Who doesn’t want to wear less in the summer? Kicking off sweaty socks and shoes is so cooling and comfortable—but if you’re not protecting your feet properly, it can lead directly to foot pain or other foot-related problems.

If you want to relax and kick up your feet, you can. But make sure you avoid these five summer foot problems.

#1: Swollen Feet

During the summer, a huge issue that comes with warm weather is sweating, and therefore swelling, in the hands and feet––an issue that can be quite uncomfortable.

To prevent swollen feet, we recommend keeping cool as much as you can and soaking your feet in cold water to activate blood flow. Another way to stay cool is to make an ice bath, and soak your feet for at least 10-15 minutes. However, if you notice that your feet swell even after they’ve been adequately cooled off, you might want to give your podiatrist a call!

#2: Sunburnt Feet

When summer rolls around, most people want to bake in the sun––without sunscreen! This can lead to early skin damage, sun spots, and in extreme cases, skin cancer. Instead of lathering your body head-to-toe in tanning oil, we recommend a high SPF sunscreen to protect your fragile skin from the sun’s damaging rays.

Even if you already apply sunscreen religiously, it’s important that you always cover your feet if you’re going to walk around in open-toed shoes such as flip flops or sandals. Since your feet aren’t exposed as often to the sun as other body parts, it’s important that you always remember to apply sunscreen to your feet—and in-between your toes!

#3: Foot Infections

Another potentially problematic issue with open-toe shoes is that the exposure of your feet is more likely to put you at risk for a foot infection. These could either be from you injuring your foot, or from picking up a fungal infection like Athlete’s foot between your toes. Your feet are especially prone to Athlete’s foot if you wear tight, ill-fitting, closed-toe shoes with sweaty socks in the summertime. To prevent foot infections, we recommend always wearing shoes in public areas such as parks, outdoor recreation areas, and near public pools. If you’re concerned about a foot infection, you can always buy OTC topical cream to apply to the affected areas. If you need help with a foot infection, call our podiatrist!

#4: Foot Pain

Foot pain can strike at any time, but we frequently see rises in foot pain in the summer months, where feet are more vulnerable and prone to overuse. Going barefoot can seem like a good idea when it’s warm, but this can put you at risk for a foot injury. If you plan on being out and about during the day, make sure you wear supportive shoes, and skip on the flip-flops––which will offer you the bare minimum in terms of foot support.

#5: Cracked Heels

Walking around barefoot has a few risks, but one of the biggest complaints we hear about is cracked heels! In the summer, the pavement on roads and sidewalks is incredibly hot, which can burn the bottoms of your feet and create calluses. Overtime, callused feet become rough and scratchy, and later start to crack and flake. If you want to avoid cracked heels, we recommend alternating between closed and open-toed shoes during the day. Also, make sure to buy a good quality heel cream to keep your feet moisturized, and prevent cracking or further damage to the soles of your feet.

Foot Specialists Dedicated to You

During the summer, the last thing you want to worry about is the condition of your feet. Dealing with foot pain is a huge pain, especially when you’d rather be running around with your kids, or hiking by the beach. If you have chronic foot pain, our foot specialists are available to answer any and all of your foot-related questions.

Call Foot Specialists today to set up an appointment.