Karate Foot Pain

Training on Hard Wood Flooring barefoot or even on puzzle mats multiple times per week can take a toll on your poor feet. No matter how tough you are, taping up your toes or feet blisters really hurt and shouldn't become a regular occurrence with your Martial Arts Training.

Tips for Foot Care In Karate

1. Stretch Your Feet and Toes Daily

Simply stretching your foot muscles and toes to their maximum range of motion each day can increase dynamic flexibility in your feet and decrease the chance of injury. Be sure to do ankle and toe exercises to build stability, because improper weight distribution across the small bones of the feet and ankles can cause pain from wear and tear over time as well.

In addition, your balance will improve and it will actually help your kicks, stances and speed.

2. Hydrate those feet

Make sure you are drinking water to keep your skin hydrated so the chance of blisters decreases. Using a lotion or moisturizer after practice will decrease the accumulation of calluses and keep your feet from developing hard and painful bumps.

You'll want to soak your feet once in a while as well, if you're having pain in your feet muscles epsom salt works great. You can also try alternating hot and cold feet baths to increase circulation and improve foot health.

3. Pumice Stone

If you've developed calluses then you can try a pumice stone to remove the built up skin gradually and softly. Don't use excess force, and be gentle to remove the top layer only. Also, it's good practice to trim your toenails regularly to avoid any ingrown nail pain or cuticle pain.

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Correct Shoes and Sole Inserts

Many people are embarrassed about having low arches and needing arch support. I am one of those martial artists. The long term damage improper weight placement on your hips, knees, and ankles will definitely come back to haunt you later on in life. So please consult a professional to get inserts made if you need arch support.

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Most training shoes are designed to reduce stress on the feet and don't help build feet muscles. Worse yet, wearing flip flops on your off days can be detrimental to your foot health. Make sure you are choosing the right shoes for you young Karate Kid!

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