If you’re planning a last hurrah summer vacation or a fall getaway, Dr. Chanda L. Day Houts and Dr. Heidi M. Christie encourage you to start thinking about how your feet will feel about it. Hopefully, your vacation will be a time to relax and recharge.

But whether you travel to your destination by plane, train, bus, or car, once you get there your primary source of transportation will be your feet. Even just a couple of hours of sightseeing can be stressful on your feet. So, pack some things that will show your feet both relaxation and R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Here are some ideas that you can use even if you’re going away just for a few days:

To relax your feet, plan on some pampering:

Bring a pedicure kit. Take this relaxing time to groom your toes. Include nail clippers, file, pumice stone, invigorating scrub, and moisturizer. Alternatively, treat yourself to a salon pedicure. That goes for you men, too!

To respect your feet, pack the right shoes:

All the pampering in the world doesn’t do a lot of good if you then put on shoes that bind, squeeze, or slip off your feet. If you’re not paying much attention to how shoes fit, you’ll be coming back home with things like blisters or nerve pain along with your memories.

Also, bring more than one pair – you don’t want to be stuck with only sandals when your friend wants you to join her for a power walk.

More ways to show respect:

• Don’t go crazy with your diet – too many rich foods can trigger a gout
• Don’t walk barefoot in public places – protect your feet from the organisms that cause athlete’s foot and irritating fungal infections by wearing flip-flops in locker rooms and on pool decks.
• Use your common sense – for example, don’t let the kids hike up a mountain in flip-flops.

Any post-vacation pain in your feet that lasts more than a few days should prompt an appointment with the expert podiatrists at Montgomery Foot Care Specialists. Call us in Montgomery, AL at (334) 396-3668 anytime your feet need special attention.