Leg Day At Disneyland!

[captain_slinky]

If you're like me at all, and you've spent all day running around Disneyland (and I mean ALL. DAY.), your feet and legs are probably just about ready to give up on you while you're walking back to the hotel room. And you've still got four more days in the park to think about!

So here's what you do.

Two Ibuprofen, two Tylenol. Plenty of water. Then, the stretches!

Sore calves/legs? Sit on the floor facing a wall with your legs straight and your feet flat against the wall. (You may want to sit on a pillow to make the move more comfortable.) Bend forward as far as you can to stretch and lengthen your calf muscles and hamstrings.

Stand as if you’ve just taken a step forward with your right leg (so your left leg is behind you). Tuck your left foot under so the tops of your toes touch the floor. You should feel a stretch along the top of your foot. Hold, then switch feet.

Up near your toes? Stand as if you’ve just taken a step forward with your right leg (so your left leg is behind you). Tuck your left foot under so the tops of your toes touch the floor. You should feel a stretch along the top of your foot. Hold, then switch feet. Repeat a few times. Then go sit on a chair and cross your left leg, resting your ankle on your right thigh. Weave the fingers of your right hand through the toes of your left foot to separate them. Focus on spreading your toes wide; try not to pull them up or down. Hold, then switch sides.

And then, once you've done all that and you're *still* a bit sore? Lie on your back with your bottom a few inches from a wall and your arms out. Place your heels on the wall with your legs forming a wide V. You’ll feel a gentle pull in your inner thighs. Overly tight inner-thigh muscles can overload the arches of your feet, so this stretch can relax them when they’re cramped. Plus, elevating the legs reduces swelling!

I know this is a huge wall-o-text reply, but the whole process from the moment you take the ibuprofen to the time your feet are feeling swell should be no more than like 15 minutes. And best of all, you'll be "reset" for the next day in the park!

Comments

[aurora77]

I can't take ibuprofen, but I had Tylenol and Tramadol with me last time. That worked wonders. But it's not like everybody can get Tramadol. I had a particular issue at the time that required it.

Stretching is so important. Everything really is connected, so one thing being tight can definitely throw off other things. I had to go through physical therapy for my hip issues and they had me working on areas I didn't realize were related.

I also ice any joints that feel a bit wonky. Sometimes I might soak my feet in moderately warm water and then go back to elevating them, too. I always put lotion on my feet every night and check for areas where there might be signs of rubbing or blisters developing and make shoe/moleskin adjustments accordingly.

Foot/leg care at DL is really important!

[captain_slinky]

SO VERY important! This is one of those "Extended Advice" things I often forget to tell people when they ask me for tips about trips to Disneyland. It always gets condensed down to "wear good shoes", which just really doesn't cover it well enough...

[aurora77]

I actually step up my foot care routine a couple of weeks before I attend something that requires lots of walking and standing. Keeping my feet free of calluses and moisturizing them well ensures they are at peak effectiveness. :D