Picking Out Walking or Running Shoes

My daughters frequently tease me about how picky I am when shopping for shoes. When they were younger, we created a system for how we would pick out their shoes, especially for walking/running shoes.

1. Make sure you have enough toe space.

When you're walking or running, your foot will naturally go forward in the shoe. So, you want to make sure you have enough space for when you're walking or running so that your toes won't get squished or stubbed.

I would have my girls try on the shoe size we thought was correct, and then I would test them with the "thumb test." I would press at the toe of the shoe to see how close the big toe was to the tip of the shoe. I wanted them to have about a half inch of space.

2. Check where the shoe bends.

Because our feet naturally bend at the ball of the foot whenever we walk or run, I want to make sure that the shoe will also bend where my foot naturally bends. As seen in the photo below, I take the shoe with one hand perpendicular to the front of the shoe and the other hand perpendicular to the back of the shoe. If the shoe bends anywhere but at the ball of the foot, I put the shoe back on the rack and keep looking.

3. Check where the shoe doesn't bend.

I also always check the arch of the shoe to make sure that it does not bend. I grab the bottom of the shoe with my hands on either side of where the arch of my foot would be. I pull to see if the shoe gives or moves. If it does give, I put the shoe back on the rack and keep looking for a shoe that will give proper support.

4. Does your foot "pop" out of the shoe?

While this point isn't necessarily a selling point for me, I also take note if my heel tends to slide up in the back of the shoe. This can cause blistering, especially when you start wearing the shoe for long periods of time to walk or run. However, if I am comfortable that the shoe fits all of my other requirements listed above, I may still get the shoe. I can add a cushion or layer of material at the back of the shoe to take up the extra space that is causing my ankle to "pop" out of the shoe.


For more tips on how to pick out comfortable shoes that you can wear all day long, check out our YouTube video "Choosing the Right Shoes."

Gardening Counts As Exercise

This time of year, more people are going outside to do yard work or to start their gardens. Whether you're mowing the grass, weeding, or planting new flowers; you can get some great exercise. However, because injury is possible with any physical activity, we must take the proper precautions to avoid injury while working in the yard or garden. Here are some tips that I try to keep in mind whenever I am out in my backyard.

Stay Hydrated

Whether you keep a water bottle outside with you or if you take frequent breaks to go inside to get a drink of water, you need to make sure you stay cool and hydrated, even if it doesn't feel that hot outside. If you struggle with muscle cramps, you may want to drink something with electrolytes.

Use Knee Pads

If you're going to be down on your knees in your flowerbeds, you may want to invest in high quality knee pads or a knee mat. However, if you still experience knee pain afterward, be sure to ice your knees. For tips on safe ways to ice, check out a previous blog, "Ice vs Heat."

Avoid Twisting

If you are planning to be weeding or hoeing,  it can feel natural to twist in order to reach more area. However, twisting can cause injury to your back. Instead, move your whole body so you can reach the area easier without twisting. Again, if you find you twisted without realizing and have injured your back muscles while working outside, be sure to stop to ice your back.


Yard work and gardening can bring great satisfaction as well as great exercise. Just be sure you stay hydrated and avoid injury.

Lifting Properly During Spring Cleaning

Many of us will be spending more time cleaning in the home, garage, and yard. Whether you’re throwing out heavy trash bags or giving away boxes to charity, be sure you’re lifting properly to avoid strain or injury. Keep these tips in mind:

• Squat. Instead of bending over to pick up box of throw-aways, squat down and lift with your legs.
• Avoid Twisting. Be careful not to twist while you’re lifting. Instead, lift the box or bag to an upright standing position, and then walk to reposition your body to where you need to place the box or bag.
• Split up heavy loads. If a box is overloaded, take the time to split up the contents with a second box. Taking a second trip is worth keeping yourself from injury.

Don’t forget to take breaks to admire your hard work, grab a drink of water, and catch your breath.

Exercise through Volunteering

When you volunteer to walk or run for a 5K, you know that you will also personally benefit from the physical activity. Yet, there are more ways that just walking or running to get a little exercise while volunteering. You may be able volunteer at a local kitchen to wash dishes, serve meals, and organize the pantry, all of which fight our sedentary habits. Other organizations may need help with landscaping or janitorial cleaning. Even something as simple as sweeping can give you a decent workout.

A few things to be aware of while doing manual labor to reduce the risk of injury:

1. Lifting heavy objects. Squat down to lift heavy objects. Read Kelly's blog for more information about Lifting Properly to avoid injury.
   
2. Refrain from twisting. It's easy to injure your back by twisting quickly while doing manual labor. Instead of twisting, try to turn your whole body, whether you're moving a box or sweeping.
3. Take breaks. Even though you're volunteering, you still need to be able to take breaks. Be sure to use that time to stay hydrated.

If you ever experience pain, stop whatever you're doing to prevent further injury. I suggest using ice on the injured area as soon as possible. For more tips on how to properly use ice on an injury (and when to use heat instead), check out our blog Heat vs Ice.

To add variety to your exercise routine, look for volunteer opportunities and get exercise at the same time.

Dancing for Valentine's Day

Finding a non-cliché way to celebrate Valentine's Day can be difficult, especially if you're on a diet and trying to avoid the chocolate sweets. While we may not think of exercise as a fun way to celebrate, it may just get your heart rate up and fill your heart with laughter and love, especially if you ask some loved ones to join you.

When my kids were little, we used to have impromptu dance parties. Sometimes we would waltz, twirl, jump around, or all of the above! Our dance form didn't really matter; we were just having fun spending time together as we got in some good cardio exercise! If you have kids of your own, you can start up an impromptu dance party to the radio or attend a local daddy/daughter dance.

Even if you don't have kids, you can still have some fun dancing this Valentine's Day. If you feel like staying home, you can purchase a dance exercise videos on DVD or you can stream one online. If you can't dance, there are some good walking videos set to music. However, if you do feel like going out, you may look for a contradance or a Zumba class. Whether you invite a friend or go to make friends, it'll be sure to get your heart rate up as you have some fun celebrating Valentine's Day.

Lifting Properly While Deep Cleaning

With those unseasonably warm days keep showing up this winter, many of us may want to take advantage to clean out the garage, organize the coat closet, or start early on yard work this year. Whether you’re throwing out heavy trash bags or giving away boxes to charity, be sure you’re lifting properly to avoid strain or injury. Keep these tips in mind:

• Squat. Instead of bending over to pick up box of throw-aways, squat down and lift with your legs.
• Avoid Twisting. Be careful not to twist while you’re lifting. Instead, lift the box or bag to an upright standing position, and then walk to reposition your body to where you need to place the box or bag.
• Split up heavy loads. If a box is overloaded, take the time to split up the contents with a second box. Taking a second trip is worth keeping yourself from injury.

Don’t forget to take breaks to admire your hard work, grab a drink of water, and catch your breath.

Ways to Stay Active Throughout Your Day

Sometimes, we have trouble motivating ourselves to stay active, yet one of the best ways to fight a sedentary lifestyle is to simply plan activity throughout your day. Here's some ideas you can try to add to your day-to-day activities.

Walking to Get the Mail

It's easy to drive down to the mailbox, but taking the time to walk to the mailbox everyday can help benefit your health and fitness. Or, if you have a post office box, try parking out farther and walking in to get your mail.

Toe Raises While Brushing Teeth

Whether you're getting ready for your day or getting ready for bed, try doing toe raises while at the sink. You can use the counter to help keep your balance as you workout your calves. You can also try this when you hand-wash dishes.

Get Up Off the Couch

When you are watching TV, get up during commercials or set a timer to prompt you to get up at least once an hour. You can do squats, stretch, take out the dog, or walk in place or around the couches. You can even try dancing to the music of commercials, which may give you an ab workout from laughing! :)

Take Breaks at Work

In this Age of Information, many of us have desk jobs. When you're having a busy, stressful day, it's easy to forget to get up to take breaks. Research shows that we need to get up at least once per hour to walk around for five minutes. Walking around every hour helps save the lining of your arteries and vessels in your legs, which helps increase blood flow. For more tips on how to reduce pain related to sitting at workstations, read our blog "Workstation Tips."

Remember, the most important aspect when trying to become more active is to take small steps. Choose one lifestyle change until it becomes a habit. Then, you can add another lifestyle change or additional exercise. As long as you aren't experiencing pain, any physical activity counts!