Don’t let foot pain stop your adventures! – Our tips

Whether you’re a hiker a runner a camper or just love your morning dog walk around your local park or forest, as outdoor enthusiasts we all have things in common we rely on your feet daily. Foot pain can really ruin an adventure or even read to it being canceled! Here are our top tips for preventing foot pain from our in-store footwear experts!

1. Wear the right shoes

This is perhaps the number one way of avoiding foot pain. If during your day you spend a lot of time on your feet we would recommend getting a walking-specific shoe, even if you are not out on the hills! Walking shoes are designed to be supportive for a long amount of time spent on your feet, this makes them perfect for day-to-day use. Very often customers come into us looking for their first pair of walking shoes complaining about sore feet (or sometimes even knees or hips) only to discover that their day-to-day shoes offer no support.

2. Have an active lifestyle

As outdoor enthusiasts, when we are being active we are often quite active but when we are at our office it is easy to fall into the rhythm of sitting still for hours on end.

As we are settling back into our regular work routines you may find yourself spending more time at a desk than you have done over the past few years. With this in mind, we would recommend that you regularly get up and walk around, this is good for the small muscles in your feet, if they go hours and hours without being used they are likely to stiffen up, and this will cause your foot to make compromises which may result in pain. We would recommend standing up every hour to make yourself a cup of tea, get a snack or go to the loo, or simply just for a lap of the office block.

3. Make sure your shoes are well fitted

At Great Outdoors we will take the time to ensure that you get the shoes that not only will help you in your Outdoor Pursuits but also fit your feet. Our expert team of specially trained and experienced footwear staff will take their time assessing a myriad of factors that should be taken into account before purchasing any footwear. Not just the “size” according to the scale. Our staff have also been trained in the use and application of additional measures, such as structured insoles, that could be required to ensure the best fit. We also have the help from some advanced technology on the shop floor which our staff will use to gather further information on foot shape amongst many other things.

Ask our staff about the technology at our disposal the next time you are in and they will be happy to walk you through the process.

4. Foot care prevents foot pain

Caring for your feet is essential to prevent the development of issues. Foot care covers many different things.

Hygiene: It goes without saying that food hygiene would resolve many of the surface-level problems that people have with their feet. if you are out on the trail for longer than an overnight hike we would highly recommend bringing a small foot care kit and tending to your feet daily. For day-to-day life this is generally less of an issue but it’s also worth saying that after a long run hike or day on your feet it is worthwhile giving your feet some extra care.

Sock Choice: If you come into our shop you will notice that many of the staff are not wearing traditional cotton socks. This is because cotton while being quite a wicking fabric also holds onto a lot of moisture resulting in blisters, athlete’s foot, and other fungal issues.

Tend to issues: From our collective over 200 years of outdoor experience, our staff will be the first to tell you that when you first feel an issue, tend to it. if you notice there is a little bit of rubbing on your achilles stop and apply a blister plaster, this will prevent it from getting worse and possibly negatively impacting your trip or hike!

5. Care for your shoes and your shoes will care for you

This goes for all outdoor equipment but especially with footwear. If you are going to invest in a pair of shoes for day-to-day use we would highly recommend caring for them well in order to ensure they have a long life of support in your feet. Wwe have an article on our website all about caring for your footwear click here to read.