Recovering Your Feet After A Big Travel Day

A twenty thousand step day deserves a proper recovery. What you do in the evening decides whether tomorrow is pain free or a limp from the start.

Recovery is about reducing swelling and letting muscles relax. Cool water, elevation, and a little massage undo the strain that the day piled on.

• Soak or rinse feet in cool water for ten minutes.
• Elevate your legs above heart level for a while.
• Gently massage the arches and calves before bed.
• Let shoes air out fully overnight so they are dry tomorrow.

I treat recovery as part of the itinerary, not an afterthought. Ten minutes at night buys me a full second day, which is how long trips stay long.