After-Activity Recovery Footwear & Why You Need It

Martinez XT

Recovery footwear is a growing trend, especially among runners and other avid athletes. Designed to jump start the recovery process, a great pair of recovery shoes allows your feet to breathe, your toes to relax and spread out, and provides needed arch support and heel cradling.

Whether you’ve just finished running, playing, lifting or just spent a long day standing or wearing dress heels, keep in mind that the last ‘step’ is the most important. Yes, that’s right, your hard-working feet need a different environment when the ‘party’ is over.

So what’s the idea behind a recovery shoe? Well, basically, what you decide to put on your feet after your favorite sport or a long day standing can have a dramatic impact on how well your feet and lower legs recover. Take running, for example: the small muscles of your feet and the surrounding soft tissue take quite a beating every time you come in contact with the ground—supporting up to eight times your body weight with every stride. In fact, post-activity, your feet are in a fairly vulnerable state. They’re tired and swollen and could use some support while recovering from their most recent effort.

That’s why it’s important to find something to slip on to your fatigued feet that features a sturdy, supportive footbed. A perfect solution is the after-workout sandal. Here are the basic must-haves of a good recovery sandal.

  • A sturdy footbed with some cushioning, that provides good heel to toe contact
  • Contouring in the arch to comfort the midfoot
  • A cupped heel area to cradle the heel bone
  • An upper that attaches loosely to the foot and allows the foot to spread out and breathe

Another big benefit of recovery footwear is that it helps more than just your feet. It can have positive effects on the rest of your body, too. Recovery footwear can improve your alignment and lessen the stress on your legs, knees, hips and lower back. Many podiatrists are now even recommending these recovery sandals to patients suffering from plantar fasciitis, with instructions to wear them any time they would be walking around barefoot. See our blog post on Plantar Fasciitis for more information about this condition.

If you’re looking for a great recovery sandal and an all around performer, look no further than the Propét Rejuve Martinez XT for men and the Hartley XT for women. These comfy, supportive sandals will have your feet refreshed and ready for another day in no time!