Whether it's from your instrument straps rubbing your shoulders and neck, your grip on a color guard flag or the long hours of marching, calluses are a nearly inevitable nuisance in marching band and color guard. If you're not already taking necessary precautions, or treating your extremities from the effects of callusing, consider these options that can make your marching experience a more comfortable one.
1. Exfoliate
If you're already dealing with callused feet and hands, exfoliation is your friend. You can use a pumice stone, an emery board or even a washcloth, depending on what's more available to you, to rub away the tough skin on your feet and hands. First, soak in warm water to soften the skin, then use your exfoliation tool and gently rub the calluses on the thickest parts of skin.
2. Moisturize
You'll want to hydrate and moisturize your skin to keep it soft. It's recommend to moisturize your feet and other parts of your body daily with lotion after exfoliating or showering. For feet, you can purchase cream specifically made for their treatment for the best results.
3. Wear properly fitting shoes or shoe inserts
Beyond just the shoes you wear for marching or color guard, the shoes you wear in your daily life should fit properly and be updated often. When buying new shoes, be aware of what time of day you're trying them on, as feet more often swell to their biggest size in the afternoon compared to the morning. For a temporary fix, try shoe inserts that give your sole a little extra support.
4. Check your feet daily
Maybe feet aren't your favorite part of the human body, but yours are vital to your craft, so it's important that you become well-acquainted with them. Once a day, be in tune to how they're feeling, listen if they're hurting and don't be afraid to look at them. You need to know which areas of your feet are getting more wear and tear than others to find the most effective treatment. You spend a lot of time on your feet, so you should take care of them on and off the field.
For more marching band tips and techniques, contact Marching Show Concepts today!