When going on vacation, your feet may suddenly be living a total different life than what they are used to and after just a few days, they might let you know that they don’t like all this sightseeing as much as you do. Pain, blisters, cracked hills, dry skin… When your feet start complaining, they can ruin your days. So here is a list of things you can do to take care of your feet when travelling.
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Exposed in flip flop, overly put to contribution during your visits or sightseeing, forced to hike for hours or let to swell in the car… vacations for you, might not be vacations for your feet and they may decide to let you how much they dislike you for this change of scenery! Fear not, they are just screaming for attention and just want some TLC!
Here are some tips of what you can do to take care of them.
How to take care of your feet when travelling
1 – Massage your feet daily. Come on, they deserve it!! They carry you around all day, the least you can do is to take care of them. Before going to bed, give yourself a foot massage, stretch those toes a little and wiggle them.
2 – Bath – Exfoliate – Hydrate. A 3 easy steps program that does wonder for your feet.
I use the Herbamix Ayurvedic Balm from Herbamix and recommend it with all my heart! It’s not vegan because it contains beeswax, but it is so effective that I’m breaking my own rules for it (this balm is however all natural, lots of plants, coconut oil, no preservative, no added scent and not tested on animals). Herbamix products are fairly hard to come by so if you find this balm, buy a whole bunch! It’s also super affordable. The container is small, so it is very easy to carry around when travelling, and a little bit of it, goes a long way. It will heal cracked heels in just a few days, is super hydrating, smell nice and is very southing. Additional tip: wear socks after putting it on, especially if you are sleeping in a sleeping bag.
3 – Put your feet up. Literally! If you’re feet are a bit swollen after a long drive or a long day walking around, put them in the air! And if you can, raise them slightly when sleeping.
4 – Take car of your nails as well. Your nails deserve a special treatment as well. Make sure they are in good shape, give them a good trim and check them daily.
Prevention
Preventing rather than treating issues is always best. All the things above will help but here are some additional tips:
- Don’t wear brand new shoes for an extended period of time.
- Alternate the shoes you wear.
- Limit your time in flip flops or any other unsupportive shoes.
- Wear shoes that provide arch support.
Bonus Tips!
In addition, if you are going to be hiking for an extended period of time, there are 2 more things you can do:
1 – Wear soles. There are a myriad of different soles available out there. Some provide additional arch support, some have a cooling effect, some help with excess sweat, some are shock absorbing…. It doesn’t sound very glamorous but neither is having painful feet.
2 – Compeed! If you don’t know what Compeeds are, you are seriously missing out! They are like plasters that work like a second skin by forming a protective cushion. Originally designed to treat blisters, they are also used by hikers, all around the world, to prevent them. They repel water, dirt and bacteria and will stay on several days (yes, you can shower and they will still stay on).
This first model below is ideal on the heal, obviously!! But can be used in any other sensitive areas. The second one below is kind of triangular and can give great support if the ball of your feet are painful. It’s like magic!
There are lot’s of other shapes including some smaller ones for the toes.
Special Tip if you are wearing high heels most of the year
If you usually wear hills and start wearing flats during your vacation to give your feet a rest, you may feel a sudden pain in the ball of your foot (the part of the sole just behind your toes). Bummer! When heels are more comfortable than flats, it means your feet are in dire need of a stretch. It’s got to do with the ligaments and soft tissues… So not going into details… just take a bottle of water or better a can, put it on the floor and gently roll it with your feet by moving, one foot at a time, back and forth. This will help tremendously, believe me!!
So here you have all my recommendations on how to take care of your feet when travelling!
Enjoy your next trip and visit RTatW often for more tips!
