Taking Long Spooky Walks: How to Care for your Feet

It’s that time of the year again, folks. Time to bring out the mannequin skeletons covered in dusty spider webs. A season of ghouls and ghastly horrors approaches, and it’s time to dress up and go out. That’s right, Halloween is coming up and that means walking long distances while trick-or-treating.

With all the Halloween walking, sore feet and blisters may be an issue. When dressing in costume, we sometimes end up in ill-fitting shoes. Combine that with hours of walking and you could be in for days of sore feet.

Before embarking on the long walk through the neighborhood, here are some tips to guide you through your trip:

Preparations

Firstly, if you’re a regular sufferer of blisters and hot spots, start by putting on blister tape for protection against the friction that can occur between your feet and your shoes.

You don’t need to mummify your feet, oh no. All you have to do is apply the tape to the areas that normally feel sore after a day’s walk, and you’re good to go. Also, make sure to keep toenails trimmed. You don’t want the nails rubbing against your toes.

Picking The Right Socks

Before sliding your feet into your shoe of choice, make sure you pick the right socks. Wool socks are great for the long walks in the cold night. They keep your feet warm and prevent your feet from developing spooky odors. They’re also pretty soft, which makes them comfortable. Wool also naturally wicks moisture away from the skin, helping to prevent odor-causing bacteria from building up.

The Right Shoes Matter

Now for the main stuff, the shoes. There are many walking shoe options on the market. But you don't necessarily need a specialized shoe to be comfortable. After market insoles can add support to nearly any shoe and help you avoid sore feet at the end of the night.  Protalus offers insoles that keep the ankle in a neutral position which allows the natural structures of your foot to properly support your weight and distribute pressure as you walk.

Putting on boots with a higher sole may assist in walking longer distances. Other things that can be done to help protect the feet on Halloween include: avoiding high heels that cause you to balance on the balls of your feet for extended lengths of time, making periodic stops to take shoes off and let some air in, or avoiding wearing tights with no socks in heavy-duty boots. Now, go have fun trick-or-treating!