As winter continues, we’re sure most of you are taking part in fun winter activities with your families. Making memories and having fun with your loved ones on the ice and snow can be a lot of fun! But lots of exciting trips can easily lead to foot and ankle injuries if you’re not careful.

Winter Injuries

The most common injuries you and your family can encounter during your days of fun include…

• Blisters: Wearing the wrong kind of shoes or ones that are ill-fitting can lead to blisters.
• Sprains: Slips, falls, and twists often go hand-in-hand with ice and snow.
• Fractures and broken bones: This is another common way to injure yourself on snowy, icy surfaces.
• Overuse injuries: Straining your feet and ankles over long periods can result in plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis. Getting a pair of custom orthotics can help solve this problem!

Wearing The Right Shoes

Often, foot and ankle injuries come down to wearing the wrong kind of footwear. Taking the time to pick the right shoes for your activity and making sure they fit well can make a big difference. Here are some great winter footwear habits that can lower your chances of an injury:

• Socks: While they aren’t shoes, they do play a large part in the comfort and safety of your shoes. Make sure to bring along the socks you intend to wear with your new pair of shoes during the try-on, so you can accurately gauge which size to buy.
• Hiking boots: Winter walking boots should have a nice, thick tread to help your feet grip any snow or ice.
• Ice skates: They aren’t known to be the most comfortable footwear you can have on, but that doesn’t mean you have to be in pain, either. Ensure that you’re wearing the right size, this way the pointy tip of your ice skate doesn’t create or further damage bunions or hammertoes. Wearing extra padding or bandages can help you avoid blisters.
• Snowshoes: Boots for skiing, snowboarding, and playing in the snow vary. But making sure that they fit properly will ensure that not only your performance is at its best, but that your feet aren’t crushed or straining in your boots. Ask a shoe salesman for help during this process.

You can count on the Foot & Ankle Specialists, PC foot doctors, to care for your feet using a full range of conservative and surgical therapies. Our expert team, including board-certified podiatrists Dr. Scott E. Hughes, Dr. Greg P. Vogt, and Dr. Christine I. Tumele, serves patients of all ages with state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technologies, including on-site digital x-ray, and ultrasound, diabetic shoes, and digital scanning for custom orthotics. Please contact our office to schedule a consultation. We offer house calls Monday through Thursday.