The cold weather is here to stay for a few months, and now that our sandals are once again packed away in the closet, our attention is turned towards footwear that is geared towards the winter weather. Winter footwear oftentimes offers more natural protection than a more minimalist summer shoe, but a number of different foot injuries can arise this season if you’re not smart about your footwear choices this time of year. With that in mind, we wanted to share some tips for choosing the right winter footwear this year.
Tips For Choosing Your Winter Footwear
If you’re like us, you probably wear a wider variety of footwear in the winter than in the warm summer months. Perhaps you have your work shoes, a pair of cold-weather running shoes, some boots for trudging through the snow, and then some footwear for winter activities like skiing, snowboarding or ice skating. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you have to make some shoe selections this winter.
Ski Boots Need To Fit Now – If your child is interested in partaking in some winter sports, make sure that you buy boots or skates that fit their foot right now. It can be tempting to try to buy a shoe that is a little loose so that they can use them for more than one year, but without the right ankle support, your child could be at an increased risk for ankle sprains or even fractures. Fit their boot to their foot, and if your child is going through a period of rapid growth, consider renting or buying from a resale shop instead of always buying new.
Protection From The Elements – Your shoes need to do a good job of protecting your feet from the elements. Your toes are the furthest part of your body from your heart, and they’ll feel the effects of circulatory issues caused by cold weather if your shoes aren’t helping to keep your feet warm. Wear the right snow shoe for the occasion, and replace any footwear that has holes or openings.
Get A Grip – Slip and fall injuries tend to skyrocket during the winter months. We always end up treating a few foot fractures that were the result of a misstep on ice, and you can work to prevent these potentially devastating injuries by wearing a shoe that is designed for winter weather that has a healthy amount of grip or tread. Again, replace older boots that no longer provide traction on slippery surfaces.
Break Them In Slowly – Finally, if you haven’t worn your boots since last winter, break them in slowly this season. Don’t go on a three-mile winter hike the first time you put your boots on. Stress will be dispersed differently on your feet, and certain areas of your foot may become irritated by the way the boot rests on your foot or ankle. Ease back into winter activities, especially if you haven’t worn those winter boots in many months.