Looking for a good collection of quotations about walking? Look no further! Here is a compilation of walking quotes:

"Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow.” ~Henry David Thoreau

“When you have worn out your shoes, the strength of the shoe leather has passed into the fiber of your body.  I measure your health by the number of shoes and hats and clothes you have worn out.”  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”  ~John Muir

“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.”  ~Steven Wright

“Make your feet your friend.”  ~J.M. Barrie

“My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty.  She's ninety-three today and we don't know where the heck she is.”  ~Ellen DeGeneres

“The true charm of pedestrianism does not lie in the walking, or in the scenery, but in the talking.  The walking is good to time the movement of the tongue by, and to keep the blood and the brain stirred up and active; the scenery and the woodsy smells are good to bear in upon a man an unconscious and unobtrusive charm and solace to eye and soul and sense; but the supreme pleasure comes from the talk.”  ~Mark Twain

“All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.”  ~Friedrich Nietzsche

“The sum of the whole is this: walk and be happy; walk and be healthy. The best way to lengthen out our days is to walk steadily and with a purpose.”  ~Charles Dickens

“The best, the most exquisite automobile is a walking stick; and one of the finest things in life is going on a journey with it.”  ~Robert Coates Holliday

“In walking, the will and the muscles are so accustomed to working together and performing their task with so little expenditure of force that the intellect is left comparatively free.”  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

“Walking is man’s best exercise.” ~Hippocrates

"Many people nowadays live in a series of interiors...disconnected from each other. On foot everything stays connected, for while walking one occupies the spaces between those interiors in the same way one occupies those interiors. One lives in the whole world rather than in interiors built up against it."  ~Rebecca Solnit (Wanderlust: A History of Walking)

“If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk.”  ~Raymond Inman

Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center
101 6th St Nw
Winter Haven, Fl 33881
Phone: (863) 299-4551
www.FLFootandAnkle.com

Not-So-Sunny Summer Shoes! Part 1

In order to accommodate all the diverse types of feet and personal preferences, footwear companies have developed an eclectic variation of shoes! It is probably safe to say there are more categories and styles of shoes available for women than there are for men! It probably comes as no surprise that a certain segment of the population (women, in particular are notorious for this) choose shoes based on their aesthetics first, comfort last. Personal taste should not be the only factor when it comes to purchasing footwear. Foot support, protection, and comfort should play the deciding roles! Certain styles of shoes should be avoided since they do not provide the above attributes and thus lead to foot pathologies! 

            The American Podiatric Medical Association conducted a survey and found that 82% of women are willing to sacrifice their foot health in the name of fashion! As much as shoes are considered art, shoes are also pieces of engineering. Each style of shoe has its own anatomy and is designed to accommodate your feet. However, not all shoes accommodate your foot properly or safely. 

Some of this summer’s top fashion trends are some of the worst styles for your feet. They cause problems ranging from minor irritation to bony changes that may require surgical intervention to correct! Despite the many ailments that certain varieties of shoes cause, health professionals have found it very difficult to sway women away from their beloved shoes.  Wearing shoes should not yield stress, pain and/or discomfort and place your foot in jeopardy. It is up to you to follow your healthcare provider’s advice on proper shoe gear and preservation of foot health! The best way to discourage the buying shoes that negatively impact foot health is to illustrate how a shoe can adversely affect your foot! Do not spend money on footwear that will destroy the integrity of your feet! Remember that feasible, fashion-forward shoes are the fad!

Take at the chart look below to see if your shoes match up with any of the styles listed! Check out the possible problems and some handy solutions that will help keep your feet in tip-top shape! 

Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center
101 6th St Nw
Winter Haven, Fl 33881
Phone: (863) 299-4551
www.FLFootandAnkle.com

Shin Splints! Are They Avoidable?

One of the most common injuries that runners suffer from is shin splints.  Shin splints can be a very painful experience, but it is fairly avoidable and very manageable.  What causes the pain is an overloading of the tibialis anterior muscle and the connective tissue that connects this muscle to the bone.  The tibialis anterior muscle connects to the outside of the shin bone, and plays a crucial role in keeping the foot stable while walking and running. 

            Because it is an overuse injury, shin splints are most often treated with “RICE” therapy – that is rest, ice, compression, and elevation.  Resting is most important, because further exercise will only further aggravate the condition.  Icing the area, as well as taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen will help to relieve some of the pain associated with shin splints.  Compression with a sock or specialized compression sleeve, as well as elevating the leg while resting will help as well. 

            In addition to RICE therapy, check the shoes you’re wearing when you get the shin splints.  If you’re running, look at your running shoes.  Do they fit properly?  Are they heavily worn on the bottoms?  Do they support your feet well?  If you’re walking when you get them, are you wearing proper walking shoes?  Sometimes wearing thin sandals while walking long distances can give you shin splints quickly. 

            Shin splints may be painful, but know that they are usually only temporary.  It is no reason to give up the morning walk or run.  One way to prevent getting shin splints to add strength training to your exercise routine.  Strengthening the muscles of the calves can help prevent ever getting shin splints, as these muscles help to balance the activity of the tibialis anterior during gait.  Also, wearing the proper shoes will help give your shins extra cushioning, preventing some of the impact that causes shin splints.  Adding low impact exercise will also help lessen the burden on your body in general.  Try mixing in swimming or biking to your exercise routine, or some low impact aerobics.

            As with any injury or pain that you’re suffering from, it’s important to tell a doctor about it if it doesn’t go away with rest, ice, compression, and elevation.  If the shin pain develops after a fall or other impact, a doctor will need to take x-rays to rule out a stress fracture or other type of injury.  

Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center
101 6th St Nw
Winter Haven, Fl 33881
Phone: (863) 299-4551
www.FLFootandAnkle.com

Are You Drinking Enough Water?

We all know we’re supposed to drink plenty of water, but how much is enough? Various studies have been conducted on the question, but the only consensus has been that water is vital to normal function. Our bodies, on average, are composed of around 60% water, making it the most abundant chemical of the human body.  Water is vital to virtually all of our bodily functions, making it critical to replace the water lost every day.  On average, we lose about 1.5 liters of water per day from urine output, as well as another liter from breathing, sweating, and other bodily functions. 

            One theory of how much water we should drink comes directly from this calculation.  The idea is to replace the water that we lose, approximately a liter and a half.  Another approach to this idea is the general rule of drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day.  This is sometimes referred to as the 8x8 rule.  Still another idea is to follow daily recommended values for water.  These values are about 3 liters per day for men and about 2.2 liters per day for women.  This amounts to about 13 cups per day for men and about 9 cups per day for women.

            Of course, the amounts for all of these explanations are adjusted based on various factors, such as activity level, climate, health conditions or illness, and pregnancy.  For exercise lasting 20-30 minutes, an extra cup or two of water is necessary to replace fluid from sweating.  For longer exercise programs, especially those lasting over an hour, more fluid is needed.  Drinks with sodium and potassium are recommended, as these electrolytes are also lost in great numbers during extended periods of exercise.  Drinks such as Gatorade, Powerade, Vitamin Water, or any other drink containing electrolytes will do.

            In warmer climates or in altitudes of over 8,000 feet, additional fluids are necessary.  Pregnant women will also have an increased demand for fluids, as well as those with a cold or flu.  Symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and fever will increase the body’s need for water as well. 

            Though water is usually the best choice for staying hydrated, other fluids will do as well.  Sports drinks and juice will count towards the daily water intake, as well as soda and coffee.  Even beer and wine will count, though these should not be used as replacements for water. 

            Waiting until you’re thirsty to drink water may not be the best way to keep hydrated.  In fact, your body’s signal that you are thirsty is already a sign that you are dehydrated.  The best way to stay hydrated is by drinking a cup of water with each meal, as well as a cup in between in each meal. 

            A good way to judge whether or not you are getting enough water is to pay attention to your urine.  A healthy person’s urine is clear or light yellow.  If you’d like more help on getting the proper amount of fluids in your diet, you can talk to your doctor or a certified dietician.  

Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center
101 6th St Nw
Winter Haven, Fl 33881
Phone: (863) 299-4551
www.FLFootandAnkle.com