Fit Feet for the Fourth
Are you ready to celebrate our nation’s freedom? As we head out to celebrate the July 4th weekend, podiatrist Dr. David Sullivan wants to share some important foot safety tips. That way, foot pain or injuries won’t ruin your holiday weekend.
Protecting Your Feet at the Fireworks
If you’re heading to the Grand Park Sports Campus for Westfield Rocks the 4th festivities or another local holiday celebration this is an important read. First off, if you’ll be walking a lot over the long weekend, make sure to skip the sandals and look for supportive athletic shoes instead.
That’s important so that you’ll avoid foot pain. But it’s also key if you’re planning to take in (or shoot off your own) fireworks display. Now, watching bursts in the sky is thrilling. But stepping on a still sizzling firecracker? Or getting hit on your bare feet by falling fireworks debris? Not so great. So, to keep your feet safe from burns, make sure to wear closed-toe, protective foot gear at the July 4th light shows.
Beaches, Pools and Burns…Oh My!
Planning to celebrate the 4th by the water? Fantastic! But you’ll still need to care for your feet.
Of course, closed-toe shoes aren’t practical for swim days. Still, you need to wear footwear at the beach or on the pool deck and in the locker room. Otherwise, you’ll probably be in our office next week dealing with a foot fungus or plantar wart.
Now, these shoes can keep fungal infections at bay. But they still leave a lot of your delicate foot skin exposed. So we also need to talk about sunscreen for your feet.
Remember, you wear protective shoes to prevent third-degree burns from fireworks (see above.) But you need to lather up any exposed skin—including your feet—or the strong summer sun could give you a first degree burn. (Seriously painful, and an added risk for skin cancer down the road!)
Plus, when your feet do get burned, you may develop painful blisters. Unlike the ones that develop because of rubbing sneakers, these blisters will be very painful and prone to infection. So, if they do develop, come in so we can properly clean and cover your blisters. That way, we can prevent infection, or further complications.
Take It Easy
With all of the walking you may be doing during the holiday weekend, it’s best to listen to your body and take a break if anything starts to hurt. It’s also a good idea to carry bandages in case blisters happen so you can cover sore spots early on and prevent infection.
Year-Round Foot Care in Westfield, Carmel, Noblesville, Fishers and Zionsville
Worrying about your feet on special occasions and working to protect them? Always a good idea. But ignoring minor foot pain the rest of the year, hoping it will just go away? Sadly, that never works!
More often than not, a small foot problem becomes a major issue if you ignore your discomfort. Instead, come see us right away, at the first sign of a problem. That way, we can keep you walking comfortably. For all those July 4th parades, plus the other days that follow!