Keep Your Feet Safe at the Gym in the New Year

It is 2011, the beginning of a New Year and new resolutions. If your resolution for the upcoming year is to get into shape, don’t forget to keep your feet in tip-top shape while following through with your resolutions to get fit. The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons offers the following tips for foot safety while at the gym.

Start new workouts gradually— Increase your stamina and the length of your workouts gradually to avoid overuse injuries such as stress fractures or tendon strains and sprains. Stretching your muscles before and after workouts also helps prevent these types of injuries.
Wear the right shoe and sock—Wear well-fitted athletic shoes designed for exercise or sport. Shoes that do not support the arch of the foot or provide cushion for the heel can cause heel pain (plantar fasciitis). Shoes that are too small can cause a neuroma, a thickening of the nerve tissue, in the foot, which may require injections, medication or physical therapy. Wearing cotton or non-slip socks are also key to help avoid painful blisters, which can become infected and cause more serious issues.

Use good technique— Improper exercise techniques can result in injury to the tendons or ligaments in your feet and ankles. Incorrect posture or misuse of exercise equipment can cause decreased stabilization in the foot and ankle, leading to joint sprains and muscle strains.

Protect yourself from bacteria—Sweaty shoes, public showers, exercise equipment and the pool deck at the gym are breeding grounds for fungus, viruses and bacteria, including drug-resistant strains like MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) which has become increasingly more common. Therefore, never go barefoot while in public areas and cover cuts and cracks in the skin or ingrown toenails since these minor tears in the skin’s surface can act as an entry point for bacteria.

Above all, it’s important to listen to your body. If you experience an injury or pain, please call our office, 440-946-5858, for evaluation and treatment.