How to not have sore feet?

[disneylover102]

What do you do to not have feet hurting by the end of the trip? I always try to have good shoes but my feet always hurt at the end. Our upcoming trip is 4 days and I’d like to be able to enjoy it the whole time without sore feet.

 

[Tigger Trainer]

Following to learn what others do.

 

[Cal-Pie]

I always take at least 2 different pairs of shoes with me so I can switch them out at the hotel on our mid day break. I also fill the bathtub with water and soak my feet for a few minutes.

 

[StormyCA]

One piece of advice I see is to change shoes in the middle of the day. Supposedly it makes you walk differently so the stress on the feet is spread around.

Me, I wear flip flops. They work for me. But I also take Ibuprofen every 5 hours or so to keep swelling down. It helps with the pain too. Easier to stop it from starting than to chase it. I also rotate my ankles, flex my feet, and wriggle my toes when I'm sitting.

I have a bad ankle so I do wear a brace. At the end of the night I ice it for about an hour 10 min on/10 min off. I also use a peppermint foot lotion and elevate both feet when I'm going to sleep.

 

[lalasmama]

Not providing medical advice. Follow your doctor's recommendations. My routine:

6am Wake up. 600 mg Ibuprofen. Shower. Put on Socks Pair 1, and Shoes Pair 1. Pack Socks Pair 2 & 3 and Shoes Pair 2 in my park bag. *Important note: Shoes Pair 1 and Pair 2 should be different--like not just a separate pair, but I go so far as 2 different styles between 2 different brands. Same with my socks.

1pm Lunch. Change to Socks Pair 2 and Shoes Pair 2.

3pm Snack. 600mg Ibuprofen.

6-7pm Dinner. 1000mg Tylenol. Assess feet: achy? Sore spot? Change shoes back to Pair 1. Feet feeling okay? Keep on Pair 2. Sweaty? Change to Socks Pair 3.

10pm Back at room. Take 600 ibuprofen. Warm shower focusing on my lower legs/feet. Lower the temp of the shower water until it's pretty cold (think of it as icing after a long race). Bed time.

Wake, repeat, but start with Shoes Pair 2 (or Pair 3 if you have them!). This works for my family typically... However, with my new medicines, I won't be using ibuprofen, so I'll have to figure out a new routine.

 

[limace]

I will tell you that my very best luck is with crocs. Ugly as sin but my feet never hurt.

 

[Karin1984]

Not providing medical advice. Follow your doctor's recommendations. My routine:

6am Wake up. 600 mg Ibuprofen. Shower. Put on Socks Pair 1, and Shoes Pair 1. Pack Socks Pair 2 & 3 and Shoes Pair 2 in my park bag. *Important note: Shoes Pair 1 and Pair 2 should be different--like not just a separate pair, but I go so far as 2 different styles between 2 different brands. Same with my socks.

1pm Lunch. Change to Socks Pair 2 and Shoes Pair 2.

3pm Snack. 600mg Ibuprofen.

6-7pm Dinner. 1000mg Tylenol. Assess feet: achy? Sore spot? Change shoes back to Pair 1. Feet feeling okay? Keep on Pair 2. Sweaty? Change to Socks Pair 3.

10pm Back at room. Take 600 ibuprofen. Warm shower focusing on my lower legs/feet. Lower the temp of the shower water until it's pretty cold (think of it as icing after a long race). Bed time.

Wake, repeat, but start with Shoes Pair 2 (or Pair 3 if you have them!). This works for my family typically... However, with my new medicines, I won't be using ibuprofen, so I'll have to figure out a new routine.

Are you using so many painkillers for sore feet or a medical condition?

 

[TikiTikiFan]

Switching shoes definitely helps. My go to shoes are my Merrill hiking shoes. If I can hike in them comfortably then I know they’re good for walking. I also wear Birkenstocks in the summer. Taking breaks helps too. Especially in the summer, I soak in the hot tub for a bit.

Honestly, no matter what your feet are going to hurt. It’s so much walking!

 

[JoanneAZ]

I always recommend a walking program before you go to get your feet used to walking all day. Always wear a pair of good broken in shoes, they should be shoes that work for your feet. I wear running shoes with supportive inserts I get at a local running store. I use wicking socks with built in arch support which has really helped me and in the winter I wear compression knee socks. At night in the hotel soak your feet and massage them by rubbing in foot lotion then elevate them on some pillows so they are higher than your heart to decrease swelling. If you have problems with blisters get some Body Glide and apply it to the problem areas.

Have a great trip!

 

[B3rlingirl]

Like others have said wear good shoes that work for your feet!
I used some teva sandals last summer and those didn’t work that great for a full park day. (At least not on consecutive days)
I used hiking shoes and running shoes this trip and they worked great all day without problems(also in consecutive days)... so your best bet are probably shoes designed for longer distances (walking/running) that fit well.

Socks are also important... I personally don’t need any special ones and use regular (cheap) ones but they should be dry! (to prevent blisters)

It also helps to at least try to limit the walking distance a little...

 

[Butterfly123]

I agree switching shoes...for me it is Keens and good Brooks sneakers.

I will tell you that my very best luck is with crocs. Ugly as sin but my feet never hurt.

I went to the parks once with a broken toe. The only shoes I could wear for the five days were crocs (oh, the shame!) but I was amazed...my feet were so comfortable the whole trip! Will I wear them without the broken toe excuse? I would consider it.

 

[ParkHopper1]

Alternate different shoes at least every day, change socks mid day of possible. Regardless of how well shoes fit, it gives the pressure points of that shoe a day to recover vs just making those pressure points hurt more and more.

 

[Summer2018]

I think it’s easier at Disneyland than at WDW where there’s a lot more walking.

At Disneyland, we use the monorail to get us in the park and save a lot of steps.

At both parks, we take afternoon breaks at the pool or a nap in the room. We wear good sneakers with custom arch supports and memory foam for our high insteps. We wear high quality anti-blister socks, and bring specific blister bandaids just in case.

For dressing up at dinner, I wear Yellow Box bejeweled flip flops that have thick rubber cushioned soles. They are very comfortable and look beautiful.

Good luck.

 

[LuvindisCruiser]

I have worn crocs to Disneyland many times, and have been amazed at how well my feet do.

When not wearing crocs, I change shoes when we go back for the evening.
We take a break in the afternoon, and soak our feet in the hot tub.
At night, before bed I message my feet with my foot roller. Feels amazing on sore feet.
I also have inserts in my tennis shoes, which helps for all the walking.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Echoing the others: find good walking shoes that work for you (multiple pairs) and break them in before your trip. Then change shoes once a day if possible or every other day. Also have good socks -- wicking is a must! We bring Arnica gel to massage into our legs and feet back at the hotel. Some people bring Epsom salts for soaking their feet at night. Good insoles can help, too.

 

[JoMarch]

So this may seem crazy, but I always try to hit my Disney trips a little under my normal weight. I also switch sneakers mid day.

 

[DLgal]

The advice to "break shoes in" is outdated. Athletic shoes like walking, running, or cross trainers don't require that anymore. Most are made from synthetic, lightweight materials and do not need breaking in. In fact, they are the most supportive right out of the box and just continue to lose support every wearing thereafter. Dress shoes benefit from breaking in, not shoes meant for walking miles and miles in. I always buy a brand new pair of running shoes before a big vacation where I will be walking a lot. That is my advice: brand new shoes.

 

[tsumgirl]

I have no idea how or why it works, but I sleep with copper socks on every night of my trip. My feet feel totally refreshed every morning. I don't advise wearing them during a day at the parks, though. They're not made for a lot of walking.

 

[GatorChris]

First, before your trip, start walking!!! Start with about a mile in your local neighborhood. Then maybe bump that up a bit. You don't have to go all gung-ho. Just get your feet muscles used to working more than they do now. Take at least 2-3 walks the 10 days before your trip.

And I've always taken two sets of shoes. I'm a New Balance guy. So day one, I put on my NB Runners. They have lots of cushion, so they're nice to start with. The next day, I switch to NB Trainers. They aren't as cushy, but they're solid which gives the ligaments in your foot a rest from the Runners. Just keep switching and you'll be happy.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

The advice to "break shoes in" is outdated. Athletic shoes like walking, running, or cross trainers don't require that anymore. Most are made from synthetic, lightweight materials and do not need breaking in. In fact, they are the most supportive right out of the box and just continue to lose support every wearing thereafter. Dress shoes benefit from breaking in, not shoes meant for walking miles and miles in. I always buy a brand new pair of running shoes before a big vacation where I will be walking a lot. That is my advice: brand new shoes.

Not everyone wears running shoes or cross trainers to the parks. So wearing brand new shoes on a trip that might involve up to 12 miles a day every day of the trip in shoes that have not yet been tested could be disastrous for some people. If brand new shoes work for you, great! You know your feet best. Others may still be figuring this out for themselves, so breaking in the shoes may be the only way they figure out whether that brand and style could work for them (or not!) before their trip.