As spring approaches and the temperatures begin to rise, many people return to their outdoor activities after being cooped up inside all winter. During this time we begin to see an increase in patients with foot and knee pain come in to the ASCENT Rangeley Lakes Rehab clinic. With this in mind, we have put together a few suggestions to help you avoid these painful issues.

Proper footwear – One of the simplest things you can do for yourself is to be sure that you have good supportive footwear. If you have an old pair of running shoes or hiking boots, now may be the time to give them an inspection. Be sure they still have a good amount of tread and that the tread has worn evenly across the sole. The sole of the shoe should offer your foot decent protection and support. You should feel a fair amount of resistance when you flex or twist the shoe with your hands. Leave the flip flops for the beach and the crocs for the garden. Spending money on your feet really does pay off in the long run.

Work your way back – We highly suggest starting slowly and working your way back to the level that you were at last season. This means that if you were previously running or hiking a total of 3 miles at a time, with no issue, you should not expect to do the same distance after having several months of downtime. Ease back into the routine and give your feet and knees time to adjust to the spike in activity level.

Stretching – Stretch with sustained holds, at least 30 seconds at a time. We suggest stretching before and after activity. Stretching prepares tissues in your body for activity and increases overall mobility. Having a daily stretching routine is a great idea, even if you are not planning on any high intensity activities that day.

If you are experiencing foot and/or knee pain, or have questions about footwear, exercise or stretching routines, our clinicians would love to help! Please give our clinicians a call 864-3332 ext 3.