Summer Foot Problems You Should Watch Out For

Did you know that summer can be tough on our feet? The warmer months can unearth an array of foot-related problems such as bad odour, blisters, dry heels, and more!

Here is what you need to know about protecting our beloved feet this summer:

FOOT ODOUR

Are you embarrassed to take off your shoes because your feet smell? Many people think that fungus causes odour, but actually, the odour is caused by bacteria. In the summer, our feet tend to sweat more and that attracts bacteria. Each foot can actually sweat up to 8 oz. of moisture a day. The higher the moisture, the more chances of unwanted foot odour.

BLISTERS

Those strappy, new sandals can come with painful reminders: blisters. What causes blisters? Blisters are caused by friction with shoes. If you are wearing ill-fitting shoes while walking around a lot, and there is rubbing on certain parts of the foot, then a blister can form. A blister is how the body protects our feet’s underlying structure. Be sure to NOT pop your blisters because a burst blister can be susceptible to infection.

CRACKED HEELS

This is something that many of us do not really spend time thinking about, but we carry most of our weight in our heels. The problem is, we do not often moisturize our heels enough with effective products. The skin on the soles of our feet is about 20 times thicker than anywhere else on our bodies. Calluses can form around the rim of the heel and if they are left there long enough, you can eventually develop cracks or ‘fissures’ which can become painful and also possibly infected.

BURNS AND LACERATIONS

Because our feet are on display so much in the summer, they are more exposed to the elements such as the sun’s rays and sharp objects. Keep in mind that the skin on top of our feet is extremely sensitive and is also susceptible to painful sunburns.

ARCH SUPPORT

We do enjoy the convenience and comfort of wearing flip-flops, don’t we? The problem, however, is how long we wear them. Flip-flops do not provide any structural support around the foot. In addition, they also do not support our arches and this can lead to pain and fatigue.

TOENAIL DISCOLOURATION

Are you a winter runner with a blackened toenail? Or you might notice your nails looking a little think and possibly yellowed. A blackened toenail can be caused by a blood blister under the nail, but thick, yellowed toenails are often indicative of a fungus in the nails. It is best to leave the blackened nail alone as a new, healthy nail often grows underneath and the damaged nail will eventually fall off. Yellowed nails, however, need to be treated and our podiatrist, Sheldon H. Nadal, DPM can certainly help you with this problem.