Healthy Winter Feet

Most people get concerned about the health and appearance of their feet during the summer months. During the cold and wet winter months, your feet can really take a beating. Your feet will thrive during these cold months if you follow these foot-health tips:

• Footwear — Invest in a good pair of waterproof winter boots or shoes. Make sure your shoes fit properly. If they are too tight, they can cause ingrown toenails or blisters. If you do get a blister, apply antiseptic cream and bandages. If the blister doesn’t heal in a timely manner, consult your podiatric physician.

• Foot care — The winter months can leave people vulnerable to dry, cracked feet. To keep your feet from drying out, moisturize them once or twice a day, especially around the heels and sides of the foot. For a list of foot creams and moisturizers approved by podiatric physicians and that have received APMA’s Seal of Acceptance, go to APMA.org and click on Learn About Feet.

• Foot Fungus — Fungus may live inside a winter shoe or boot over the summer, just waiting to re-infect a foot or toenail. If you had foot fungus last winter, take precautions by using an anti-fungal spray on boots or shoes that were worn last winter before wearing them this season. People with fungal infections are at high risk for re-infection, especially if they don’t treat their shoes.