The temperatures are soaring in the Levittown area and you know what that means: summer. That also means really, really hot days. While your whole body feels the effects, your feet can be a really big target. Since you need them to get from place to place or even to do things like walking to the refrigerator to get more water, it’s best to ensure that they are in the best condition possible.

Here are some of the best ways to care for your feet during the summer.

No Walking Barefoot Outdoors

This is an important distinction - of course you can walk around your own home barefoot. It’s when you’re outside that you need to have on some sort of protection for the bottom of your feet. Otherwise a lot of damage can occur that may make life a lot less fun for days or even weeks. Don’t even think of walking for any period of time on concrete during the summer. That will get your feet both dirty and possibly burned.

The beach is a prime example. Once people get there, they shed the shoes and run on the sand… which then feels like being on top of lava. Wait until you get your seat under the shade and then take them off. Or keep them on until you get near the wet sand, which is cooler. But you need to be careful there, as well. Seashells can cut feet.

Wear The Right Socks

You want your feet to be comfortable. Thick socks are great during the winter but can reduce your feet to a puddle of sweat in summer. Think of wearing low-cut socks that are thin and let your feet breathe. There are some who like to not wear any socks at all, but they have to wear the right shoes, otherwise they risk getting cuts and and other injuries to their feet.

Fix Blisters Quickly

This can be a result of the above situation with socks - or the lack thereof. Unlike other blisters, you don’t want to pop it. Doing this with your feet can lead to infection. Instead, cover the blister up. Put padding on it. That will allow it to go away while you go on about your daily business. Letting the blister linger can lead to more than just general discomfort - it can get infected. Be vigilant.

Moisturize

The temperatures are getting to be sky-high. Humidity is taking it to another level. So that means the chances of your feet getting dry go up astronomically. Having dry, cracked feet at ANY time of year is not fun, but especially not when it is 90 degrees outside. That’s why you have to moisturize your feet. It’s not a terribly time-consuming process - just lather on the lotion once a day. Do NOT put any between your toes - dry skin there keeps fungus away. Your feet will thank you.

Examine Your Flip-Flops

It’s summer, so that means flip-flops, right? Lounging by the pool or at the beach, they are a perfect addition to your footwear… correct? Not so. While they can offer short-term protection, they are not adequate for long-time wear. Boat shoes might be a better option, but the ones that wedge between your big toe and second toe are not the best.

That ease of slipping flip-flops on can be quite the drawback. Why? If you stumble, there’s no support to keep you from doing things like spraining your ankle. They can also come off at the worst time, like if you need to run. There’s also no arch support, which can lead to flat feet. You can wind up scraping your toes on the sidewalks. Stress fractures are a possibility.

A couple of other things that you can do is to make sure that you are always adequately hydrated. That can help prevent dry skin… and speaking of skin - wear sunscreen. Even on your feet, especially if you go barefoot at the beach or in the pool. You can wind up getting burned there.

The best part is that doing all of these things is not that expensive. You can probably pick up all the necessary items in one or two trips to a store or you can even order them online, which saves you the trips. It’s better to invest a little bit of money now rather than have to pay for more expensive things down the road. Then both your feet and your wallet will be in pain.

Things will stay hot for at least a couple more months in Levittown. Taking care of your feet during this time should be a top priority. If you follow the above steps, you should find yourself in good shape.  Otherwise you might find yourself at home literally cooling your heels while other people are out and about, enjoying what the season has to bring.

Dr. John J. Hickey knows all about keeping your feet in great shape during the summer months. Head over to his office at Levittown Podiatry and hear what he has to say. Then you can go enjoy the rest of the hot days with comfortable feet. Give him a call to make an appointment.

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Levittown Podiatry

2870 Hempstead Tpke, Suite 103,

Levittown, New York 11756

Phone: (516) 735-4545

Website: https://www.levittownpodiatry.com/