Healthy feet keep a community moving.

Running shoes are built for forward motion, with soft, raised heels. Pickleball is quick side-to-side movement, and a tall, soft heel makes it easier to roll an ankle.

• Choose court shoes with a lower, wider base and firm side support.
• Look for a non-marking sole with good grip for your court surface.
• Replace them when the tread wears smooth or the sides start to sag.

Pain that is worst with the first steps out of bed or after sitting often comes from irritation of the plantar fascia, the thick band along the bottom of the foot.

• Stretch your calves daily, especially before getting out of bed.
• Avoid walking barefoot on hard floors and wear supportive shoes.
• Ease back on high-impact activity while it settles.

See a foot specialist if pain lasts more than a few weeks, started after an injury, or comes with numbness or swelling.

• Wear moisture-wicking synthetic or wool socks, never cotton.
• Never try new shoes or socks on race day.
• Leave about a thumb's width of room at the toe box.
• Cover known hot spots with tape or a blister pad before you start.

See a professional for blisters that show redness spreading, warmth, or drainage, which can signal infection.

• Rest, ice for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, compress, and elevate.
• Start gentle range-of-motion movement as pain allows.
• Balance exercises after it heals lower the chance of rolling it again.

Get it checked if you can't take four steps on it, there's tenderness on the bone, or it isn't improving after a few days.

Small cuts and pressure spots can go unnoticed when feeling in the feet is reduced. A quick daily look catches problems early.

• Check tops, bottoms, heels, and between the toes. Use a mirror if needed.
• Look for cuts, blisters, redness, swelling, or color changes.
• Never walk barefoot, even at home.

Call your doctor promptly about any wound that isn't healing or any new redness, warmth, or swelling.

• Running shoes generally last about 300 to 500 miles.
• Flip them over: smooth or uneven tread means it's time.
• If the heel counter collapses when you squeeze it, support is gone.
• New aches after a stretch of feeling fine can be a sign too.