normal motion and occurs as the outer edge of the heel strikes the ground and the foot rolls inward and flattens out. A moderate amount of pronation is required for the foot to function properly, however damage and injury can occur during excessive pronation. When excessive pronation occurs the foot arch flattens out and stretches the muscles, tendons and ligaments underneath the foot.) There is something else that is called Supination - this is the opposite of pronation and refers to the outward roll of the foot during normal motion. This can cause ankle problems.

I find when doing excessive walking, like at Disney, the less shoe that touches me the better because I don't want blisters on top of my other problems. I found a pair of Clark flip flops last summer that were SOOO comfortable - very cushiony - I ordered a couple of spares of them they were so good and I plan to bring a pair to FL in 2 weeks. I took 2 pairs of them to Europe last summer and did a LOT of walking in them over the course of 2 weeks. I mean I was ALL OVER PARIS in them for like 14 hour days. I was so happy not to have BLISTERS. I haven't used the Body Glide yet but I have used the Band Aid Friction Block which helps a little bit and I always keep moleskin with me when I'm doing a lot of walking. After 2 weeks of non-stop touring I did get a little bit of soreness in my calves & arches that lasted for a couple of weeks after we got back but nothing as bad as what I'd had in previous commando type touring days at Disney. I haven't found anything any better. We're going in 2 weeks and I am hoping it's warm enough for me to wear my Clark flip flops. I will bring a pair of Easy Spirit backless tennis shoes too though just in case my toes get cold.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Feet at Disney are always a big topic in this house! lol DH was always fighting fatigue, blisters etc. until we got Ecco sandals. No more complaints - a miracle!!!

I don't quite know what the "stinging" defines. Body glide would help with blister preventing and might help with the stinging if it is caused by friction which is really what the Body glide helps prevent.

FWIW I never wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row. Different shoes provide different pressure points and alternating can often be enough to eliminate discomfort. For lots of walking at Disney I also prefer sandals - I have some Keen that I wear and the Ecco's. I've also done very well with Birkenstocks. Then I might throw in a day or two in good, supportive tennis shoes - that just depends on the weather.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I have to agree with anal annie about pronation.

My feet turn the nicest shade of purple when I'm at Disney.

 

[rutgers1]

I have a few suggestions:
1) Get younger ---- Ok, so that one isn't going to happen, lol.
2) Lose weight. I have no idea if you have a few extra pounds, but if so, it is amazing how much a few extra pounds can increase the pounding on your feet.
2) Strengthen your feet. This might sound counter-intuitive, but many people have troubles with their feet because modern footwear basically immobilizes them, thus the muscles in the feet are unable to do the jobs that they were designed to do. For thousands of years, our ancestors covered more ground barefoot per week than most of us cover per month - or year - yet they never had shoes. You can strengthen your feet by doing like they did and walk barefoot. Start simple and build up. From there, wear shoes that look LESS supportive, rather than more supportive. Even if you wear more supportive sneakers during your trip, your feet will thank you for it!

I had shin splints and plantar fascitis for years, and the only thing that alleviated them was ditching the supper supportive sneakers and going old school. When you research the minimal and barefoot sneaker movements, you'll see that Nike started the modern sneaker craze not because most people needed super supportive sneakers, rather because it was an area in the market where they could differentiate themselves. Now they have everyone thinking that they need to be wearing boot-like sneakers in order to walk down the street.

While there are people who need a more supportive shoe, there are less of those people than you'd think. On top of that, even those people would benefit from some foot strengthening through barefoot walking.

 

[pequele]

the stinging could be from improper fitting shoes. Something may be pushing on a nerve and causing the stinging perhaps (much like when your foot goes to sleep). I have had this happen when I tie new shoes too tightly and nerves get impeded. Since this happens when you wear flip flops as well though, I would tend to say you have something mechanical going on and a podiatrist may be a smart visit to make! All the preparing in the world won't help you especially if you are actually aggravating a mechanical problem to begin with. Just a thought!

 

[SusanWasHere]

I have horrible feet, so I feel your pain. Literally!! I have plantar fasciatis (sp?), heel spurs, bursitis, ugh! I do wear orthotics, but not to Disney. I put in a pair of Dr. Scholl's padded inserts and they help a ton. BUT the best advice ever was given to me a Disney bus driver in '06. I was on the ground at the bus stop with my shoes off rubbing my poor feet. I was the only one on the bus so he told me I should follow his advice. He pulled up his pants leg and he had on 2 pairs of socks! I thought he was crazy. He said he had been doing it for 23 years and works wonders. He said the 2nd sock works as a buffer so your foot doesn't get inflamed from rubbing back and forth along your sock. He told me to try it. Well, not only do I do it at Disney, I wear 2 pairs of socks every single day (even right now lol). My foot problems have decreased dramatically, I can't even believe it. I have suggested this to a couple of friends and family members and they all swear by it now too. And trust me - it doesn't make your foot any "hotter", even in the hot August sun.

 

[Starshine]

I also used to end up with the soles of my feet sore at WDW. I don't have any specific foot issues (that I know of ) but the bottoms of my feet would burn and hurt. I bought my first pair of Crocs 4 or 5 years ago, and I haven't had sore feet since! I wear a pair of shorty socks with mine (to keep the sweating minimal), and the breathability along with them not constricting my feet like sneakers worked wonders. Yep, they're ugly as anything but worth it!!!

 

[csharpwv]

Have you ever heard of plantar fasciitis?

It could be the cause of your stinging, and it could lead to more foot pain than you believe possible!

It can be excruciating - I have had a few bouts with it.
My job requires me to stand on concrete floors for hours at a time. For me standing brings pain on FAR faster than walking. I can walk all day, but I start having pain after about two hours on my feet on concrete.

The early warning signs for me are needle/stabbing pain in the mid-foot area, and then it starts creeping up and around the sides of my feet. The worst of the pain isn't immediate, it is usually the next morning/day that the pain is at its worst.

Your first step is to go to a REAL shoe store, and be fitted with the proper shoe size. My wife did not have tennis shoes that fit properly until I checked shoes before she bought them, NO WONDER her feet were hurting! Her gait resulted in her feet pushing slightly off the far outside of her tennis shoes. The shape of her foot is not typical - so much so that the first time I put a proper fitting tennis shoe on her foot she SWORE it didn't fit!

The fix to foot pain for me came in the form of New Balance motion control tennis shoes with their motion control insoles.

There is NO reason for blisters, there is no reason for foot pain, and there is no reason to constantly need to take pain relievers.

I'm a big guy, and yes, my feet hurt, but taking care to rest your feet, staying hydrated, and wearing proper shoes and socks will go a really long way in relieving your foot pain.

It may take a few trips to strike the perfect balance, but since you are picking up your walking BEFORE your trip will make a big difference in improving your endurance!

Another great thing, look on the Body Shop's website for Refreshing Peppermint Foot spray - it REALLY WORKS in refreshing your feet and giving you a better end to a great day. After a long day in the parks it feels great to take a hot shower, use the foot spray, and head to bed refreshed!

Good luck with your foot pain, I know it took a long time to find what works for my wife and I - but we are finally at a place where we have no major issues (blisters etc) during our Disney vacations!

 

[Donna M]

Thanks for all the ideas. Today I walked with my, believe it or not Mickey socks and there was barely any stinging! I do believe the stinging/burning has to do with the friction. I don't have any medical issues with my feet. I have been trying different types of socks. I'll have to give the two pair idea a try and then I'll buy some Body Glide too.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Also, rubbing Theragesic or Ben-Gay on your feet before you leave the hotel for the park and when you return will help alot.

 

[theoarn]

My wife wears the Z-COIL shoes.
I think they look really dumb but she says without them she wouldn't be able to do all day on her feet at Disney.

http://www.zcoil.com/

Theo