Athletes Foot Getting You Down?

Are you just dying to get those runner’s off so that you can scratch your feet?  And when you do scratch, it feels soooo gooood, that you just want to keep on scratching.  These symptoms, along with redness blistering and peeling skin in the creases between your toes probably mean that somewhere down the road, you have picked up a case of athlete’s foot.  This is very common amongst runners and other athlete who share communal showers and change rooms.

Athletes foot is a fungal infection of the feet and toes that lives on the surface of your skin.  The fungal cells can live on wet warm surfaces for a period of time, so this is how athletes foot travels from one person to another so readily in locker rooms, showers and pool areas.  The best thing you can do would be to use a powder or cream for athletes foot and to wear cotton socks.  It is very important to keep the infected area dry, so if you are running or performing some other type of exercise where your feet sweat, change your socks often.  It’s also not a bad idea to treat your shoes with dusting powder so that the athletes foot would have a chance to clear up.  And, last but not least, remember to wear sandals in the shower so that you do not pass the athletes foot to other family members.

Here are some tips on the prevention of athletes foot:

• Avoid walking barefoot in communal showers, locker rooms or public pools – use sandals or shower shoes
• Reduce sweating by using talcum powder
• Wear light and airy runners that breath
• Wear socks that wick moisture and keep your feet dry

Athlete foot is contagious and can come in more severe cases than mentioned above.  It can spread to other parts of the body, such as the groin area and underarms just by scratching the infected area and then touching other parts of your body.  Pain, swelling and blisters can also accompany athlete foot.  If you have athletes foot that is more severe and you have been unsuccessful at getting rid of it, then it’s time to see a podiatrist.  They will probably prescribe a topical or oral antifungal medication.

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