Fungal conditions – Athlete’s Foot/Tinea/Fungal Nail Conditions
Tinea (also known as Tinea Pedis) is a common fungal infection throughout summer as Tinea loves warm, humid/moist conditions, and also can be easily spread in shared changing rooms and through poor foot hygiene.
Common symptoms include an itchy/scaly/flakey/red rash on the soles of the feet or between the toes.
How to beat fungal infections of the feet this summer:
Practice great feet hygiene –
- Make sure you wear thongs in shared showers/change rooms
- Wash socks in HOT water when doing laundry
- Steer away from sharing nail clippers with others
- Wear fresh socks every day
- Air your shoes out as often as you can
There are also creams available to assist in alleviating fungal infections. Chat with your Podiatrist about which one may be right for you and your condition.
Plantar Fasciitis
Warmer weather traditionally sees us bringing out the sneakers for additional sporting and exercise. But poor stride/biomechanics and overdoing it can cause Plantar Fasciitis symptoms to rear their painful head.
How to reduce the likelihood of Plantar Fasciitis pain this summer:
- Take it easy – gradually build up to the distance or intensity that you are hoping to complete
- Don’t overlook small niggles and pain. It might be something as simple as slightly changing your technique, footwear, or even the stretches you do.
- Make sure the shoes are the right ones for you
- Do they need replacing? (every 700kms)
- Do they support your feet?
READ our How to Alleviate Feet Pain While Exercising Article HERE
Cracked heels:
Dry climates and footwear choices such as thongs or sandals can contribute to dry, cracked and sore heels.
How to beat cracked heels this summer:
- If you can, wearing closed in shoes and socks can assist in minimising dryness, along with regularly applying a moisturiser/heel balm and buffing heels with a pumice stone. We recommend not moisturising between the toes, as this area is prone to bacteria growth.
- For the deeper, painful cracks, our Podiatry team can assist. Feel free to reach out to our team if your feet are causing you pain or concern.
Verucca Warts
Also called “verruca” or “plantar warts”, these are the most common viral infection of the skin. These contagious lesions predominantly show up in pressure points or friction areas across the sole of the feet and risk factors for the growth of warts include weakened immune systems, use of change rooms/public showers, and trauma to the area.
How to reduce severity and exposure to warts this summer:
- Reduce your risk by wearing footwear in showers and change rooms
- If needed, you can apply many different topical ointments and medications to assist.
Have a great summer, and as always if you need any further feet health advice or tips please reach out to our friendly team or book an appointment online using our BOOK ONLINE tool.
