Foot Fitness Tips
for healthy, pain-free Gardening

Approximately five million gardeners are expected to experience some sort of foot pain this season as a result of overlooking the need to first warm-up and stretch muscles in the feet.

"Gardening is an exertive weight-bearing activity and should be considered a sport rather than a passive hobby," said Dr. Paul Kasdan, a board certified Podiatrist, founder and medical director for OurFootDoctor.com. "As with any sport, one should make sure to properly warm-up and stretch before engaging in gardening. Pain and injury can be prevented with a few minutes of dedication."

In weight-bearing activities, or sports, the feet play an important role in supporting weight, balancing stance to reduce falls, propelling change of direction, and also act as shock absorbers.

Foot problems commonly associated with weight-bearing activities include foot and ankle swelling, which is caused by gravity pulling blood and lymph fluids to the lower extremities. Heat and humidity, as well as too much salt, also can play a role in swelling. Dr. Kasdan suggests frequent cooling breaks and drinking lots of water to aid in the reduction of foot and ankle swelling.

In addition to swelling, foot and toe cramps often occur during gardening as a result of long periods of kneeling. Constant kneeling reduces circulation to the feet and toes by constricting blood vessels, causing muscles to become oxygen starved. Cramps can be avoided by getting up frequently and walking around the yard.

Before heading off to the garden, Dr. Kasdan recommends the following simple warm-up exercises to keep feet pain-free:

1. Lunge exercise to stretch the Achilles Tendon.

Facing a wall, stand about three-feet out and lean onto the surface with arms shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back straight, move your right foot towards the wall until it is about one-and-a-half feet away.

With your left foot straight, bend the right foot until you feel a stretch in the Achilles Tendon.

Hold this position for 15 seconds and repeat with other leg. Repeat several times.

2. Ankle rotation.

Sitting on a chair, extend your right foot and rotate your toes toward you. Hold for five seconds. Then to the right, down and to the left, holding each position for five seconds.

Rotate your ankle in a complete circle. Do this for one to two minutes on each foot.

"We recommend this warm-up routine for our patients that garden and have found it to be effective in preventing symptoms associated with 'out of shape' feet," said Dr. Kasdan.

Gardeners are also encouraged to give their feet attention at the end of the day. To prevent additional foot problems, Dr. Kasdan advises his patients to wash their feet well and examine them for blisters, sores and inflamed areas. Should these conditions arise, treat them immediately with first aid, or see a podiatrist.

Also, remove the inner-soles of shoes and let them dry out. With more than 250,000 sweat glands each, feet are among the most perspiring parts of the body. In one day, each foot can produce more than a pint of sweat.

According to Dr. Kasdan, specially designed inner-soles, or custom orthotics, can offer the superior support for feet because they accommodate perspiration factors as well as weight-bearing conditions and the role feet play as shock absorbers.

In fact, custom orthotics can be specifically designed for gardening activities as well as dozens of other sports and activities.