Are you planning a Disney vacation with your family in the near future? If so, you probably have a number of different details that you’re focused on, and odds are your foot health isn’t one of them. Even if you’re pretty active, a couple of days at Disney theme parks can be a major stress on your feet and ankles, and nobody wants to deal with foot pain during or after their vacation. With that in mind, we want to use today’s blog to share some tips for protecting your feet while you’re on your Disney vacation.
Protecting Your Feet At Disney
Keep this advice in mind, and you can reduce the likelihood that foot pain interrupts your vacation to the most wonderful place on earth.
1. Wear The Right Shoes – First and foremost, it’s essential that you wear a pair of comfortable and supportive shoes. You want to wear something designed to easily accommodate 15,000-25,000 steps or more in a day. Now is not the time to wear a fancy heel or a flimsy sandal, You’ll want to support your feet because they’ll be handling a lot of stress throughout the day, and that begins with the right pair of shoes.
2. Prep For The Trip – Prepare your shoes and your body for the trip by increasing your daily walking and exercise habits in the lead up to your vacation. If you bought new supportive shoes for the trip, make sure you break them in for weeks prior to your trip, this way your feet and adapt to how stress is dispersed across your foot. Also, start walking more and shooting for at least 10,000 steps a day so that the increase you experience on your trip isn’t as shocking to the system. If you haven’t been on your feet much and then you’re standing or walking for 14 hours a day for a few days in a row, your dogs are going to be barking. You don’t need to train for Disney like you’d train for a marathon, but you should put some foresight into your upcoming trip.
3. Plan Breaks – When you’re at the parks, try to plan your route such that you have some natural breaks in the day where you can get off your feet. See some shows where you can sit down, take breaks for lunch and snacks, and sit when other opportunities arise. You’re going to be doing a lot of walking and standing throughout the day, so work to take some stress off your feet by sitting when you can.
4. Pamper Your Feet At Day’s End – When all is said and done, put your feet up and help them recover following a day of stress. Take a warm bath or use moisturizers or lotions to soothe your aching feet. This is especially helpful if you’ll be doing a lot of walking the next day or you won’t be able to move much because you’ll be driving or flying home. Pamper your feet a little after you leave the park.
5. Care For Foot Issues Before You Go – Finally, if you’re dealing with lingering foot discomfort prior to your trip, meet with your doctor and work to overcome the issue before you head to Disney. Foot pain will oftentimes get worse with repetitive stress, so try to proactively treat your foot problems prior to your trip. Similarly, if you have new or worsened foot concerns after your trip, don’t just hope they’ll go away on their own. Connect with a foot specialist who can help you put an end to your foot discomfort for good.
If you need help preparing for your Disney vacation or treating a foot issue that developed on your trip, connect with Dr. Silverman and his team today!