How to Avoid Foot Pain When Visiting Theme Parks

You know what it’s like when you try to be active but find out just how out of shape you really are? Yeah, that happened to me earlier this month. I also have a new appreciation for good all-around foot care (or lack of it) due to the miles and miles of Disney theme park grounds we covered. With this in mind, it seemed only fitting to write about avoiding foot pain or foot problems at theme parks as part of this year’s CVS Find Your Healthy Campaign.

Walking, Walking, Standing, and More Walking

I walked more in one week than I probably did for the past year and it was rough. I even participated in an athletic run and, even though it was only one mile, I ended up walking for most of it since it seriously wore me out. But you know what really took a beating during all of that? My feet. Spending seven full days at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida was torture on my poor feet and on those of the family members traveling with me. Just look at the screenshots from the activity tracker on Munchkin’s phone to see how much we were on the move! Crazy!

When you’re in the parks, though, it’s not just leisurely walking around either. Oh, no. We’re talking about hours inching along in line, trudging from sun up to sun down on unforgiving asphalt, heat and humidity swelling your already water-retaining tootsies, and standing still while trying not to collapse during the parade and firework shows.

9 Tips to Avoid Foot Pain or Foot Problems at Theme Parks

Well, at least it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. We tried to put into practice some good food care tips to lessen the after effects. I’m happy to say that none of us had more than one blister and, even then, there wasn’t much pain or irritation. Maybe these tips will help you too during your next full day of being on your feet.

• Bring a change of shoes. This lessens the chance of rubbing on the same spots on your feet. If you feel any soreness, try using something like this friction block to lessen the surface irritation.
• Take breaks. Sit when possible to take some pressure off the bottom of your feet and stretch those rarely used muscles and joints. Use some muscle relief cream if needed.
• Use insoles and/or inserts. These provide extra comfort and support to your current collection of shoes. You can pick up custom inserts or discreet insoles to cut to size. Even if you are wearing dress shoes (major foot pain culprits), there are specially designed insoles that can add extra comfort and support without adding bulk. This was great for me during the conference I had to attend on one day of the trip.

• When possible, allow feet to breathe. Kick off your shoes or replacethem with open-toe sandals or flip-flops during parts of the day or when back at your hotel room/house. This can do wonders for getting some circulation going and cooling your tired feet down.
  Warning: Please keep your shoes on when in a closed, crowded area to avoid sharing the odor that hot, sweaty feet often give off.
• If you feel a blister starting to develop, use CVS Adhesive Moleskin to prevent extra rubbing. If the blister has already formed, use a gel padded bandage to ease the pain of walking on it.
• Vary your standing position often. A blister formed on the side of my big toe because I was trying too hard to stand still while live streaming the evening entertainment.

• Go for a soak. Pamper yourself and recuperate at the same time by enjoying a nice foot bath or in-home spa treatment. Letting your feet soak in cool or warm water can relieve those strained muscles.
• Treat as necessary. If you are experiencing peeling skin on your feet, it may be time to use some anti-fungal treatments. Moist socks, public swimming area surfaces, and lack of air circulation can all contribute to fungus build-up. Over the counter creams and powders can help.
• Pay attention to potential foot problems for your pet if they’ll be joining you on your outing. The pads of your dog’s feet can burn — if the ground is too hot for your feet, it might be too hot for their feet too. Try only taking them out for walks during cooler parts of the day or consider getting the some protective pet sandals.

Getting Ready for Summer

With summer fast approaching, this was just the beginning of us getting active again. We hope to do more walking, running, climbing, and hiking with our daughter once her school year is over. By keeping hydrated, using proper care to prevent foot pain, eating well, and getting good rest, we’ll be able to focus on bonding with her instead of tending to our aching out-of-shape bodies.

How do you prevent or care for aching feet due to summer fun?

Disclosure: I’m proud to be working with CVS Pharmacy to help spread the word about how to #FindYourHealthy. All opinions expressed are my own, and all product claims or program details shared should be verified at CVS.com or with the appropriate manufacturers.