Do you run? Hot tub soaking makes happy feet.

March, 24, 2017

Ah, spring! Time for tulips, daffodils, and good long jogs to admire it all. If you’re not a rainy-weather runner, and this is your first outdoor adventure of the season, you’ll likely need to pay heed to your tender tootsies. Here are a few suggestions to keep them healthy and happy.

Lift them up. If running makes your feet puffy and swollen, kick off your shoes and socks and elevate your feet above your pelvis. The pounding that your feet take during a run can cause blood to pool, and impede circulation, and elevating them should offer some relief.

Cool them down. Discomfort and numbing soreness are an issue for some runners.  If this sounds familiar, applying an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas can help. Elevate your feel and ice the tender spots for 10-15 minutes. If your ice pack is too cold, wrap it in a thin towel or piece of fabric.

Soak in a hot tub. Right after your run might be a tad too soon to plunge your entire body into a hot tub, but your feet won’t mind at all. Take a good secure seat on the edge of your hot tub and dangle those puppies in the wet and wonderful until they quit barking. To increase your pleasure, and the circulation to your feet and ankles, turn the jets on and give those dogs a good massage. They’ll howl with pleasure!

Let them rest.  Rest is part of the healing process, so allow yourself a little time to recover. It’s not a bad thing if you don’t have to run, right after you run. Chill out for a half an hour, have a cool beverage, and rehydrate. You’ll feel reinvigorated, and ready to take on the rest of your day.

It’s spring! Don’t waste another minute. Head for the hills, the roads, the trials, but remember who got you there, and take care of your feet!