With summer upon us, many families are planning trips to water parks, amusement parks and our neighbor to the south—Disneyland! Now, visits to these destinations are a great way to enjoy family fun this season. But, if you want to avoid sore feet after theme park visits, here’s what you need to do!
Sore Feet After Theme Park: Why it Happens
Whether you visit an amusement park or water park, there are plenty of reasons why your feet might hurt at the end of the day. First of all, you’ll be walking miles and miles as you try to hit up all the attractions. And that could take a big toll on your feet, if you’re not wearing appropriate footwear. Plus, you’ll be standing in lines for quite some time. And standing in place can leave your feet tired, achy or even swollen—especially in the summer, when your feet are already more prone to swelling. Then, if you go to a water park and walk barefoot between rides, you have an added risk of burning your feet on the scorching hot pavement—ouch! Luckily, we can help you avoid these painful problems with some careful planning before your next visit to an amusement park.
Protecting Your Feet at Amusement Parks ![man riding roller coaster]()
To prevent sore feet after a theme park visit, we’ll have to do some foot preparation and pack wisely. To begin with, try to walk more in the days and weeks leading up to your trip, especially if you’re visiting a large park like Disney. By gradually increasing your daily walking distance, you’ll help your feet adjust to the amount of impact they’ll endure during a day at the theme park. Next, make sure you’ve packed supportive sneakers for your theme park visit—and if you purchase a new pair, be sure to wear it at home before you go so that you’ll know the shoes are comfortable. (If there are spots where you feel you need more padding, consider packing gel inserts for added cushioning during your visit.)
Also, if you’re planning to spend multiple days at an amusement park, pack two pairs of sneakers so that you alternate shoes on different days. This tip is especially important in the summer, when your shoes can get sweaty. If you have a second pair, you can allow sneakers a full day of drying before you wear them again, reducing your risk for foot odor and athlete’s foot infections.
Now, even the best shoes can’t protect you if you don’t keep them on your feet. So, even at water parks, it’s important that you keep those shoes on your feet at all times. For that reason, if you know that you’re planning a visit to a theme park with water rides, it may be worth purchasing a pair of waterproof sneakers to wear in line and on the rides. They will prevent the soles of your feet from getting burned on the sun-heated pavement, and they can reduce your risk for plantar warts by providing a barrier between your feet and the shared, wet surfaces you’ll encounter at the park.
Sore Feet After Theme Park: DIY Remedies
If you finish your day at Disney or another amusement park and notice your feet are achy, here are some remedies you can try on your own.
- At the end of the day, soak your feet in cool water to relieve gentle swelling and achiness. If you’re able to add Epsom salts to the water, this will boost the relief you experience.
- Grab a pencil and stand on it, rolling your arches over the ridges to alleviate pain and pressure.
- Consider booking a foot massage in your hotel, or just giving one to yourself for some extra TLC.
- Check your feet for any blisters that may have developed during the day, and carefully cover them with a band-aid or moleskin to prevent pain tomorrow. Avoid popping the blister as doing so increases your risk for infection.
Feet still hurt after days after your theme park visit? Worried that you may need more relief than you can get from these at-home remedies for Disney feet? It’s time to make an appointment with our podiatrists in Medford, OR.
When to See a Doctor
Serving patients in Southern Oregon and Northern California, our team at Southern Oregon Foot & Ankle has helped heal many cases of Disney feet and other theme-park related injuries. So if you get home from a visit to a water park or amusement park and your foot pain hasn’t improved after two or three days, it’s time to contact us and request an appointment. From burns to overuse injuries and more, we can figure out why you still have sore feet after a theme park visit and quickly get you on the road to recovery.