Foot care tips for summer

Summer is here! Consider our foot care tips to keep your feet in shape for summer.

• Trim your toenails.

Use proper straight edge (not curved) nail clippers and cut straight across – not too short, and not down at the corners as this can lead to ingrown nails. File the corners to shape them.

If you are having difficulty attending to your toenails, make an appointment with a podiatrist.

• Forget flip-flops and thongs.

Flip flops and thongs are for the beach and not every day wear. Don’t be tempted to wear flip-flops all through the summer. They don’t provide support for your feet and can give you arch and heel pain if you wear them for too long.

• Change socks/hosiery daily

If you have to wear socks in hot weather, change them once a day and choose ones that contain at least 70 per cent cotton or wool to keep your feet dry and stop them smelling.

• Remove hard skin

Hard, cracked skin around the heels is very common in summer, often caused by open-backed sandals and flip-flops rubbing around the edge of the heel. If your heels are calloused and cracked, see a podiatrist for treatment. Remember to apply a moisturiser to your heel each day in the warmer months.

• Alternate your shoes

Wear a variety of different closed heel sandals and shoes during summer and alternate them daily. Alternate your footwear so you aren’t wearing this style of shoe day in and day out. Leave your shoes to air out overnight for prevention of fungal infections.

• Watch out for foot infections

The floors of communal showers and changing rooms at open-air and hotel swimming pools are hot spots for infections such as tinea and warts. Don’t wander around public pools barefoot. Protect your feet by wearing thongs in the changing room and at the pool edge.

• Tackle sweat

If you have sweaty feet in the summer, it’s even more important to wash your feet each morning and evening in warm, soapy water then dry them thoroughly. You can also use a tea tree oil foot soak if your feet are smelly. If your feet are sweaty in the summer, wipe them down with methylated spirits each morning, before putting on footwear. If your feet are excessively sweaty, please seek advice from a podiatrist.