Top Tips for your Winter Feet

woolly socks

The nights are drawing in, the temperature’s falling, and we’re ready to bury ourselves away for the winter season.. including our feet! Tight boots, chunky socks, and the change in temperature can all contribute to dry skin, blisters, chilblains and fungal infections. Here are our top tips for making sure your feet make it to Spring in their best shape yet..

1.     Stay hydrated! Dry feet are unfortunately a part of Autumn and Winter most of us find hard to avoid. When the feet are cold, the blood supply to the top layers of the skin is reduced, preserving heat but making our skin dry and sometimes cracked. Using a moisturiser or foot cream daily will help to keep them soft and supple.

 

2.     Wear a cushioned and supportive shoe or boot with plenty of room for the toes, or a ‘deep toe box’ as we podiatrists call it! If you’re unsure of your size, or the shoes you currently wear are leading to blisters, it’s time to get measured – a service which most good shoe shops will offer.

 

3.     If your feet get cold easily, try layering two pairs of thin socks instead of wearing one chunky pair. This leads to more room in the shoes, and you can always remove a layer if you feel your feet becoming too warm.

 

4.     Alternate pairs of shoes regularly. Wearing the same pair daily doesn’t give the shoes a chance to ‘’air’’, creating a warm, dark and damp environment where the fungi which cause nail and skin infections love to grow! By changing socks daily and shoes regularly we limit this and keep our feet dry and infection free!

 

5.     Seeing a podiatrist for a pre-winter check up, and ongoing maintenance though the colder months can make sure your feet are in their best shape for Spring, call now to make your appointment :)