Foot Care Tips With summer just around the corner, itâs time to get ready to combat those nasty virus and fungus infections that cause the skin on the foot to itch and crack. When it comes to foot care, the old axiom "an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure."
According to Charles Hammonds, D.P.M., "Hot weather is especially hard on feet so it makes good sense take some extra precautions to keep them healthy. Because the feet are located so far from the heart -- which affects circulation -- foot injuries may become infected faster and heal slower than those on other parts of the body."
Foot Care "Pool decks and public locker rooms not only provide an ideal breeding ground for athlete's foot, but also for some viral organisms that cause plantar warts," the podiatrist continued. "It is a good idea to avoid walking barefoot in these high traffic areas, so wear shoes whenever possible. The best foot care advice for all seasons is to dry the feet and toes carefully after bathing and to seek professional medical help at once if you notice the onset of infection."Foot Care Tips
"The fungus lives in the dead layer of skin, the epidermis, and has a life cycle of shedding spores. So every time you put on those old sneakers and your feet perspire, you could be re-infecting yourself. " Dr. Hammonds suggests that clean socks should be worn with tennis shoes and that the shoes be sprayed with disinfectant or anti-fungicide between wearings. Socks and shoes may also be dusted with moisture-absorbing powder.Foot Care Tips
Hammonds reports that podiatrists are often called upon to treat patients who have first tried over-the-counter remedies for fungus or viral infections. "Depending upon the cause of the infections, some of these remedies have ingredients that are ineffective at best and dangerous at worst. A break in the skin on the foot is a gateway for bacteria to enter the body. Bare feet are especially vulnerable to puncture wounds, foreign objects and infection. What may start out as a simple cut -- if not promptly and properly treated -- could quickly become quite serious or even life-threatening, as with tetanus or septicemia."Foot Care
