With warmer weather comes music festivals and regardless of if you’re trudging through muddy fields and sleeping on the floor or staying in a comfy hotel room after hours of dancing around a city, festivals can be challenging for your feet.
So, with music festivals at the heart of their ethos, Dr. Martens has asked podiatrists Rob Payne, Activate Podiatry and Keira Moore, York Foot Clinic to share some helpful tips on how to keep your feet happy and healthy without compromising on your fits this festival season.
- Preparing your feet before a festival
“First things first, if you have any history of foot conditions, such as painful corns, calluses, and active athlete’s foot infections – it is best to get them treated by a podiatrist before your festival.” advises Payne.
Moore adds: “If you can, try to get your feet in the best possible condition as possible before the event. That means cut and file the nails, remove dry hard skin with a file and moisturise… and then moisturise again!
“Whatever your footwear of choice, be that boots, sandals or shoes, make sure they are well worn in before you get there to prevent rubbing and blisters.”
- Packing for your festival
“Antiseptic wipes are an essential item for keeping your feet clean and healthy during a festival if you have no access to running water.
“Whether you’re prone to blisters or not, never assume you’re going to get off scot-free and pack some plasters such as Compeed Blister plasters just in case. These are particularly great as they stop the skin around a blister from breaking down, which is key for festivals based in fields in particular because they’re a notoriously wet and moist environment”, says Payne.
He adds, “be sure to pack lots of socks, a minimum of one pair per day, but to be honest the more the better. You should refrain from thin cotton socks, as these generally aren’t very breathable which can cause issues as they make your feet sweat. Boot or welly socks are the best option as they’re typically thicker ensuring more protection from friction-related injuries and they are made with more breathable materials.”
- Caring for your feet during the festival
“Having your feet in moist conditions for prolonged periods can elicit many serious conditions, so it’s important to change your socks and shoes as soon as possible when they get wet,” comments Payne.
“Most commonly, you can develop tinea pedis (athlete’s foot) if you don’t keep your feet clean and dry. As well as being intensely itchy this can result in painful fissures developing interdigital between the toes. If these cuts and fissures then happen to get dirty then bacterial colonisation can develop, resulting in a skin infection. So don’t ruin your experience by bringing enough change of socks and caring for your feet both morning and night while at your event.
“It is worth cleaning the tops and bottoms of the feet, as well as between the toes with an antiseptic wipe every evening when you get back to your tent. Or if you’ve chosen to glamp or stay in a hotel, do this as normal when you shower. You should then dry the area with cotton wool or a clean towel to ensure there is no remaining moisture between the toes,” he says.
“After cleaning your feet, be sure to moisturise as this will not only rehydrate the feet, but also help soothe them if they’re aching after a day of dancing and jumping around. You’ll also be able to check for any issues which may have occurred such as blisters and damaged toenails, allowing you to treat them as soon as possible,” adds Moore.
“If you are going to wear sandals at festivals, regardless of whether they’re chunky sandals, gladiator sandals or just a pair of classic black sandals, then wearing socks is recommended for protection, but of course make a judgement call. For example, if you want to wear sandalsto a festival in a field, it’s probably best to do so on day one before the mud really shows up. This is less of an issue if your festival of choice is city-based or somewhere with more pavement but always do so in dry weather conditions to avoid slipping and sliding in your shoes”, says Payne.
- Post-festival care
“If you do find yourself with a blister, do not pop it, no matter how tempting! Instead, when you get home or back to your hotel, bathe your feet in warm water mixed with epsom salts to revive achy feet, before following up with a good rub and moisturiser,” says Moore.
“Even with all of this, it’s vital you allow your feet some time to rest as it’s likely they’ll feel fatigued and achy for a few days after the event, which is perfectly normal, but don’t deny them the rest afterwards,” she adds.
A spokesperson from Dr. Martens comments: “Regardless of your festival of choice, you’re bound to spot Dr. Martens boots, shoes and sandals amongst the crowd, and it’s been that way since the 1990s when grunge turned mainstream music on its head and took our 1460 boot along for the ride and ultimately launched the brand into festival culture. Now as the brand has evolved, we’re seeing it’s not just the boots making an appearance in the music crowds, but our sandals and shoes too.
“While we know festivals can be hard on the body and in particular on your feet, we also know so many festival-goers use the experience to express their individuality through their outfits and do so with Dr. Martens at the heart of that self-expression. It’s that reason that led to us asking experts to share helpful advice on how to care for your feet while not having to compromise on your unique style.”
For style inspiration, please visit: https://www.drmartens.com/uk/en_gb/drmartensstyle
