Foot hygiene is not exactly a hot topic on Instagram or even in conversation, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Time after time, we see older patients with significant issues that have developed because they simply “forgot” to look after their feet.
As podiatrists, we want to see this change! We all know the power of creating healthy habits in your daily routine, so we’ve put together 7 tips to teach your children how to look after their feet.
1. Washing between the toes during the shower.
In order to properly remove dirt and bacteria, it is key to use warm water and mild soap to wash your feet, especially in between toes, which tend to get forgotten! This will ensure that there is no bacteria left to cause those little feet to smell even after they’ve been washed!
Regular washing also makes sure that dead skin is removed before it has a chance to build up and create painful calluses or cracked feet – both of which can lead to more serious issues later on!
2. Drying well between the toes after getting wet!
Okay, so getting our feet wet is good but leaving them wet? Not so much!
Whether you’ve been scrubbing up in the shower, or learning to swim in the pool, infections can quickly develop if feet, especially between the toes, are always damp. To prevent these common fungal infections that can create really uncomfortable symptoms if ignored.
3. Wearing thongs around the pool & showers.
Learning to swim is fun, but bringing home someone else’s foot fungus? No thanks! Infections like Athletes Foot, is most commonly transmitted by shared, wet spaces, but is easily avoided.
Whenever you are visiting public pools and bathrooms, encourage your child to wear thongs at all times. You might even have a separate pair of thongs just for going to the pool to make it a novelty & avoid tantrums about wearing shoes.
4. Changing socks daily.
Okay this may seem obvious, but ensuring that your child is wearing clean socks each day, is actually more important than you may think!
Wearing socks more than once means those little feet are spending much more time in a dirty, bacteria filled environment than they need to! Plus, if those socks are sweaty or damp, this can also lead to a whole host of infections and issues.
So why not make it a ritual that when shoes come off at home, the socks go straight into the wash?
5. Airing footwear out.
Similar to the risks of wearing damp socks, our shoes can cause similar issues if we don’t allow them to dry out in between wears. Whilst your trainers may not get wet walking through puddles everyday, you will inevitably sweat and cause them to become damp over time, so store them in a place that allows them to dry out overnight.
6. Keeping the nails trimmed straight across.
Ingrown toenails are becoming more and more common across Australia and can lead to ongoing, painful issues if not treated – or even better, prevented.
One of the most simple ways to stop ingrown nails developing is to ensure that nails are trimmed straight across, using clean, disinfected clippers. Smooth out any rough edges with a nail file if needed.
7. Moisturising the feet daily.
Noone likes the feeling of cracked heels, but the reality of these types of issues is much more sinister. Calluses and cracks can quickly develop into something much more serious, which is why it is so crucial to keep feet moisturised as often as you can.
We recommend that feet get a light coating of a good moisturiser every night before you go to bed. You can make this part of the post-shower routine for your kids and use it as a chance to unwind and create calm before it’s time to sleep – all whilst teaching them foot hygiene!
