Author: Logan Estop-Hall
Date: 16 July 2024
As passionate ravers and runners we all know the joy of getting sweaty whilst dancing in the dust at a summer festival or pushing our limits whilst running. Both present opportunities to find freedom and have fun - the best combination imaginable! But hitting the trails or stomping to techno beats late into the night, puts pressure on our feet and legs and requires proactive foot care to ensure we don’t get injured and can keep on running and raving into the wee hours!
The Proactive Foot Care Revolution!
During lockdown I got really bored - no music events, no open gyms - it sucked. So I dusted off my shoes and went running. I rediscovered my love for it, how it took me on daily adventures and enabled me to cover large distances. At the time I was living (and partying) in London, and I ended up seeing many of London’s epic sites on long runs! Soon after I moved to Bristol and found the trails and country runs - I was hooked.
However during this period I was plagued with lots of annoying foot problems, from recurring injuries like patellar tendonitis, to athletes foot and blisters, cracking skin on my heels to achy muscles. And when looking for a natural solution - there was nothing!. Everything was reactive and seemingly synthetic! I really didn’t want to smear chemicals all over my feet and legs!
This is when I knew I had to create something, create a new category of natural proactive foot care products and services - helping people to prevent the problem in the first place with natural ingredients and holistic solutions.
So I created The Feets, a company that helps all those on their feet for long periods to have happy healthy feet. This is applicable to running and raving!
Natural Proactive Foot Care - what is it?
Simply put, natural proactive foot care is about improving your general foot health, strength and stability with a preventative lens. It’s about solving the problems before they arise, and not having to take any time off training or raving!
So, how should you think about proactive foot care?
Strength and stability training
Foot health regime
Footwear
Regular checkups
Foot strength and stability
All dancing aficionados and running enthusiasts should be doing foot and ankle training, helping to stabilise and balance joints as they move. This takes training, but the results are less injuries and better performance.
Alongside running, I do 2x foot and lower limb sessions in the gym per week, where I work on muscle strength and do a lot of stability and balance work. This has had a major impact on reducing injuries from training.
Foot Health Regime - Don’t have minging feet!
There is nothing more annoying than getting preventable foot and lower limb problems like athletes foot, dry cracked skin, blisters or achy sore muscles. These are uncomfortable and can result in infections and pain - aka minging feet!
To prevent these common problems, runners and ravers alike should build a simple foot care routine into their days. This prevention oriented approach will mean you have lovely feet you can proudly put in flip flops, feet that don’t smell or are prone to infection and you’ll be able to train and dance for longer more comfortably.
The Feets provides 100% natural, proactive foot care products to tackle the main foot problems like athlete's foot, dry cracked skin, blisters or achy sore muscles (disclaimer, i am the founder of The Feets!).
Footwear
As much as being barefoot is preferential (because it helps the shape of your feet become more natural and less ‘squashed’) sometimes we have to wear shoes.
If you’re wearing shoes for running or boogieing, then you need to make sure they are the right fit. The general rule here is that if you can feel your shoes, they are too tight. Your toes should not be squashed into a tight toe box, and you should be moving towards a zero or low-drop shoe over time.
Altra is a brand I recommend for zero drop, toe spreading footwear for both casual and running use. If you’re not sure, go and get shoes fitted properly in a running specific store.
Regular checkups
The other part of proactive foot care is regular check ins. During periods of high intensity training I will see a sports massage therapist every few weeks, as it helps me to loosen tight muscles and prevent placing additional strain where it’s not wanted - and thus keep me training harder without risk of injury.
I would also strongly recommend seeing a running specific podiatrist, as they can measure your running gait and identify any biomechanical issues that might result in a higher rate of injury. They can guide you on how to train muscles and movements you might want to strengthen and practice.
The Impact Of Neglecting Foot Care
Ignoring foot care can lead to painful and often preventable conditions. From cracked skin and blisters to more severe injuries like stress fractures and tendon sprains, these issues can derail your running goals and your ability to enjoy a night of dancing. A single blister might seem minor, but it can disrupt your training plan and your next rave. The last thing you need is anything to distract from the last tune in the set!
A Holistic Approach
I am a raver, and a runner - a very natural Raver 2 Runner! To stay at my peak to run 100 kms in the mountains and dance through the night to Aphex Twin i need to train - holistically.
Just running makes you one dimensional, and prone to injury. Over the years I have therefore adjusted my training to be about longevity - it’s all about prevention baby! Lots of full body strength and stability training, daily foot care routine that keeps my feet happy and healthy (I am no longer called ‘Hobbit Feet’), barefoot for about 80% of my day and regular check ins to keep me balanced and limber! All of this mixed with listening to music as loud as I can, and stomping in the garden to the beats - means I can be both a raver and a runner!
Conclusion
Proactive foot care is about more than just preventing pain; it's about empowering yourself to pursue your passions without interruption. Whether you're lacing up for a marathon or getting ready for an evening rave in luminous paint, taking care of your feet ensures you can keep doing what you love. So, embrace proactive foot care and keep running and raving like it’s 1999!
If you ever have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with us at The Feets here. We’re more than happy to help.
Go Get It
Logan
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