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Our Just Giving page is now up and running! You can find us on the link below: . www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/healspa-homeless . Please help us in any way you can. . Every little helps ❄️👣❄️ . . . . . . . . #justgiving #homeless #harrogate #yorkshirethreepeaks #snowy #blog #healblog #healspa #spa #charity

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Thinking about your feet

Our first practice walk was all about us testing out our footwear. As we're both beginners we started out with a nice easy four and a half mile walk around a local reservoir. We chose this walk because of its differing terrain, and since it’s been snowing it’s really added another level of testing to our footwear!  

Today we are going to give you a short guide on buying walking shoes! We hope that these tips will help keep your feet happy and out of our podiatry chair!

Shoes

Walking boots or walking shoes?

The best features of walking boots are the thick sole and ankle support. If you’re carrying a pack of 20 pounds or more, they will help to keep you steady with the extra weight and protect your ankles. The thick sole will help protect you from the elements and support your feet on uneven terrain. However, the main draw-back of a bulky walking boot is that they tend to be heavier than walking shoes. 

Walking shoes typically require very little breaking-in, and they’re often lighter than a bulky boot. However, they are only good for day hikes as they won’t give you that extra support around your ankle.

Fit

When endeavoring to buy a new pair of walking boots we have some easy hints and tips to make sure they fit just right. 

-       Wear your walking socks

-       Bring any orthotics or shoe inserts

-       Shop at the end of the day

The last point may sound odd, but your feet expand in size through the day so by shopping for walking boots at the end of the day, you can mimic what your feet will be like while hiking.

Once you have your boots on with your thick socks and orthotics in, it’s now time to make sure they fit! A good check for length is seeing where your toes end up in the boots when you’re walking downhill. Most hiking shops have ramps and if you’re toes are touching the end of the toe box then they’re too small for you. The width is often overlooked as fashion shoes have a very narrow toe box, however it is very important when hiking because you need to make sure there is enough room for your toes to spread out without rubbing against the sides.

Material

Walking boots are traditionally leather, which is heavier, but the fabric is more durable and naturally waterproof. The issue with leather is that they are often expensive, and the thick material is less breathable then artificial materials. Keep in mind that leather boots will take a while to break in, so plan ahead if you want a new pair of leather boots for a specific hike. 

Fabric is much lighter in weight, highly breathable and usually cheaper then leather. They take a considerably shorter period to break them in, so great for if you’re replacing your boots last minute. The negatives of fabric boots are that they are harder to clean and don’t give as much protection from the elements as a leather boot would.

Replacing

So you’ve had your boots for a while, and now they’re looking a little worse for wear. When should you replace them?

Firstly, you should examine the sole. The sole of a walking boot will typically last longer than a walking shoe, but that depends on material and wear. It’s time to replace them if the sole is thinning, there are wear patterns, or there are cracks or holes present. You can tell if the sole is thinned by giving the shoe a torsional twist – if it’s easy then it’s time to throw them. If parts of the sole are especially worn down it will change you’re walking pattern and give you problems further up the body. When cracks or holes begin to appear the integrity of the sole is lost. Water and debris can now get in, which will ruin a good walk as it is no longer providing you with protection!

Socks

Socks are just as important as your boots. It’s easy to get it wrong and end up with blisters, but if you choose wisely your boots and socks will work together harmoniously and protect your feet!

Fabric

Wool is the traditional choice of walkers as it is good at wicking away sweat and keeping the feet cool. But keep in mind that they hold onto some moisture, and they will lose their shape over time.

A cotton walking sock should to be avoided at all costs as any moisture your feet make they will stay close to the skin. Extra moisture leads to friction, which leads to blisters.

The best material to choose is a mixture between wool and artificial material. They will last much longer than wool or cotton and keep your feet dry (and therefore blister free!)

Cushioning 

Not something often thought about with socks is the level of cushioning they provide. Some walking socks have extra padding on the heel and balls of the feet. However, this cushioning adds thickness and insulation so heavily cushioned socks are only useful for winter walks as they will make your feet sweat. Typically, medium cushioning is ideal for most walks, but if you’re hiking somewhere hot it’s better to choose a sock with light cushioning. 

Height

Choosing the height of your sock is based on your footwear. If you have a low sock but you’re wearing a walking boot, it’s not going to provide the protection you need around your ankles which will lead to rubbing.

If you suffer with chilblains or Raynaud’s phenomenon a knee length sock will help. This is because as your warm blood travels away from your core it cools, so adding an extra layer of insulation (like a knee length sock) will help to keep your blood warm at your extremities reducing the likelihood of chilblains.  

Fit

Lastly, we come to the fit of your sock! Unfortunately trying to get a sock the right size is easier said than done. Most socks cover a range of sizes, so if you’re at either end of their spectrum the sizing the sock might be a little too small or too large. If the sock is too tight, then it will be uncomfortable. Too loose and you could end up with blisters or rubbing!

  I hope this little blog helps! Next month we will be climbing Pen-y-gent!

 Harrogate Foot Clinic 

If you are sleeping rough your footwear is vital for protection from the elements (especially in this terrible snow we’re experiencing). With the donations we receive we would like to buy footwear and warm socks for those in need. 

Furthermore, if you see someone sleeping rough in this arctic weather please contact StreetLink. They are a homeless charity which operates throughout England and Wales, and they have outreach services that can go directly to a person in need. You can do this through their website, app, or by calling 0300 500 0914. No-one should be outside at a time like this. 

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First practice walk completed!! We had a great time today on our winter walk 🌨️❄️ The landscape surrounding thruscross was so beautiful, but I think the best picture we got today was of our principle podiatriat Oliver having a little rest in the sun ☀️🌞🌈🌞☀️ . . . . . . . . . . . . #yorkshirethreepeaks #walking #podiatry #podiatrist #thruscross #yorkshire #healspa #homeless #charity #healblog #feet #footwear #walkingboots #winterwalks #mustardyellow (at Thruscross Reservoir)

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Meet the team

Hi everyone,

Welcome back, my name is Sally and I will be writing a few of these blogs!

Myself and Oliver make up the podiatry team at Heal Medical and Wellness Spa. 

(Left, Oliver. Right, Sally)

Oliver is the principle podiatrist and co-owner of Heal Medical and Wellness Spa. Prior to Heal, he worked at St. James Hospital in the Limb Salvage Centre for 10 years. One of Oliver’s passions is watching movies - you’ll notice that we have some retro cinema chairs in our waiting area for you to kick back and relax in before your treatments. 

My name is Sally and I joined Heal a year ago. I have a special interest in sports injuries and as a result I have found myself working all over the world with various sports professionals. I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors and since being back in the U.K. I have loved exploring our beautiful country. 

One thing you need to know about us is that neither of us are in particularly good shape! Completing the Three Peaks Challenge will be a real achievement for both of us, so we’re feeling excited but apprehensive about this challenge.

Part of our training will consist of practice walks, which we will do once a month to help us prepare for 12 hours of walking! These walks will increase in difficulty, testing our bodies and our equipment. On each walk we will address different topics about walking and wellness.

We hope that this blog will give you the knowledge and confidence to get outdoors yourself, and maybe tackle the Three Yorkshire Peaks someday!

We will post our next blog on Monday 26th of February after our first practice walk. Our topic will be feet and we will talk you through how important choosing the right footwear and socks will be for your walk, and how to avoid rubbing and blisters! 

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The Heal blog is officially up and running! Check us out at www.tumblr.com/blog/healspablog and you can read all about our mission to climb the Yorkshire Three Peaks! . . . . . . . . #yorkshirethreepeaks #healspa #podiatry #harrogate #valleygargens (at Heal - Medical and Wellness Spa)

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Welcome!

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to the Heal Medical and Wellness Spa Blog.

This summer at Heal we have challenged our podiatry team to take on the Yorkshire Three Peaks in under 12 hours. Our aim is to raise over £1000 for our Homeless Foot Clinic.

 As Some of you may know, our podiatrists have been performing a monthly charity Homeless Foot Clinic. However, we have decided we would like to take this further. By sending Heal's podiatry team up the Yorkshire Three Peaks, we are aiming to raise money for this clinic, so that we can provide essential items to those in need.

 The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge is the task to climb the three largest consecutive peaks in Yorkshire in under 12 hours,

 The peaks they will be climbing are:

Pen-y-ghent

(Height: 736m)

Whernside

(Height: 736m)

Ingleborough

(Height: 723m)

This gruelling challenge is 24miles long, and ascends a whopping 1,585 meters. The team is not taking this task lightly, and as a result will be undertaking rigorous training in preparation. Furthermore, we want to take you along for the ride, and so every month we will update you with the team's experiences so far.

We would greatly appreciate any help and support that you can give to this cause!

So stay tuned, and if you have any further questions, comments, or advice please write in our comment section. 

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