How to Prevent Cracks in Your Heel

No offense, but long distance runners tend to have rather unsightly feet. On one foot alone, you might have calluses on the ball of the foot and possibly a black or missing toenail. Your heels also get callused and sometimes the pounding will lead to a painful condition called heel fissures--cracks in the skin that can split or grow deeper with continued running. Here’s how to prevent this nasty condition.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Pumice stone
• Moisturizing cream

1. Drink lots of water throughout the day to help moisturize your body from the inside out.
2. Use a humidifier in your home to return moisture to the air.
3. Before you go to sleep, lather your feet up with intense moisturizing lotion, salve or body butter and place socks over them.
4. Don’t moisturize your feet before exercising, as this can make your footing slippery and lead to injury or blisters.
5. To get rid of dry skin on your heels use a pumice stone in the shower or bath. If you already have small cracks just be careful not to irritate those areas.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a deep fissure, take a break from running until it is under control.
• If the cracks in your heels are so bad that you do have to stop running, make an appointment with a podiatrist. They can help get rid of the hard, dry skin so that your fissure can heal.
• If you get a pedicure, don’t let them razor off any calluses or dry skin. These rough spots were created to protect our feet from the rigors of the road.