By Bernadette Gibson DURING this festive season, many people will be on their feet for extended periods. In preparation for the season's celebrations, many are cooking, baking and decorating. Then there are the shop-a-holics who don't realise they are in for quite a workout, the constant moving from store to store and standing in cashier lines for extended periods. Finally, there are the party goers who are more concerned about mixing and mingling, rather than their feet. Most people, and more so women, don't wear the proper walking or standing gear for these activities. Instead of wearing a supportive sandal while cooking, baking or decorating, they would opt to go bare feet or wear flat flip flops while standing for hours on tiled or hard floors. On the other hand, we have the shop-a-holics who want to sport the season's latest heels - which are obviously inappropriate for this exercise. Wearing improper footwear during the holiday season will only result in blisters, corns, calluses or worse, heel pain. Heel spurs has been recognised as one of the most common causes of heel pain. Heel spurs occur when the long, flat ligament on the bottom of the foot develops tears that cause inflammation. Injury, hard surfaces and poorly constructed footwear can account for this condition. Calluses are often found on pressure-sensitive parts of the foot, such as under the ball of the foot or under the big toe joint. They can be sore and even painful, much like having a pebble under your foot. Calluses are sometimes sign of foot imbalance or of a more serious problem concealed inside the foot. Corns on the other hand come in two forms, hard corns and soft corns. Hard corns usually start as red skin, followed by a coating of callus, which develops into a hard corn. Most hard corns develop on the side of the little toe, but are also found in other places where there is steady pressure and abrasion. Hard corns are almost always caused by shoes of the wrong size or shape or fit. On the other hand, the soft corn is always found between the web of the toes, usually between the fourth and fifth toes. A soft corn is white and damp. It can also be very painful. It is caused by a constant squeezing together of the toes as a result of shoes too short or narrow at the toes. I wish to give the following advice to readers this holiday season: A supportive flip flop, loafer or even running gear combined with a properly designed 'foot bed' will put your foot in its natural position for walking and standing this holiday season. Party goers should choose shoes with a reasonable heel height of 1.5 to 2 inches. Look for shoes that provide ample toe room (beware of pointed toe styles) having a back strap or enclosed back. The same holds true for men with the exception of heel height. If you are having trouble achieving the appropriate fit with shoes you already own, take them to a local specialty footwear store or Pedorthic facility and they can modify your shoes to fit your feet. Purchase a slim arch support that your shoe can accommodate. Specialty footwear stores and Pedorthic facilities have options that will fit almost any shoe. As this is my final article to end 2011, I want to wish you comfort and joy this holiday season! Remember when your feet feel good so will the rest of your body! Until next year - Happy Feet! Bernadette D. Gibson, a Board Certified and Licensed Pedorthist, is the proprietor of Foot Solutions, a health and wellness franchise that focuses on foot care and proper shoe fit. Please direct any questions or comments to nassau@footsolutions.com or 322-FOOT.