5 Foot Tips 4 Pain Free Park Fun!

It’s vacation time! You’ve researched all the popular parks, Disney, Busch Gardens, Hershey, Six Flags, Universal Studios, and a bunch of others you can’t remember. After months of planning, you made your reservations and outlined all the places you want to visit. You don’t want to miss anything so you’ll probably trek 10 miles each day.

Now you’re packed and ready to go. Just before you rush out the door, take a look at the shoes you’re wearing. Your favorite flip flops stare back at you, and you smile. You always wear them when you’re having fun. That’s great, but did you pack any shoes that provide arch support and or ankle support? Nope. Freeze. Do not pass Go until you get a pair of shoes your feet will thank you for.

Nope.

Freeze.

Do not pass Go until you get a pair of shoes your feet will thank you for.

Our feet are our primary source of transportation. At an amusement park, healthy feet help us get from one end of the park to the other side quickly.  One small pinhead size blister can stop you cold. A callus or a plantar fasciitis flare up will derail you and your trip. You’ve spent thousands of hours planning this trip and thousands of dollars for vacation activities. Do yourself a huge favor; invest in a pair of shoes that provide good support.

Why? I’m glad you asked that! Our feet are our natural built-in shock absorbers. When we walk,  gravity kicks in and weighs down our arches. Concrete, pavement, and asphalt surfaces do not ‘give’ like carpeting or cushioning does. When we walk on these unforgiving surfaces for long stretches of time, our shock absorbers become overburdened. In other words, our feet hurt. And when our feet begin to hurt, they throw our body out of balance.  Slowly and methodically, the rest of our body responds by beginning to ache. Add in two children who also have achy feet, and every other adult on the trip with you, and you can now understand how the vacation meltdown happens.

I’m glad you asked that! Our feet are our natural built-in shock absorbers. When we walk,  gravity kicks in and weighs down our arches. Concrete, pavement, and asphalt surfaces do not ‘give’ like carpeting or cushioning does. When we walk on these unforgiving surfaces for long stretches of time, our shock absorbers become overburdened. In other words, our feet hurt. And when our feet begin to hurt, they throw our body out of balance.  Slowly and methodically, the rest of our body responds to our foot discomfort and it begins to ache. Add in two hyper children who also have achy feet, along with every other adult on the trip with you, and you can now understand how the vacation meltdown happens.

If you plan to spend five fun filled days park hopping, chances are good you will encounter a bit of foot pain. A little preventative maintenance can minimize the damage to feet.

1. As much as possible, wear shoes that provide a good cushion and arch support.
2. Consider using inserts in your shoes if you need additional support. 
3. Pack an extra pair of shoes that provide good arch support and cushion so you can alternate the shoes you wear each day. This helps exercise different foot muscles each day. 

Many amusement parks offer water parks. Wearing flip flops or shower shoes are a must in these areas. Frequently, after we leave the water park, we forget to change back to our support shoes.  Tip number 4 – Change back into your support shoes as soon as you can. 

Our final tip seems like a no-brainer but it’s surprising how many people forget how important this is. # 5- Rest, elevate and soak your feet as much as possible to help reduce swelling. 

So go back and grab two pairs of good support shoes. Your feet will thank you for them each day of your trip. Have fun!