How To Take Care Of Feet In The Summertime

Make This Summer a Treat for Your Feet

When temperatures rise and daylight stretches into the evening, you’ll need strong, supple feet to dance the night away. Knowing how to take care of feet will bring you one step closer to looking and feeling wonderful this summer.

Why You Need Healthy Feet for Summertime Fun

Unless you’re going out for an evening of dancing, you might not realize how important healthy feet are for a good time. Although feet may seem small compared to the rest of the body, they play a starring role. Feet are the most immediate form of transportation we have, and they support your entire body.

Feet continually provide important sensory and positional information. Together, the feet contain 25% of the body’s bones, 18% of its joints and 6% of its muscles. When you add the 3,000-7,000 nerve endings in each foot, you can begin to grasp how much we need our feet for information and mobility.

Go Barefoot on the Beach

Nothing says summertime like a sunset stroll on the beach. If you’re on the beach, we encourage you to kick off your shoes a bit. Walking barefoot on the sand has several health benefits.

When you walk on the sand, you need 2.1–2.7 times more energy than you do for a comparable walk around the neighborhood. This additional energy is necessary because walking on the sand works your muscles from your back downward. The drier the sand you walk on, the harder you’re working the muscles in your abdomen, glutes and feet.

Sand-walking also gives you a chance to view your footprints in the sand. After standing still, back away and look for duck-footed or toe-out imprints, uneven weight distribution or other variations. Snap a quick picture and discuss your duck feet posture (duck footed) or other issues with Dr. Reingold and our staff at your next visit.

Wear Shoes Elsewhere

In the summertime, it can get hot. Therefore, it’s no surprise that a stuffy pair of shoes is the last thing you want to wear. However, before you ditch your footwear, you should consider some of the essential benefits of wearing shoes that fit you.

Wearing shoes protects your feet so they remain safe and comfortable. When you feel more comfortable, you’re more likely to keep moving and keep peripheral edema at bay. Peripheral edema is swelling of the hands and feet that is worsened by standing or sitting in one position for too long.

When the weather is hot, your veins dilate. This is part of a natural cooling mechanism that releases heat from your body. Unfortunately, this also lets additional fluid pool in the feet where it can cause edema. This heat edema can happen whether your feet swell throughout the rest of the year or not.

Since protecting your feet with supportive shoes is even more critical in the summertime, you need to find shoes you love to wear. Expertly fitted sandals can keep you cool and comfortable. They are the perfect shoe for a day of antiquing or lunch with friends.

Summer Footcare for a Spectacular Summer

In addition to shoes, knowing how to take care of feet is key during the summer months. Strategic foot care can keep your feet looking great for photos at unexpected reunions. It can also help you feel marvelous.

At home, the first step in any foot care is paying close attention to your feet. When you take note of any changes, you can bring them up with Dr. Reingold right away. This is essential in the summer because we exponentially increase the expectations we place on our feet.

After carefully looking your feet over, gently cleanse them with lukewarm water and mild soap. If you want smooth feet for a special occasion, use a fine exfoliating polish, pat dry, and finish with a gentle skincare cream. Ask Dr. Reingold before using a pumice stone or other abrasive tool on your feet as they can damage multiple layers of skin if misused.

For more intensive care, a medical pedicure is an option. Credentialed professionals perform these procedures in a private and clean environment to help you focus on your health. Dr. Reingold, our podiatrist, supervises our medical pedicure program.

Medical pedicures provide essential summer care, including nail maintenance, corn or callus reduction, and anti-fungal nail polish application. In addition to treating your feet, medical pedicures are an excellent way to squeeze in some relaxation or “me time.” If you’re in the San Diego area, stop in to get a pair of sandals or a medical pedicure or to discover how to take care of feet for a spectacular summer.

Debbie McDaniel

09:38 22 Oct 18

The staff were wonderful, very patient and helpful with selecting a proper pair of shoes. Even when I had an issue with a pair of shoes I bought weeks later, the store realized the issue was a manufacturing defect and promptly reordered another pair. I also tried their medical foot spa which was a an awesome experience. The nail technician was very friendly and knowledgeable and welcoming. 5 ðŸŒŸ service all around. Highly recommend active foot store in San Diego.

Ivy Bell

10:05 15 Oct 18

Life Changing! I have struggled for over 15 years with a foot problem. I was referred to Connie at your Costa Verde location. Connie used a process to map my feet. It took a few weeks to adjust to the orthotics but it has been worth it. I have been pain free for about 4 months now. But that's just the start of the story. I have been able to return back to walking and exercises. I've lost over 20 lbs, lowered my A1c(blood sugar), lowered my Blood Pressure, and overall increased my health! I have been able to do things that I haven't been able to do in over 15 years. If that's not life changing, I don't know what else to call it. Oh, and today, I ordered two more sets to be built so I can rotate them. Thank you so much, Connie and Dr Cruse

Donna Speth

12:15 28 Sep 18

Thank you Dr. Reingold and all your staff, I appreciate your incredible patience and support. This whole process was so important to my quality of life. I never knew until now how important it is to have happy feet!!I didn't put it together how my feet could make my hip and back hurt, so all this time I was treating the symptom vs. the cause. I'm so grateful that you helped me work it all out!!

Tan Ripplinger

09:37 13 Aug 18

My podiatrist recommended the store well over eight years ago. I was fitted with orthotics to aid in my foot fuss that consists of bunions and hammer toes. I then have bought only quality shoes with good support from Active Foot Store. I had an additional pair of orthotics made and have never looked back. My job requires me to be on my feet, sometimes on concrete for up to 8 hours a day. I have happy feet and this translates to a happy employee. The staff have always been friendly. Connie, Pert and Katherine have always treated me with respect. Their concern is for my comfort and I truly appreciate that.

Keri Bryant

11:22 17 Aug 18

I went to Active Foot Store on the advice from my Kaiser podiatrist. I have foot fuss. This includes bunions and hammer toes. I was fitted for orthotics and have never looked back. This was well over eight years ago. Since then, I have had an additional pair of orthotics made and have only worn the high quality shoes that Active Foot Store sells. They provide support and are stylish as well. I remember the doctor comparing my feet to the tires on my car - meaning that we need to change out our shoes far more frequently than we think. He was absolutely correct. I have happy feet all the time. The staff are very pleasant and I highly recommend Active Foot Store for anyone who takes the care of their feet seriously. They are professional, courteous and even have a sense of humor to boot.