Thanksgiving is only a few days away, and while the holiday can bring a number of fun things, like time with family and friends and a delicious feast, it can also be accompanied by foot pain if you’re not careful. You need to be cognizant of some of the ways that the holiday can stress and challenge your feet and take a few small precautions to help avoid them. Below, we take a look at some of the ways that the holiday can be hard on your feet, and what you can do to avoid foot pain this Thanksgiving.
How To Avoid Thanksgiving Foot Pain
Avoiding foot pain around the Thanksgiving holiday involves identifying potential sources of pain and working to avoid these pitfalls. Here’s a look at potential sources of foot pain around Thanksgiving.
1. Cooking – Let’s start with the cooking, because odds are you’ll be involved in the cooking or the cleanup process at some point this Thanksgiving. Making a turkey or cooking up a bunch of sides involves a lot of prep work inside and out of the kitchen. Wear comfy shoes when you’re doing your grocery shopping, and try to break up some of the prep and cooking so that you’re not standing in the kitchen for three hours straight. If there are jobs you can do sitting down, like peeling potatoes or dicing apples for apple pie, pull up a chair and take some stress off your feet. If you need to be standing, start tasks early so that you can take a break here or there to give your feet some rest.
2. Traveling – Traveling can also be hard on your feet, especially if you’ll be stuck on a flight or in a vehicle for hours on end. If you’re driving, leave 10-15 minutes earlier than normal so that you can stop and stretch your legs at a gas station or rest stop. For those on a cross country flight, get up and move when the pilot allows it to improve circulation in your feet and avoid clotting issues. Moving on a plane or at a gas station can help to avoid muscle cramping or calf tightening, which can contribute to foot pain.
3. Eating – Eating isn’t hard on your feet in the traditional sense, but it can cause problems in other ways. For example, a big Thanksgiving feast that is rich in carbohydrates and sugar can cause a gout flareup in your feet if that’s something that you’ve been prone to deal with, especially if you wash it down with alcohol. Eat a balanced meal and drink plenty of water throughout the day. It’s also important to mind what you eat because poor eating habits can lead to weight gain, which will cause your feet to have to displace more stress. Be mindful about how you approach the dinner table and the leftovers over the next few days.
4. Extracurricular Activities – Everyone has different Thanksgiving traditions, so know what’s in store for you and plan accordingly. If you’ll be running a turkey trot, pack your running shoes. If you’ll be shopping on Black Friday, wear a comfortable and supportive option. If you’ll be playing in a post-meal football game, grab shoes or cleats that are right for whatever surface you’ll be on. Know what activities typically accompany your holiday get-together and plan ahead so that your feet are always in the right shoe.