Any tips on relieving aching feet at the end of a park day?

[suzimar57]

does the menthol "tingly" sensation from the Aspercreme last?

(have tried the Peppermint Lotion from the Body Shop, and it doesn't last much longer than it takes to absorb into my feet....)

 

[tothesea]

does the menthol "tingly" sensation from the Aspercreme last?

(have tried the Peppermint Lotion from the Body Shop, and it doesn't last much longer than it takes to absorb into my feet....)

I never felt anything "tingly" with the aspercreme, but never felt pain when using it either! I just put it all over my feet and wore Disney Crocs to the parks, and then I'd put it on again when getting back to the hotel. Day and night, and it worked great...my feet didn't hurt for the rest of the trip after that.

But boy were they sore before, after the first few days with neither Aspercreme nor the Disney Crocs.

 

[moo im lani]

I'm not sure if anyone has posted this already, but while you're standing in line or sitting down, stretch out your feet.
stretch your toes over, go up on your tip toes, etc.

if your foot muscles are tense, it will make it worse at the end of the day.
if you've got the time, you can even soak your feet before you go

 

[CathrynRose]

Take a golf ball with you. I swear by this. At the end of the day, take that golf ball, sit down and roll it on the floor with your foot-use the ball of your foot and your arch too. It messages your foot and loosens up the foot. My podiatrist told me this trick-that golf ball is small and you can take it on every vacation I also take an Aleeve when I get back to the room.

I do this same thing - but one of those street hockey balls. Has to be a hard ball you can put pressure on.

And Birkenstocks. Nothing else, ever, never, ever.

 

[spikescopilot]

My feet tend to get tired after a day in the parks too.

I take a sample-size bottle of baby powder and extra socks to the park with me. Not old socks that have been washed a million times -- brand new socks that are still cushiony and will soak up excess moisture. Around 4pm or so, DH and I take a break at an out of the way bench to give our feet a quick rub with the baby powder and then put on fresh socks. The powder makes them feel cooler, the rub just feels good, and the new socks keep them dry for the rest of the evening. We repeat this ritual when we get back to our resort in the evening. I also buy a new pair of sneakers (Easy Spirit) for each trip and break them in about a week beforehand.

Happy feet == happy vacation.

 

[stephaniebatesjones]

I am a nurse and am on my feet all day. I know this may sound funny, but it works for me. Icy Hot has your feet before you go out to the parks. This will soth your feet before they can ever start to hurt in the first place. Your feet will probably smell when you get home, but you're gonna shower anyway. No one can smell the icy hot cause you have on shoes, plus you will be outside. The advil is a good idea as well. Think prevention. Hope this helps.

 

[smokeyblue]

This may sound silly, but wear your socks inside out. The outside of your socks are usually not so rough so they don't irritate your feet so much. I wore my socks the right way at Epcot and my feet were burning in pain after two hours, I had such a miserable day. The next couple days I wore my socks inside out and I didn't have one problem with walking or painful feet.

 

[aagee]

Remember too, not ALL Crocs are ugly!

http://shop.crocs.com/p-110-cleo.as...=41p&subsectionname=Footwear&section=products

I received my 5th pair of CLEOS for Christmas, and 2-3 pr are coming with me to Disney in March. This will be my first CROC/Disney trip, but based on how they feel living in them every day, I expect them to be great for Disney.

Crocs are definitely the best advice I can give. I have always had MAJOR problems with my feet & legs when walking a lot, even though I'm pretty young. Maybe I'm just a wuss I would be dying after just the first day at WDW, & it only got worse from there. By the 3rd day I felt like I could barely walk.

Last trip, I finally broke down & bought the Cleo Crocs. I wore them every day of the 7 day trip, no socks. Of course my feet were still a little tired at the end of the day, duh, I'd just walked many miles. BUT, my legs weren't tired, & my feet were perfectly fine the next morning. I did get a blister at the back of my heel toward the end, but moleskin took care of that. I'll just try a blister stick next time.

 

[Lori1960]

Try soaking feet in Johnson foot soap.Works better than epsom salt.Also try using a heating pad and also some ice and change shoes when you get back to hotel and also try keeping your feet up

 

[SGMCO]

I always wear crocs and never have any foot problems.
Crocs dry fast when wet and they always support my
arches, I never get blisters.
I wear Crocs for 9 days in a row.
I don't have young feet so I love my Crocs!!

 

[DearDaisyinDurham]

Remember too, not ALL Crocs are ugly!

http://shop.crocs.com/p-110-cleo.as...=41p&subsectionname=Footwear&section=products

I received my 5th pair of CLEOS for Christmas, and 2-3 pr are coming with me to Disney in March. This will be my first CROC/Disney trip, but based on how they feel living in them every day, I expect them to be great for Disney.

https://shop.crocs.com/ShowProduct.aspx?ProductID=1466&CategoryID=4&color=Chocolate/Celer&size=W7&quan=1

Love Crocs!! I alternate between my crocs (I bring two pairs) and very comfy sneakers

 

[Elysiannn]

I swear by Crocs! And I have tried all the tips, advice and suggestions.

I found I can't wear socks (and I've tried dozens of kinds of socks!) so I mole-skin the bottoms of my Crocs, make sure I wear the strap on the back of my ankles and carry extra mole-skin cut/trimmed in case I get hot spots on my toes or edges. I rest every now and then and then once back at my resort I soak my feet either in the pool or tub and use any foot cream that has peppermint oil in it. I'm good to go the next day. I also try and wear flip-flops while at the resort and save the Crocs for the parks.

This works for me after trying all kinds of good (and darn expensive) walking shoes, thin, fat, special wicking socks, sprays, creams, everything that only compounded my blisters and tired, inflammed feet!

Unfortunately, all the advice and tips here work for each poster and you'll have to try different ones to find out what works best for you. Hopefully you'll find out early and not have to spend lots of money!

Definitely take mole-skin and peppermint foot cream - those aren't super expensive and should help in addition to whatever shoes you try. Good luck and believe me I sympathize with you - I have been in your "shoes" before!Ely

 

[ScoobySMC]

I have peppermint foot soak, and lotion to use before i go to bed, it dont matter how bad my feet hurt this always makes them feel tons better!! I also am a HUGE fan of crocs for any theme park

 

[smylie1]

I know they are dog ugly...but have your tried the CROCS? I have the same problem and I have tendonitis in my ankles, and my feet take a BEATING at WDW. I start off in my worn in New Balances, and when I start to feel the "achey park feet twinge", I change into my crocs and pop 2 BAYER BACK AND BODY (or tylenol rapid release) and then they feel better. I also change sock 3x a day and take Bayer or Tylenol (whatever I have on hand) every 4 hours WITH FOOD. At the end of the nite I also put peppermint rub on them and then sleep in socks and the next morning I am good to go. Never let your feet get too far gone...just try if you can to take some type of anti-inflammatory meds. Whatever your stomach can handle. I hope this helps!!

Now, My feet are on the go from sun up to midnite! That includes going to walk our dogs 4x a day at the TTC kennel!!! We usually do 2 or 3 parks every day as well. So that is what seems to work for me.

but seriously.....try the crocs...yes they are ugly...and yes people cant stand them...BUT...what do you care? You are at WDW and all you want is comfy and pain free feet!!!

www.crocs.com

I agree. I refused to buy Crocs because I thought they were ugly and thought that there was no way a "plastic" shoe could feel good on your feet. Well, after hearing so many people rave about them, I gave in and bought a pair. I absolutly love them!! I get really bad plantar fascitis (sp?)when I'm on my feet alot, but when I wear them, my feet don't hurt at all!

 

[Liann]

I think each person is different but I'm gonna tell you about MY first Disney trip.....

I had been reading these boards months before my first trip last summer 2008 and was trying to soak up as much as possible. At some point I saw someone post something about "crocs" and thought it was some sort of cute thing where ppl here were sharing a beanie baby type stuffed animal while in the parks... like taking pictures with it while in the parks and sharing online here then mailing it to the next person who was visiting WDW....... If you understood that enjoy, I still laugh about it LMAO!

Then someone here clued me in about what crocs actually were.......,

I saw them and sneered my nose thinking *** are these ppl thinking????? Those things are ugly as HECK! I wasn't about to wear those and I knew n one in my fam would do so either..... HOLY MACKERAL!!!!! How much for ugly shoes????? I don't THINK so!

Time went on and I started to really grasp exactly how much walking we all would be doing...... oh chit.

My hubby took me to a mall and there was a croc kiosk. I saw the big clog looking things and almost hunched over in defeat because I knew I HAD to buy some. Hubs laughed but as I walked around the kiosk LO AND BEHOLD!!!!!!!!! Cute flip flops and other sandal type shoes! WOOHOO!

I was like a kid in a candy store and my hubby never even saw my Disney train coming LOL! He STILL has NO idea we paid $48 for his flip flops LOL! Mine were $24 as were my DD's sandals. My DS's were $29 I think.

I dunno about you, but $48 or even $24 is REDICULOUS for a pair of flip flops to me so about 10 minutes after my purchase I was already breaking out in a cold sweat.

I dunno about you ppl but I can go to the Dollar store and buy a pair of cute flip flops for under 2 bucks!

I can honestly say that that was the BEST $130 shoe purchase I have EVER made.

Now on with the story.....

We were on vacation for 10 days. 3 days of which we spent in a jeep liberty driving to and from. 36 to and from. 2 kids in back both in socks only and me and hubs in our croc flip flops.

Getting there was no problem and no pain. At about the third day I started ending my day by plopping my feet into the hot tub letting the jets massage them. Hubby and kids were fine. Every night following I HAD to follow this ritual even if I had to sneak away in the middle of the night. I'd wake up the next day ready and raring to go!

BUT.......

when it came time to leave..... Everyone was fine. We were sad to be leaving but at the same time happy to be going back to our real home. About 8 hours into driving home my tootsies started to tingle so I took off my flops and donned a foot pillow. A few hours later the tingling was being accompanied by stiffness. At some point we pulled over in LA so my hubby could sleep at a gas station and I decided I needed to get out and walk. I did so around my jeep (LOL) like 500 times stretching and such. It was like 3am, imagine the looks I got.

When we got home the next afternoon my feet and ankles were swollen beyond anything *I* had ever been subject to.

I fought that for almost two weeks before everything was back to normal.

My message- Crocs are a MUST but they are not the ONLY must. I'll be packing peppermint rub, NEVER doing heat on my feet (cold only), MAKING my hubby massage my feet, and whatever else I can get from this thread on my next visit.

I can't take Aspirin or like based meds btw. Does Acetemenophen work too? (Tylenol)

Ibuprophen is out