You don’t need to be a world class athlete, to suffer from this fungal foot condition, while it is true that athletes are more prone to the fungal infection because their feet become sweaty often confined in socks, trainers or tight fitting shoes or boots all day. It is a very common condition in the UK, that affects approx. 3 to 15% of the population, any age and any gender.
Oh, and by the way Athlete's foot has nothing to do with hygiene. Even if you wash your feet several times a day, you can still get athlete's foot - especially if you don't dry your feet thoroughly. Remember the fungi loves wet and cold environments.
Athlete's foot, known medically as tinea pedis, is a common skin infection of the feet caused by fungus.
Common signs and symptoms you may notice often include itching, scaling,thick skins, cracking,redness and a burning sensation. Athlete's foot fungus may infect any part of your foot, but most often grows between the toes or the bottom of the foot. It is incredibly uncomfortable and if untreated, it can spread to your toenails which means you could lose a nail.
The condition is typically picked up by coming into contact with infected skin, or fungus in the environment. Common places where the fungi can survive are around swimming pools and in locker rooms.
So how do you prevent it?
· Don’t going barefoot in public showers,
· Keep the toenails short
· Wear correctly fitting shoes
· Keep your feet clean and dry
· Wear clean socks every day – cotton is best
· Air out your footwear by alternating your footwear
· Don’t share towels or shoes with other people
If you suffer from uncomfortable feet which is affecting your walking or day-to-day life, please get in touch to book an appointment with us.
Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Athlete%27s_foot.jpg