Springtime is such a wonderful time of year – green shoots and leaves are beginning to grow, trees are blossoming, the days are getting (slightly) warmer and longer. We can finally wave goodbye to winter and embrace spring, the embodiment of hope and new growth!
Dust Off The Cobwebs
After hunkering down and finally getting through what has felt like a very long winter, it’s time for change. Lockdown may still be in place but that doesn’t stop us from throwing open the windows and doors, letting in the fresh air and dusting off those cobwebs.
Spring is an excellent time to sort out things that we have been ignoring in the colder months like foot pain, stiffness or niggles. This season is an opportunity to recommit to being active and looking after ourselves. Take the first step by getting in touch with Foot Solutions and setting yourself up for the happier months to come.
Put a Spring Back In Your Step
It’s been a tough winter, and quite understandably many of us have found it hard to prioritise staying active. Now that spring is here, let’s use the longer days to start being more active and working towards a healthier lifestyle. See our tips below:
~ Get Outdoors
Now that the days are a little brighter, it’s a chance to get out for some fresh air.
Walking and jogging in natural surroundings offers a range of health benefits life, including:
- Increased Vitamin-D levels – A vitamin crucial for healthy bones, fighting disease, and reducing depression.
- High energy – At the University of Exeter, researchers found that exercising in a natural environment increases energy and even decreases tension and depression
- Lowered blood pressure
- Better sleep – fresh air is proven to improve our quality of sleep
~Spring Clean
Why not use your annual spring clean to stretch and move? Giving the house a deep clean ready for the year ahead is an opportunity to sneak in some exercise without the gym. Here’s how:
Weight lifting – Flip the mattresses on your beds, move the furniture so you can clean underneath and behind it, clear out any junk and unused clothes. All of these activities can help you sneak in weight lifting as you clean.
Cardio – A good cleaning session will certainly get your heart rate pumping – hoovering, dusting, mopping and more. If in any doubt, just check your step count!
Sneaky squats – Every time you find yourself stood still, sneak in five squats. Squats can strengthen your core, improve balance and prevent injury.
~Decorate
Getting out the paintbrushes and giving the house a fresh lick of colour is a fun way to combine movement and DIY. Painting walls and woodwork means you have to stretch and move and stay on our feet.
Not just great for exercising the arms and shoulders, painting keeps you on your feet and moving. Movement is the best medicine.
Choose The Right Support for Moving More
When upping your activity levels, make sure that you choose clothes and footwear with the right kind of support.
At Home – For in home exercise, choose a lightweight sports shoe with good grip to prevent slipping.
Hiking – If you are heading to the hills for a hike (post lockdowns), consider a shoe or boot with ankle support and a thicker gripped sole.
Jogging or running outside – running shoes usually have more cushioning than other sports shoes to reduce the impact on the joints.
No matter what you decide to do, we have footwear options to best suit your activity. Our Footwear brands are carefully selected ensuring the latest design, quality and ultimate comfort in footwear.
Get A Free Foot Assessment
At Foot Solutions, we encourage our customers to take advantage of our free 30-minute consultation for solutions that work.
Using our assessment process, we can help you to fully understand why you are experiencing foot problems and pain. A fully trained pedorthist will take you through a full check of your symptoms and scan your feet to create a 3D contour of your pressure points. Having this complete insight into your history and feet helps us advise you properly.
The no-obligation assessment also includes recommended solutions from your Foot Solutions pedorthist. Suggested solutions to your foot issues might consist of customised arch supports, comfort socks or footwear – all designed to help you with your specific problem.
Relieving Pain and Worry
Carmel Mythen visited Foot Solutions in Stillorgan Co. Dublin after a few years suffering hip pain and sciatica.
‘I had tried over-the-counter insoles from other shops, but they weren’t really having any effect. The two things I noticed in Foot Solutions were the expertise of the staff and the fact that they could design a solution just for me.’
Carmel went through a full assessment in Foot Solutions. This included an examination, a scan to generate a contour map of her foot and an interview to allow staff to fully understand her lifestyle and leisure activities.
‘I’ve always been a keen walker,’ says Carmel. ‘I used to love taking off around Glendalough and Bray Head when I had the time. Unfortunately, I was no longer able to do it due to the pain in my feet and hip.’
Foot Solutions built a customised insole and recommended a suitable pair of shoes.
‘I don’t want to give the impression that I was cured overnight. It was a few weeks wearing the shoes and insoles before I noticed any improvement. Let’s just say things kept improving after that. I walked the women’s marathon last year, and now I walk 10km three times a week. It’s also made a big difference in my work life. I’m an accountant and before I went to Foot Solutions, I would have had trouble walking to and from the printer. Now that I’m back exercising in the proper shoes for me, it’s no problem at all.’
Carmel has also noticed an improvement in her state of mind. ‘I found it very frustrating when I couldn’t go out walking. I’m not the type of person to go to the gym, and you’d start to worry then about putting on weight. So being able to get out on my favourite walks again is fantastic for me.’
Foot Solutions can help you too!
However you choose to be active this Spring, it’s very important to take care of your feet to avoid foot problems or injury. At Foot Solutions, we will help you to find the very best solution to keep your feet looking and feeling great all year long.
Take the first step, book an appointment online now.
