What’s fungi got to do with it? – Oh yeah – it’s just Athletes Foot or is it?

Have you ever had Athletes Foot? It is very common and it wouldn’t be surprising if you have. What exactly is Athletes Foot you might ask? It is a condition in the feet where your feet itch, burn, make your skin dry and scaly, and it usually is around the toes. The symptoms are caused by a fungus that has attached itself to your feet. How in the world did you get fungus on your feet you might ask? It was probably from walking barefoot somewhere. At the beach, the pool, the shower, etc. The very reason why it is called Athletes Foot is because it is mostly athletes who get this fungus do to the fact that they frequent locker rooms, public showers, pools, etc. Athletes Foot can form blisters on your feet, and when those blisters break, they expose raw skin that will be painful and irritating.

How do you treat Athletes Foot or prevent it? First if you have it, you can try either a topical Athletes Foot creme or oral antifungal drugs, as they seem to treat the problem the best. The oral medication will need to be prescribed by your podiatrist, and a good inspection of your feet will happen at the same time. This will allow your foot doctor to make sure that what you are really dealing with is Athlete’s Foot and not some other problem. Here are a few other prevention tips - good foot hygiene is the best prevention in for Athletes Foot and helps also get rid of it too. This is accomplished buy cleaning your feet daily with soap and warm water, then drying them thoroughly, especially around the toes. A foot powder will help dry your feet and can be put in your shoes to help them dry too. Also makes sure you are not wearing the same shoes every day. Get at least two pairs that you can rotate in wearing. This gives your shoes time to dry out and any fungus in them to die, plus your shoes will last longer since you’re only wearing them every other day at the most. Make sure you change your socks too, and wash them thoroughly, and if there white, throw some bleach in the wash to help ensure no fungus survives the wash. And lastly, make sure you wear some shower shoes or flip-flops to help protect the bottom of your feet when you’re at those locker rooms and public showers. If you have any questions, please contact us via phone (877-941-FEET (3338)) or visit our website and send us an email at http://www.upstatefootcare.com/contact.html.

Do you trade in your car more often than you trade in your shoes?

With Summer coming to a close and cooler weather just around the corner, it’s time to put away the flip-flops and start wearing shoes. But as we still have a couple weeks left of warmer weather, the question arises as to whether your favorite pair of sandals is actually worth wearing or keeping for next year. If you shoes aren’t doing what they are suppose to, you have foot pain and you will wish your flip flops had been traded in. It is statistically proven that some people actually keep their shoes longer than they keep their cars. If you are wondering if your shoes should go to the junk yard - here are a couple of tests to try out on your flip-flops and sandals and some tips when you go to buy your next pair.

First of all, take one of your sandals in your hands and see if it bends in half. If the front of the sandal can touch the heel of the sandal, you’ve got a bad pair. Also see if you can twist the flip-flop. If it looks like something you can buy at a donut shop, that’s not a good shoe either. So in these two instances – don’t go looking for shoe repair – just throw out the shoe. If you bend the sandal and it only bends in the front half and only a little bit, that’s ok because you want the sandal to move with your feet. If your sandals bend too far or twist really easily, there is absolutely no support for your feet. If the flip-flop is flat and cheap, guarantee they are not good, it doesn’t matter that they only cost five bucks, you’ll pay for it later in pain. Again – relate this to buying a lemon of a car – it may look good but it will leave you with nothing but pain. Next test; see if your toes hang off the end of the flip-flop. If they do, the sandals are too small and this could cause you to trip and hurt your toes. Next, check the material the sandal is made of. You want soft leather, not a cheap plastic sandal. Plastic will tend to give you blisters. Lastly, check your flip-flops for wear and tear. If they are frayed and cracked, get rid of them!

If you need to get a new pair, here are some quick tips. First, don’t go cheap. Like buying a good car – you get what you pay for – if you go cheap – then you get a cruddy car – if you buy a cheap sandal – then you get a cruddy sandal. Good sandals cost more, and you won’t pay for it in pain later. Get soft leather, not plastic. Get a supportive sandal, not a flat one you can bend in half. Remember you want it to bend in the front a little bit, but not to where the front touches the back. Go to your favorite shoe store and ask for help. They will help fit you and make sure you get the right size. Lastly, don’t wear the same pair every year, get a new pair each spring. This will keep you feet happy and pain free. If you have any questions, we would love to help you out. Give us a call at 877-941-FEET (3338) or visit our website at http://www.upstatefootcare.com/.