The Barefoot Blunder
Its the middle of the summer and the sun is shining brightly. Your feet have been cooped up in your shoes all week and they are begging you for a little freedom. You think why not and you decide to take your feet out for a little adventure and sun as you venture a stroll in your neighborhood with your dog. Whats the big deal?
- The obvious foreign body that you might step on. Weve discussed this before in prior blogs.
- Blister formation due to increased friction and the lack of cushion.
- A burn to the bottoms of your feet. What you might forget is that if you are walking on the concrete/asphalt of your sidewalk or street, is that it has been heated quite wonderfully by the sun all day. So, while at first the pavement feels a little warm, you get used to it, but then you forget and you keep walking. You go for a nice long walk with your dog and by the time you get home, your soles are burnt; not to the mention the blisters you formed also.
You might argue that walking barefoot will build calluses on the foot and then my feet can tolerate such activities better. You would be correct in the fact that a heavily callused foot might not burn as easy, if at all, but you would be forgetting one crucial fact: calluses will continue to build and will cause increased pressure to the bottoms of your feet which will eventually cause pain. THE POINT: not much good comes from going barefoot. There is always a risk so be prepared if something goes awry.
If you have been walking barefoot in your neighborhood and have developed painful calluses, blisters, or the unfortunate burn and need a foot/ankle specialist, please contact Dr. Bowman at 713-467-8886 or visit www.houstonfootspecialists.com.
Photo Credit: Friedhelm Brandenburg VIA pixabay.com
Category: Foot Health
Tags: Feet, summer