Sensible Summer Footwear

For a majority of Australians, the summer break is characterised by extended time off work and school. A wonderful time of year with warm weather and longer daylight hours to make the most of more social functions, more time away from our normal 'eat, work, play' routine, and more time on our feet and being active. For many, our beautiful coastline beacons, and holidays at the beach are enjoyed for days (sometimes weeks) on end, including fantastic barefoot adventures and plenty of time in thongs/pluggers.

The new year always brings an influx of patients hobbling to their podiatrist. But, their New Year's resolution is usually not to blame - rather the change and significant increase in load and strain to their feet and legs over the holiday period.

Regardless of whether you are normally active or not, one of the biggest contributors to injury is poor load management. And you need to consider total load. Not just deliberate training or exercise, but all the incidental time you spend on your feet. For a majority of people, particularly working sedentary or desk jobs, holiday time brings a significant increase to incidental exercise. That alone can be enough to overwork your feet if they are not looked after properly. Let alone also committing to extra time playing with children and pets, or starting a new exercise routine over the holiday period, which will further increase load.

Making smart footwear choices is one of the simplest and easiest ways to reduce overall load and reduce your risk of pain and injury. Wearing the ideal shoes for you (everyone is different) when exercising is really important. However, the proportion of time spent not exercising is far greater, which means it's even more important to choose sensible footwear for casual and social wear - especially during time off work when there is more incidental activity and time on your feet. Sensible footwear options that offer support and cushioning will go an awful long way to reducing your risk of suffering with foot or leg pain.

There's a common misconception that sensible footwear is unattractive, but there are now plenty of fantastic options available on the market - including supportive thongs, as well as sandals and enclosed shoe options for men and women.

The features below are key. The footwear is far more likely to offer durable and comfortable support, and it will also be far easier for your podiatrist to implement adjustments if needed.

Arch Contour - to improve comfort and help support your arch and intrinsic muscles

Cushioning - to soften and reduce impact forces and overall load to your feet

Heel Pitch - to reduce tension on your calves and Achilles

Firm Heel Counter - to provide improved rearfoot stability and control

Adjustable yet Secure - securing with laces, velcro or buckles to create extra stability and security, but also provide more adjustability options

Removable Insoles - an added bonus for enclosed shoes and some sandals, which means they can be replaced with custom orthotics, or more easily modified