New Year’s resolutions for foot health usually repeat the same predictable advice about wearing better shoes and moisturizing. At Aloha Foot and Ankle Associates in Mission Viejo, California, serving South Orange County, we recommend tips that make a noticeable difference in preventing foot problems throughout the year.
Here are five resolutions worth keeping as you head into the new year.
If you run, play sports, or work out several times a week, wearing the same athletic shoes every day doesn’t give the cushioning materials time to recover. Shoes need about 24 hours for the compressed foam and gel to expand back to their original shapes.
This matters most for people who:
For casual walkers or people who mostly sit during the day, this matters less. But if you're putting high mileage on your shoes, alternating between two pairs prevents the breakdown that leads to painful foot problems like plantar fasciitis and stress fractures.
Most people stretch after their feet already hurt. Morning foot stretches done before you take your first steps prevent the microtears in your plantar fascia that cause heel pain.
Point your toes away from you, then flex them back toward your shin. Hold each position for 10 seconds and repeat five times. This warms up your plantar fascia before it bears your full body weight on that first step out of bed.
Quick towel-offs miss the spaces between your toes where most fungal and bacterial infections start. These narrow gaps trap moisture that doesn’t air-dry on its own, especially in winter when you’re wearing closed-toe shoes all day.
The extra 30 seconds this takes prevents athlete’s foot and the bacterial build-up that causes odor.
The foam and gel materials in shoe insoles lose their shock absorption properties long before visible wear appears. Compressed insoles that look fine still fail to protect your feet from impact stress.
Press your thumb into the insole’s arch area. If it doesn’t spring back immediately, or if you can feel the shoe’s base through the insole, the cushioning is done. This compression happens gradually over 3-6 months of regular use, depending on your activity level and body weight.
Walking on compressed insoles creates the same impact stress as walking on hard floors without cushioning. Your feet absorb forces that proper insoles should be diffusing, and that stress travels up through your:
If you’re replacing your shoes or drugstore insoles every few months, custom orthotics might save you money in the long run. They’re designed specifically for how your feet move and where you need support, and they can last years.
Knowing your baseline appearance helps you spot changes early when they’re easier to treat.
Look at your feet regularly and check for:
Use your phone to take a quick photo if you’re not sure whether something is new or has been there all along. Changes that develop slowly over weeks or months are easy to miss without a reference point.
If you have diabetes, daily foot checks are even more critical. Diabetic neuropathy reduces sensation in your feet, which means you might not feel a cut, blister, or developing sore until it’s already infected. About 19-24% of people with diabetes develop a foot ulcer during their lifetime, and many of these start from minor injuries that went unnoticed.
Look for any breaks in the skin, redness, warmth, or drainage that could signal an infection starting.
These resolutions prevent many common foot problems, but some issues need professional evaluation. At Aloha Foot and Ankle Associates, we provide comprehensive foot examinations that identify developing problems before they become painful or limit your activities.
Call Aloha Foot and Ankle Associates in Mission Viejo, California, at 949-364-2525, or use our online booking tool to schedule your 2026 foot health consultation.
