What Long Holiday Drives Can Do to Your Feet
You’re halfway through a grueling eight-hour holiday road trip, the cruise control is set, and the podcast is peaking. But then you realize your right foot feels like it’s made of lead, your heel is throbbing, and your toes are tingling like crazy. Most people worry about their lower back or their neck during a long haul, but your feet are actually the ones doing the heavy lifting. Here are the effects we at Desert Podiatric Medical Specialists have seen long-distance driving has on your feet.
Achilles Tendonitis
When you drive, your foot spends most of its time in a position called plantarflexion, or pointing your toes to press the pedal. If you don’t have cruise control, your foot is stuck in this tense, slightly extended position for hours.
This puts a constant, low-grade stretch on the Achilles tendon and the muscles in your shin. Because you’re making tiny, micro-adjustments to maintain speed, those tissues never get a chance to relax. Over a few hundred miles, this can lead to Driver’s Heel, which is basically a flare-up of tendonitis. You’ll feel it as a sharp pull or a dull ache right where your heel meets your ankle.
Plantar Fasciitis
Most of us don’t lift our whole leg to switch from gas to brake. Instead, we pivot on our heel. That heel bone becomes a literal fulcrum for your entire body weight’s worth of pressure against the floorboard. It’s this constant grinding of the heel into the carpet that can irritate the plantar fascia.
If your car mat is worn down or you’re wearing thin-soled shoes, you’re basically bruising your heel with every mile. This is why that first step out of the car at the gas station feels like you’re stepping on a LEGO.
Numb Feet and Circulation
Then there’s the circulation issue. Sitting in a car seat, especially one that’s a bit too low or has a sharp edge, can create a pinch point behind your knees, which slows down the blood flow returning from your feet.
The result? A dead foot. Your toes start to tingle or go numb because the nerves aren’t getting enough oxygen-rich blood.
The Road Trip Fix for Driver’s Foot
You want answers, dad? Here’s our holiday gift to you:
- Cruise Control is your BFF: Use it to let your right foot rest flat on the floor whenever it’s safe.
- Every two hours, get out and stretch. We know you just want to get there. But it’s worth it.
- Driving in flip-flops or heavy, stiff boots changes your pedal feel and forces your muscles to work harder. A supportive sneaker is your best co-pilot.
If you’re experiencing foot pain, discomfort, or changes in how you walk, come see the expert team at Desert Podiatric Medical Specialists. With locations in Tucson and Oro Valley areas of Pima County, Arizona, Bradley A. Whitaker, D.P.M., FACFAS, Peter C. Merrill, D.P.M., AACFAS, and Zeno Pfau, D.P.M., are here for you. Call us at (520) 575-0800 or contact us online!
