Travel
Smart with Healthy Feet
Dr. Scholls essential steps
Early in my career as an intrepid travel writer and photographer,
I learned that travelling takes its toll on feet and if you take
care of your feet, youll go miles ahead in enjoyment. Even
on dreamy excursions say, admiring art at the Musée
du Louvre in Paris, walking the Great Wall of China, hiking through
Australias primreview rainforest travelling takes its
toll on the feet. Sore feet can ruin the pleasure of a vacation.
Why limp around Venice or stay in a hotel room nursing blisters
when you could be hiking up to a tea house in Lake Louise, or dancing
the night away at Mardi Gras in New Orleans?
The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps each day. Thats
enough to make your feet swell, particularly when youre on
walking tours or hikes, which add additional steps, time and strain
on your feet. From years of globe-trotting, Ive learned that
planning ahead for sensible footcare and maintaining a regular footcare
regimen each day will enhance your travels immeasurably.
My routine is simple. Before planning an Africa safari, sightseeing
in the Canadian Rockies or packing for a luxurious cruise, I visit
the local drugstore and stock up with the foot essentials that will
ensure a comfortable expedition. (See my list of favourites at the
end of this page.)
Step up to Healthy, Happy Feet
Wherever you plan to go, it pays to be savvy about common foot
conditions and to be prepared with appropriate treatments. Why risk
common travel foot conditions like corns, calluses and blisters,
heel pain and tired, aching feet when a little preparation can make
a world of difference on your vacation? So heed these basic tips.
Wear comfortable walking or athletic shoes
It may sound simple, but wearing comfortable shoes is essential
when spending hours on your feet, touring various museums and historic
sites. Comfortable shoes can help to alleviate the discomfort caused
by corns and calluses and help to prevent blisters.
If you have corns and calluses, plan to see your podiatrist before
embarking on your trip. You may wish to ease the discomfort by packing
over-the-counter cushion treatments to protect feet while on vacation.
Blisters are one of the most common travelling foot injuries, which
often lead to nights in hotel rooms caring for painful feet. Avoid
missing out on enjoyable excursions by using over-the-counter treatments
such as Dr. Scholls® Cushlin® UltraSlim Blister Treatment
to help heal and prevent blisters.
Comfortable shoes with proper arch support delay the occurrence
of tired, achy feet, which can hamper the enjoyment of walking and
hiking activities. A variety of over-the-counter insoles and devices
can improve the arch support of your shoes, allowing for more "on
your feet" time.
Do not pack shoes that need to be "broken
in"
Avoid shoes that require a break-in period. Instead, purchase shoes
that feel comfortable right away. If the shoes hurt your feet at
home, theyll hurt them on the road as well. Be conscious of
the vigorous level of your activities and the comfort level of your
shoes.
If shoes lack sufficient padding or support,
improve the performance of your shoes by adding inserts and devices
Quite often, fashionable shoes that best match your outfit
whether for an afternoon shopping in New York City or an evening
of entertainment on a cruise ship are not beneficial to your
foot health. Avoid trendy shoes if they are ill fitting or have
irritating high heels. Wear shoes that support your feet and allow
ease of movement. For additional support and cushioning, consider
the variety of over-the-counter inserts, such as Dr. Scholls®
Advantage PowerWalk Insoles. (I put these in every pair of golf
shoes.)
Soak feet nightly
Treating your feet each night with a specially designed soak such
as Dr. Scholls® Smooth Touch® Instant Foot Bath will
help ease the discomfort of tired, achy feet. Besides moisturizing
and softening corns, calluses and rough, hard skin, this luxurious
treatment prepares your feet for comfortable travels the following
day.
Moisturize and exfoliate feet
Moisturizing and exfoliating feet helps to reduce the build up
of dead skin that results in corns and calluses. It is a lovely,
relaxing treat at the end of a long day of sightseeing. Dr. Scholls®
Smooth Touch® Peppermint Foot & Leg Lotion softens skin
and provides a soothing peppermint fragrance.
Travel smart, tread carefully
Sensible foot care is essential even on relaxing, beach resort
vacations. Even if the extent of your activity is a stroll on the
beach or a leisurely swim in the ocean, be smart and pay attention
to your feet. When in tropical locales, observe these footcare rules.
- Always wear shoes or sandals while walking on sand, in order
to prevent foot injuries from hot sand and objects that may be
hidden beneath the sand.
- Be sure to apply sunscreen to feet while basking in the sun.
The skin on the feet is very sensitive and needs to be protected
against the suns harmful rays.
- When purchasing sandals, be sure to buy ones that are comfortable
and have plenty of arch support to prevent common foot problems
such as tired, achy feet and corns, calluses and blisters.
- Fungus infections, which are responsible for Athletes
Foot, thrive in warm, moist environments including pool decks.
Be sure to wear protection on your feet when walking in these
areas. If you already suffer from Athletes Foot use an over-the-counter
anti-fungal cream to eliminate the infection.
Tootsie Treats
As a travel journalist and photographer, sightseeing from dawn
to dusk is part of my career. I love what I do. Taking care of my
feet and sticking to a daily footcare regimen while on the road
allows me to take advantage of all the experiences my work has to
offer. I know it sounds tough running around all day, reminiscing
and writing till Im out again next morning but, hey,
someones gotta do it. Im glad its me.
My favourite tootsie treats?
Never leave home without them.
Dr. Scholl's® Cushlin® UltraSlim
Blister Treatment
Put these pads directly on your skin to heal or prevent blisters.
By molding to the shape of your foot and adhering without sticky
residue, these pads help to reduce friction and promote healing,
allowing for an enjoyable walking tour.
About $6.99 per package.
Dr. Scholl's® Advantage
PowerWalk Insoles
Great comfort on walking tours. Dr. Scholl's® Advantage?PowerWalk
Insoles are the first insoles specifically designed for the low
impact stresses of walking. The Advanced Gel insert provides extra
cushioning comfort in your forefoot and the mini Air Cushions absorb
shock at the heel.
About $25.99.
Dr. Scholl's® StepWell Insoles
A blessing on long walks. Dr. Scholl's® StepWell?Insoles are
designed to evenly distribute pressure and help relieve pain and
discomfort from common foot conditions, including those suffered
by people with arthritis and diabetes.
About $24.99.
Dr. Scholl's® Molefoam® Padding
Lose the "sore foot" limp. This soft latex foam padding
material helps relieve painful shoe friction and pressure by cushioning
calluses, bunions and tender spots. Cut material to fit any size
or shape and apply directly on the foot.
About $3.49 per package.
Dr. Scholl's® Moleskin - Kurotex®
Protecting against painful friction caused by shoes, while cushioning
corns, calluses, and tender spots, Dr. Scholl's® Moleskin -
Kurotex® helps to ease discomfort. One hundred per cent cotton
flannel padding is backed by self-stick adhesive that is easy to
apply and remove.
About $4.39 per package.
Dr. Scholl's® Cushlin® UltraSlim
Callus Cushions
and Cushlin® UltraSlim Corn Cushions
Cushlin®, a technologically advanced, soft polymer gel, provides
immediate, all-day pain relief from calluses. Cushlin cushions mold
to the shape of any foot and adhere to skin without leaving a sticky
residue.
About $3.49 per package.
Dr. Scholl's® Medicated Foot Powder
Forget about itching and chafing. Use daily on your feet and inside
your shoes to cool and protect against the perils of travelling,
such as perspiration, itching and chafing. The antibacterial powder
controls foot odour while helping prevent minor skin irritations.
The cornstarch formula helps protect against perspiration discomfort
by absorbing moisture 80 times faster than talc.
About $8.99.
Dr. Scholl's® Rough Skin Removing
Foot Cream
This exfoliating cream smoothes away dry, rough skin. Simply massage
cream into skin, and brush away any excess granules with a cloth.
This avoids the build-up of rough, irritating skin.
About $5.59.
Dr. Scholl's® Soap 'N Soak® Instant
Foot Bath
After a long day of touring, this fragrant formula soothes and
relaxes hot, tired, aching feet while it moisturizes and softens
corns, calluses and rough, hard skin.
About $6.19 for four packets.
Dr. Scholl's® Smooth Touch® Peppermint
Foot & Leg Lotion
Pamper yourself after a long day of sightseeing. This lovely, mint-scented
lotion invigorates tired feet and legs for another day of travel.
It is specially formulated with alpha hydroxy acids and peppermint
oils to gently remove dry skin and moisturize feet and legs.
About $7.99.
Expert Advice from Podiatrist Neil Naftolin
"Proper footcare and maintenance is essential to a bodys
overall health," says Neil Naftolin, podiatrist and founding
member of The Scholl Institute? "While travelling, it is especially
important to care for your feet, as the average traveller spends
more time on their feet than they are accustomed to."
In addition, Naftolin advises people with diabetes to take extra
care of their feet while on the road, as decreased sensation in
their feet, one of the possible symptoms of diabetes, could lead
to the inability to feel even the slightest blister, which can increase
the risk of infection and other foot health complications. Diabetes-friendly
insoles are designed to evenly distribute pressure and help relieve
pain and discomfort from common foot problems, including those suffered
by people with arthritis and diabetes. If foot pain and discomfort
persists, visit a foot health professional.
Details
Dr. Scholls products are manufactured and marketed
by ®Schering-Plough HealthCare Products Canada,
a division of Schering Canada Inc.
For more information on foot health, visit
The Scholl Institute: www.schollinstitute.com
or Dr. Scholls: www.drscholls.ca
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