Clog-Blog

Our feet are more important to us than we think. They are in charge of our balance, our mobility; and they have even more sensory cells than our face. In a way, our wellbeing relies on our feet, however most of us don’t pay as much attention to them as they deserve.

Often, it is not enough to wear professional, high-quality shoes in order to keep your feet fit after a long working day. To keep them beautiful and healthy, a certain care is necessary. Here we have put together a few tips and tricks about how you can keep your feet fit and healthy without much effort:

Relaxation:

1. A short footbath (of 37-40 degrees) activates not just your feet but also your nerves and will make your whole body feel better.
2. Massage them with circular, gentle moves across the main joints of the foot. It would be even better if you got them massaged professionally.
3. Freeze a bottle of water and – especially after a long, exhausting working day or after the gym – roll it under your feet to cool down.

Stretching, particularly after exhausting days:

1. Roll a massage ball with your feet.
2. Grab small items with your toes.
3. Pick up a cloth with your toes from the floor.
4. Tear a piece of paper with your toes.
5. Stand on your toes and rotate your heels at the same time.
6. Spread your toes apart and move them in together again.

Also, a great way of training your feet is by walking barefoot regularly.

Imagine a professional runner wearing ballerinas when training – that doesn’t seem right?

As you know, professionals need appropriate footwear, suited for their individual needs and working environment. It is essential for their health and safety at work; and of course staff efficiency. Just as the athlete needs professional running shoes in order to meet his target, staff needs adequate footwear to work effectively.

Socrates once said: "when your feet hurt, you hurt all over" which can impede work. Health problems can be avoided if employers and professionals are consciously aware of the risks and proactively choose safe and comfortable footwear. In the long run it will avoid health issues and therefore reduce sick leave.

Additionally following 7 actions should be taken to reduce feet and back problems and improve your staff’s health and productivity:

1. Avoid fixed positions and increase the number of body motions. This can be done through job rotation.
2. The floor can be crucial to reduce accidents and foot pain.
3. Teach correct postures for dealing with heavy loads.
4. Advise on adequate shoe maintenance.
5. Add health signs in the workplace, for example to raise awareness of steps or slippery grounds.
6. Ensure sufficient natural light.
7. Flexibility and non-slip properties (both floor and appropriate footwear) reduce accidents at work.

Suecos®’ mission is to bring you the best of both: design and comfort. Our shoes protect staff´s feet from risks they are continuously exposed at daily level. We are aware of your needs such as toe protection and non-slip properties, just to name a few. We want you to feel energized, healthy and safe at work. 

Wearing socks with sandals has been seen as a major footwear faux pas and suddenly got trendy again this year – that means if you are wearing it right. Many of us still think that even ankle-length socks with sneakers or shorts are a no-go area and especially women renounce socks for aesthetic reasons. But is that really healthy and hygienic?

You should only be barefoot in closed shoes as a last resort. Socks keep our feet dry and support personal hygiene since they can be changed quickly when feet get smelly. It’s totally normal that feet are sweating. We have about 250.000 sweat glands at the soles of the feet, which can produce up to a quarter of a litre of perspiration per day on average! Footwear, genetic disposition, emotional stress, activities and temperature have influence on how strong personal foot perspiration might be.

Here are 7 clues on how to keep your feet fresh:

1. Washing your feet and drying them thoroughly afterwards belongs to daily hygiene; a sage bath helps in case of strong perspiration.
2. Wear breezy footwear in summer or walk barefoot as much as possible.
3. Make sure that your shoes are big enough; tight shoes will make you sweat more.
4. Use fresh cotton socks and avoid synthetic materials, which don’t absorb sweat very well.
5. Change shoes often and leave at least one day rest in between so that they can air and dry well.
6. Make sure to also remove insoles or orthopaedic inserts from the shoes and wash them every now and then so that foot odour will disappear. Let them dry for a few days before putting them back into the shoes.
7. Powder can help in case of strong perspiration.

If you still don’t like to wear socks in shoes try barefoot insoles or shoe liners, which you can change easily just after a few days. Absorbent and washable insoles made of terry cloth material are best. 

Another alternative are feet liners. Girls know these little socks already but there are also special models for men that can hardly be spotted when worn in shoes. But sock liners are not always ideal for ladies’ shoes and can get tiring having to adjust them all the time… Be vary of tights, they tend to be mostly uncomfortable, are not absorbent and often contain – such as insoles do – nanoparticles against unpleasant odour: chemicals whose long-term effects are still unknown.

In today’s everyday life our health does not always get the attention it deserves. Every year in April on World Health Day the World Health Organization (WHO) calls attention to consciously live a healthier life.

Inspired by World Health Day, we put together 5 points how to stay healthy:

1. You are what you eat. Most of us know that we should stick to a healthy and balanced diet with lots of fruit and veg with a reduced intake of red meat, milk or wheat products. Especially in the cold months nutrition rich in vitamins is vital to strengthen our immune system. But do you make sure your diet contains antioxidants? Antioxidants absorb free radicals which are reputed to cause cancer, cardiovascular diseases, varicose veins, dementia and even eye problems. Superfoods – like avocado, mango, chia seeds or raw cocoa just to mention a few – are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants as well as essential amino acids and with daily intake have an extremely positive impact on our health. They help to prevent chronic diseases, cardiovascular problems, indigestion and cancer and moreover boost brain performance.

2. No pain, no gain? Exercise reduces stress physically and psychologically. Regular physical activity keeps our body and soul fit and becomes even more important in later age. Physically active people have a lower risk of getting diabetes, heart and brain benefit from improved blood quality, e.g. lower cholesterol. It prevents the build up of dangerous plaques in the arterial system which lowers the risk of a heart attack or stroke. An increasing lack of exercise is also related to rising numbers of mental-health problems like depression. It is never too late to start! If you are physically active and even exhaust yourself a little you can truly relax afterwards. 

3. A good sleep keeps us healthy and makes us clever. Whoever sleeps less than 7 hours a day is 3 times more likely to get a cold than other people. With long term sleep problems comes the increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular problems. We need sleep to regenerate and to stay healthy and dynamic. During deep sleep a growth hormone is released that stimulates healing processes and the regeneration of the cells in our body so that our skin and organs can be renewed. Our brain links new connections between neurons, assimilates motoric skills like playing piano or cycling and memorizes the impressions of the day. While sleeping we also release the hormone leptin so that our body won’t perceive hunger during the night – so sleep even keeps us slim!

4. Have a break! These days we hear more and more of people who suffer burnouts or depression – even in top management positions. A healthy proportion of stress can actually be beneficial for our wellbeing and development. However our body needs to recover just as it does after strenuous physical exercise. Regeneration phases are very important in the prevention of burnouts, both physical and mental. That can mean to consciously pause for a moment or switch off your mobile during breaks. Regeneration can also be physical exercise, laughing with colleagues or spending quality time with your loved ones.

5. Do you pay attention to what you absorb through your skin? For good reason we protect our skin against UV light but do we also think of possible chemicals which we can absorb through contact with the skin, such as azo dyes, nanoparticles and biocides? Many cosmetic products contain chemicals which affect our hormones or nanoparticles which our body absorbs through the skin. Long term implications are often unclear. Industry uses azo dyes in textiles for brilliant and long lasting colours for years, some of which have been identified as cancer causing. Nowadays it is impossible not to be exposed to chemicals but you can consciously avoid them by checking your clothing for certifications like the CE mark, renounce fabric softeners and prefer natural or organic cosmetics. By the way, all our shoes are tested and certified by the German test laboratory TÜV Rheinland and conform to the legal and recommended requirements for shoes including the CE mark!

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