Hammers are often involved when you’re looking to fix something, but if the hammers are your toes, you probably need something fixed instead.

When your heels hurt, your whole body suffers. If you’re avoiding activities you love or accomplishing daily tasks due to the pain, it’s time to do something about it.

For many Americans, December is filled with good cheer, festive activities, time with family, and—last but not least—great food! Unfortunately, ‘tis the season for gout flare-ups as well, and food is often a major culprit.

Do your shoes fit? It seems like a silly question, but you might be shocked to know how many people are wearing shoes that are the wrong size, width, or shape for their feet every single day.

One of the biggest frustrations about living with diabetes is how it seems to make your efforts to fight it more challenging.

You want to eat better, but just about everything you love has been taking of your list. You want to be prepared, but you have such strict medications now.

And there’s exercise. There is no denying that consistent activity is a boon toward building stability, stabilizing blood sugar, and maintaining healthy circulation. These are all fantastic—but you still need to exercise some caution.

If you don’t exercise wisely and listen to what your body is trying to tell you, there is a chance you can risk doing more harm instead of good.

Also, as you might expect hearing from us, not paying attention to your feet can lead to injuries that can impede your efforts or, even worse, grow into major problems.

So if you have been thinking of exercising with diabetes (and you should be in some regard), it can be very important to keep the following tips in mind.

Consult Before You Begin

You might see this all the time in articles that discuss exercise and physical activity, but you really should check in with your doctor before you start a routine.

A physician who knows your history with diabetes and other conditions can best advise you on how to ease into a regimen that doesn't increase your risks of injury, make a poor complement to your medications, or cause other problems. On the other side of the coin, they can also help you find the best ways to optimize what you are doing to reap the most benefits from it. It’s a win-win-situation.

There is absolutely no shame in discussing your workout plans with a doctor, especially if your plans are low-intensity. A workout that heavily relies on walking or other less stressful activities can still be an excellent resource for you, and we want to be sure you are getting the best from it.

Pronation neutral and supination placements of the right ankle. The ankle and foot naturally pronate and supinate by about 5 degrees while walking or running. The red arrows indicate excessive pronation.

In general, overuse injuries are the result of repetitive impact between the foot and the ground. With improper running form, the force of the impact can be distributed abnormally throughout the feet and legs. 

Beyond your routine pedi, chances are you don’t give your feet that much attention. But did you know your feet actually have a lot to say about your health? If you take a moment to clue in to your heels and toes, you may notice some indicators of problems that have to do with much more than your feet. “If you notice a change in your feet, from what you would consider normal in the past, it’s generally a good idea to see your doctor,” says Melissa Lockwood, M.D., ABPM-certified podiatrist and DPM.

Supination, also known as underpronation, is the insufficient inward roll of the foot after landing. It may be the result of having a naturally high-arching foot, or it may also be caused by certain muscle weakness in your calves, ankles, or feet that are a result of ill-fitting running shoes, improper gait, or previous injuries.

When it comes to aching feet, you’re probably familiar with the usual suspects like bunions, plantar fasciitis, and too many hours in sky-high stilettos. But there are a few other reasons your feet might be hurting you—and they’re not quite as obvious. Here are a few ways you might be putting extra wear-and-tear on your feet without realizing it.