Prepping Your Feet For A Comfortable Vacation
2 Minutes ReadSo you have booked yourself a long holiday now that the vaccinated travel lanes are open, and you are feeling excited about your upcoming vacation. You start drawing up a list of things to pack, then it hits you that your vacation could require hours of walking.
You then head out to buy a pair of walking/sports shoes that will provide comfort for your feet. Now here is a mistake many people make with new shoes - they fail to “season” their footwear before using it for prolonged periods. And their feet end up with painful blisters. Now that is a real bummer when you want to enjoy your leisurely vacation.
Here are some handy tips on how to avoid or deal with blisters:
1. Always “season” new shoes
“Seasoning” footwear basically means breaking the footwear in until it becomes used to your feet. New shoes tend to rub against the toes, causing abrasions and blisters. It is important to conform your feet to your shoes especially if it is your main walking shoes. Start breaking in your shoes at least a month before your trip, this ensures ample time for your shoes to become comfortable.
Start off with wearing your shoes for around one hour every two days, you could do grocery runs in them or simply walking at the park. Expect blisters and sore feet, but this beats getting them on your trip. Increase the wear and walking time as the weeks go by, and by the end of the third week your feet should feel accustomed to your footwear.
2. Wear thick socks
The additional padding of thick socks will not only cushion your feet from blisters, but it will help breaking in new shoes. Winter socks are a good option to protect against blisters. These socks can be purchased online and at sports shops such as Nike.
3. Get blister plasters
These plasters are available from pharmacies and come in various sizes. The hydrocolloid gel cushion protects the affected area and provides pain relief, on top of healing the blister. The plaster also provides protection against additional friction and pressure. A good blister plaster brand is Hansaplast. The plaster comes with a small case, making it convenient to tote around.
Do not wait till the last minute to break in your shoes. Though unpleasant at first, your feet will be grateful that you can enjoy your vacation blister-free!