November 3, 2022
Medical pedicures are no ordinary cosmetic pedicure. And while the procedure skips the pretty toenail polish, they offer numerous foot health benefits that you won't get from your favourite nail salon and spa.
Regular medical pedicures work wonders for nail health and keep your skin in good condition. What's more, chiropodists know the warning signs of foot conditions, so they can keep their eyes peeled for potential problems while performing your pedicure.
Let's take a look at the top 5 benefits of medical pedicures!
Medical pedicures prevent ingrown toenails
Your chiropodist can detect foot abnormalities and conditions
Say goodbye to foot odour
Enjoy a thorough moisturizing session
Safe and sterile environment
Medical Pedicures Prevent Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown toenails are something to avoid at all costs. Ingrown toenails grow into and pierce the skin, so while they may start out as a tiny problem, the pain can be immense if the ingrown toenail isn't properly dealt with. Not knowing how to cut your toenails properly can trigger ingrown toenail growth, so you should opt for a professional trim if you don't know what you're doing.
Of course, medical pedicures include thorough nail trimming and filing. Cutting and filing straight across ensures smooth edges and lets the nail re-grow in the right direction. This can prevent ingrown toenails but also serves as a treatment for any pre-existing ones.
Bonus tip: Try researching the best toenail clippers for added protection against ingrown toenails.
Your Chiropodist Can Detect Foot Abnormalities and Conditions
When you get a medical pedicure, a trained professional examines every inch of your foot. This is one of the most beneficial aspects of getting a pedicure at a foot clinic vs. a nail salon.
If you have diabetes, getting a foot examination is even more crucial. Due to diabetic neuropathy, irregular glucose levels, and peripheral vascular disease, undetected foot abnormalities can make way for severe complications. These may include skin and bone infections, gangrene, abscesses, and even amputations.
Here are some examples of what a chiropodist can look for during a medical pedicure:
Warts
Corns and calluses
Signs of proper blood circulation
Fungal infections
Nerve function
Signs of additional infection
Say Goodbye to Foot Odour
A medical pedicure includes sanitizing and thoroughly cleaning your feet. The process starts with cleaning the feet with alcohol, so the chiropodist has a clean base. This eliminates dead skin and bacteria on the bottom of the feet, eliminating unpleasant foot odour.
To ensure foot odour doesn't come back, wash your feet regularly, wear socks with sneakers and use high-quality foot deodorants.
Safe and Sterile Environment
Everyone likes to feel pampered sometimes. But while salon pedicures are fun and relaxing, there can be a lack of cleanliness in some establishments. Manicure and pedicure salons can be breeding grounds for foot fungus and other concerning threats.
When you go to a foot clinic, all eyes are on you. You have a space dedicated to your treatment, and your chiropodist only pays attention to your medical pedicure. Your foot specialist also uses only steam sterilized equipment that is sterilized after each use, and has plenty of time to ensure all medical practice standards are followed.
But a salon may be jam-packed full of customers, and employees can easily forget to thoroughly clean tools when they're too busy. This is when viruses, fungus and bacteria come into the picture.
Enjoy a Thorough Moisturizing Session
If you think moisturizing only happens at a nail salon, think again.
A chiropodist will use medical-strength moisturizing creams at the end of the medical pedicure.
This intense treatment works to keep skin feeling soft and clean, restore natural elasticity, and fight common nuisances like dry, itchy skin.
September 15, 2022
Warts can occur anywhere on your body. These small, circular growths are a type of skin infection that stand out because of their roughness, slight discolouration, and sometimes pain. When it comes to your feet, the soles are a common place for warts. This skin condition is known as plantar warts.
Although warts on your feet are a common occurrence, this condition comes with very treatable solutions. From self-care remedies to visiting a foot specialist, the scale of treatment methods varies based on the persistence level of warts. If you're looking to avoid plantar warts altogether, learn about what causes them, or how to get rid of them, you've come to the right place.
In this article, we explore plantar warts, their causes, how to get rid of plantar warts, and finally how to book an appointment with a foot specialist if you have persistent plantar warts.
What are plantar warts?
Plantar warts are common viral skin infections that grow on the bottom of the feet. They are small, flat, and hard circular growths that look like a corn, callus or blister. Walking puts pressure on the wart, which makes it grow inward and builds a hard layer of skin overtop. Applying pressure to plantar warts (walking, standing, or running) may be uncomfortable, if not painful.
Anyone can get plantar warts: they are not a severe health condition and sometimes go away on their own. However, they are contagious. If they persist, they can grow, spread and cause foot pain when you stand or walk on them.
What causes plantar warts?
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) causes foot warts by infecting the foot's outer layer of skin. HPVs are a group of more than 200 related viruses. In the case of plantar warts, the strain of HPV causing this foot condition is not severe and varies from the strain that infects the reproductive tract. If you think plantar warts and herpes or genital warts, are related, don't worry - the HPV strains are different.
Usually, the virus enters the skin through a perforation like a cut or small breaks in the skin. Frequenting high-traffic common areas like showers, change rooms, and pool decks increase your likelihood of contracting the HPV that causes warts because the virus can spread more easily in these areas. Understandably, the wart-causing virus thrives in warm, moist environments. (This can be said for several other foot conditions, actually, including athlete's foot.) Wearing Crocs or flip-flops will help lessen your chances of catching this virus by ensuring your bare feet do not come in contact with the virus.
Children and teenagers are more likely to get plantar warts because of their hobbies; additionally, those with weakened immune systems are at heightened risk. That said, like many foot conditions, anyone can get plantar warts.
So, what happens when you get plantar warts? Fortunately, there are several treatment options, including DIY methods as well as visiting a foot specialist.
Plantar warts treatments
Sometimes, plantar warts will treat themselves and go away with time. If that's not the case, a foot specialist like a chiropodist can easily remove plantar warts. There are also different treatments depending on how resistant the wart is to certain methods. For instance, if the wart is not responding to one treatment, a more aggressive treatment may be tried.
Regardless of the treatment method you choose, it's best to follow these practices:
Cover the wart to help prevent it from spreading to either other people or another part of your body
Wash your hands any time you touch the wart, accidentally or intentionally
Below you'll find a mix of at-home treatment methods and procedures done by a foot specialist at a local clinic:
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is a method by which extreme cold is used to freeze and remove a plantar wart. This procedure is quick and easy, and generally low risk. Instead of cryotherapy performed in a cold tank, this kind is slightly different and more concentrated. Cold therapy is performed via liquid nitrogen on a cotton swab. This treatment is performed every two weeks, and often requires several treatments to eradicate the wart.
Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid is a topical medication that is applied to the wart. It softens the skin and helps shed layers of skin (and the wart) bit by bit. It is found in many over-the-counter wart removal products, and a chiropodist can prescribe a high-strength salicylic acid topical solution that you can apply regularly at home. The higher the dose of salicylic acid, the better its treatment.
Laser treatment
Laser treatment involves cauterizing blood vessels. Ouch, that sounds intense. But, your medical practitioner will numb your skin first. To be effective, this treatment can be repeated every 2-4 weeks.
Blister-inducing medicine
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A foot specialist can help induce a blister under the wart by applying cantharidin, a type of burn agent. This is applied every 2 to 3 weeks by a chiropodist. The cantharidin forms a blister over the wart and separates the wart from the skin covering it and brings the wart to the surface. The blister then dries over the next few days and the wart falls off. The treatment is repeated until the wart is fully removed.
Needling
Needling is a simple, but more invasive wart removal procedure with roughly 70% effectiveness. After a local anesthetic is administered, a specialist punctures the wart with a sterile needle about 100 times. This method pushes the HPV away from the surface of the skin and internally where an immune reaction is triggered. If successful, your body's immune system will do the rest.
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Excision
Excision is used for plantar warts that resist other treatments. The foot is first numbed with a local anesthetic. Then, as the name implies, the wart is cut away (or “excised”) from the skin. The base is also cauterized to ensure no living viral tissue is left behind. There is a risk of scarring, so this method isn’t used unless other treatments have failed.
Duct tape
Duct tape is a common yet relatively unproven method for treating plantar warts (largely because plantar warts can disappear on their own, which makes it difficult to attribute to the treatment method). This DIY method relies on suffocating the plantar wart and stripping away the outer layer of the skin to help rid the virus.
June 6, 2022
When summer hits the city, many people don't have a care in the world! It's a time to shed the stress from the long winter and be carefree outside. That said, it's important to check on your feet as often as you can, as there are a few summer foot problems that can cast a dark cloud on your sunny days.
Below, we'll discuss the following 6 summer foot problems and how you can treat them:
Swollen Feet
Sweaty Feet
Blisters
Warts
Cracked Skin
Infections
Swollen Feet
Here's a confusing scenario: it's time to rock your favourite summer sneakers and sandals, but they don't fit? While perplexing, there could be a simple cause.
The summer temperatures in Toronto can be pretty sweltering. As a result, your blood vessels dilate when your body attempts to cool itself. This causes a chain reaction that leads to more swelling than you normally experience. While your body attempts to accommodate and move blood back towards your heart, fluids also accumulate, moving downward and trickling into the body's tissues. This is known as heat edema.
If your swollen feet are due to the blistering heat, there are several things you can do to manage and prevent swelling in the future!
Learn How to Manage Swollen Feet
Sweaty Feet
Having sweaty feet in the summertime is a given, but it's important to do your best to control it. Not only is it annoying on its own, but sweat and dampness are major contributors to other summer foot problems. These include blisters, fungal infections and persistently itchy skin.
Did you know that a wide array of products exist specifically for sweaty feet? From several types of deodorants to moisture-wicking socks, your solution is out there.
How to Tackle Sweaty Feet
Blisters
Blisters in the summertime are no stranger to most of us. Sweat accumulation can clog the pores in your feet, making them more damp and vulnerable to blisters. Additionally, many people excitedly ditch their socks in the summer. While that's to be expected with sandals, to avoid blisters, you should still wear socks with sneakers, trainers and runners -- even when it's hot.
Thin, unsupportive flip-flops and walking for long hours in the beautiful weather are also a recipe for blister formation. Supportive sandals are a much better option and come with the breathability and simplicity you're looking for.
As we've mentioned, high-quality footwear is a major way to prevent these painful nuisances. There are also other services and products that can help you walk without blister pain.
Treatment and Prevention For Blisters
Warts
Plantar warts are another common summer foot problem. Summer activities like swimming and hanging out at the beach often involves going barefoot. However, walking barefoot in public places puts our feet at risk of contracting the human papilomavirus (HPV) that causes warts. The highly contagious HPV thrives in our favourite summers spots. Swimming pools (especially the pool deck), public bathrooms at the beach, showers and locker rooms are just a handful of the riskiest areas.
The best way to prevent yourself from getting warts is to wear sandals or water shoes in public places where people often go barefoot. This will keep your feet from coming into contact with the virus. If you do get plantar warts and don't tend to them, complications like bleeding, severe pain, infection, and difficulties walking can ruin your summer. So be sure to take care of the problem right away!
How to Treat and Prevent Plantar Warts
Cracked Skin
Dry skin isn't just a winter problem! Your feet can become cracked and dry when it's hot outside too. Whereas winter dries our feet out with hot water and blasting heat, summer dries out our feet because of how often we expose them.
Thong sandals and flip flops without much coverage leave your feet more susceptible to drying out from walking on the sandy beach and hot pavement. Furthermore, you're more likely to become dehydrated in the summer and forget to hydrate when you're out and about. If you don't drink enough water, the skin can lose moisture and start to dry out.
While there's not much you can do about the heat and elements, there are many ways you can keep your feet as smooth as possible.
What to Do About Dry Skin and Cracked Heels
Infections
Fungal Infections
The most popular summer spaces are a breeding ground for fungal infections like fungal toenails and athlete's foot. Fungi like dermatophytes thrive in moist, warm environments and are super easy to contract, targeting our skin and toenails. They can also spread between person-to-person with direct skin contact. Like HPV and plantar warts, these infections are more common in the summer as Torontonians frequent public pools, changing rooms, bathrooms, showers, etc.
Fungal infections can become chronic if you don't pay serious attention to them. Athlete's foot and toenail fungus, in particular, are notorious for coming back time and time again. It's best to treat these nagging infections and do your best to prevent them in the future!
How to Avoid Athlete's Foot
Toenail Fungus Services
Skin Infections
Skin infections are another common summer foot problem. Our feet are more exposed during the summer from wearing sandals or walking barefoot. That increases the likelihood of cuts and scrapes. And since we don't cover our feet up in hot weather, open wounds remain exposed, which can lead to skin infections. Not only can an infected wound be irritating, but it can also lead to severe complications if you have diabetes.
Accidents happen, so there's not too much we can do to prevent cuts and scrapes (save for not walking barefoot on broken glass). So, if you do happen to cut your foot, put a bandage over it until the wound closes up. And if you have diabetes, you should avoid open-toe shoes all together.
How to Keep Your Feet Safe From Infection This Summer
September 1, 2021
Happy Anniversary!
Today, Feet First Clinic celebrates its 12th anniversary! Since 2009, our goal has been (and continues to be) to set the best standards for our patients' foot care needs.
It's been a pleasure serving the community with the following services:
Medical pedicures
Nail care
Diabetic foot care
Footwear
Foot care products
Custom orthotics
Skincare products
Informative content
Biomechanical Video gait analysis
Wart removal
To celebrate 12 years of foot care, we want to give you a glimpse at some of our favourite and most popular articles of all time. Below you'll find 12 of our picks from the last 12 years.
Feet First Clinic's Top-12 Blog Articles: Our Picks
How-Tos
How To Cut Your Toenails Like a Professional
As simple as it may seem, trimming and filing your toenails correctly is an important part of maintaining proper foot health. It can save you from pesky and rather painful nail problems, such as ingrown toenails, broken toenails, and toenail-related infections.
In this timeless article, learn about the dos and don'ts of cutting your toenails like a professional. Then, check out our picks for the best tools for the job.
Stubbed Toe: What To Do When It Happens
Ouch. We all know that feeling. Stubbing your toe, whether it's on the side of the bed, on the coffee table, or while barefoot on the lawn or at the beach, the pain is intense: Your toe swells like a balloon, and the area is throbbing. So what do you do? One thing’s for sure: you need to do something. Even if that means intentionally doing nothing at all. In this article we break down:
What Classifies as a Stubbed Toe?
How Long Does it Take For a Stubbed Toe to Heal?
Cold or Warm Therapy: What’s Better For Your Feet?
Generally, cold therapy should be used for acute injuries and foot pain as ice constricts blood vessels and swelling. Heat has the opposite effect. Applying heat to an area increases blood flow, relaxes the muscles, and encourages an extended range of motion. As such, muscle soreness or tightness may benefit from the warmth, rather than cold therapy.
This article will teach you about what the differences are between warm therapy and cold therapy, and each of the use cases.
Foot Conditions
Ankle Popping And Cracking—Causes, And Remedies
Does your ankle crack or pop when you rotate it? You’re not alone. Ankle cracking and ankle popping are quite common, and there’s no immediate need to worry. In fact, joint popping has a medical term. Crepitus is abnormal popping or crackling of a joint, which may be sometimes uncomfortable or painful. After reading this article you'll discover whether it's bad or good that your ankles crack, whether it's doing damage to you, and how to get rid of cracking ankles.
Do You have a Corn or a Plantar Wart?
You have an odd lesion on your foot: it's circular, painful at times, hard, and yellowish in colour. Is it a corn or a wart? These two skin lesions are commonly confused with one another. Check out this article to learn how to tell the difference.
Hallux Rigidus or Bunions: What’s The Difference?
If you have a lump on your big toe, you may wonder whether it’s a bunion or hallux rigidus. Both these foot conditions are characterized by bumps on the big toe and can be painful when wearing improper footwear. They are also both progressive conditions that can get worse over time if not properly treated. In this article, we'll elaborate on how these two conditions are different from each other, and what you can do about them.
Want to learn more about various foot conditions? Read our complete guide on the As to Zs of foot conditions.
Footwear and Biomechanics
Are Your Shoes Too Small? Here Are the Warning Signs
Blisters, bruised toenails, hot feet, calluses, and corns are all signs of ill-fitting shoes. If you are unsure of your size, have your feet measured. Keep in mind: the right fitted shoe will have about a finger's width between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. If you can feel the end of the shoe with your toe, it's too small! Pro top: Bring your orthotics with you when you try on shoes to account for the added volume.
Shoes With Zero Drop, High Drop, And Everything In Between
Our goal is to find the shoe that's right for you. Drop, defined as the difference between the height of the heel and toe in a shoe, is an important consideration when shopping. The point of a shoe’s drop is to reduce stress on certain parts of your body. By artificially keeping your foot in a certain position, a shoe’s drop can reduce pressure on the Achilles tendon and calves. In this article, we offer our selection of choices for various brands and models that best suit you and your feet.
Everything You Need To Know About Your Gait
Have you ever wondered if you are walking properly? Or why your feet feel easily tired from an activity?
Did you know that a lot of the time, you can attribute the pain you experience in your feet (such as the arches, heel, and balls) to abnormal walking patterns?
This blog explores the body's gait (defined as a person’s manner or pattern of walking), the gait cycle, and how faulty foot mechanics can affect your entire body, not just your feet. Additionally, we look at how overpronation and over supination can affect your gait. Finally, this blog outlines how gait can change when running versus walking.
Our clinic prioritizes a preventative approach to foot care. You, the patients, are empowered to be active participants in your treatment. Our on-site store provides patients with therapeutic tools and resources, including orthopaedic footwear, insoles, medical devices, and over-the-counter solutions.
Services
Is There A Difference Between A Chiropodist And A Podiatrist?
Chiropodist and podiatrist are terms that refer to regulated foot specialists in Ontario. Rest assured, there is no need to worry about potentially booking an appointment with the wrong specialist. In this blog post, we answer the following questions:
What type of foot specialist should I book an appointment with?
What are (if any) the differences between a Chiropodist and a podiatrist?
If I book an appointment with one or the other, is it a mistake?
What Happens During A Medical Pedicure?
A pedicure is a wonderful thing to treat yourself to when you’re in need of a little self-care and relaxation! We’re all aware that many people enjoy a standard cosmetic pedicure from a spa or nail salon, as they’re a good way to pamper yourself. While this is true, did you know that there is such a thing as a medical pedicure? That’s right! A licensed Chiropodist performs medical pedicures. There are numerous benefits to this specialized service, and this article provides the lowdown on how our downtown Toronto foot experts perform a medical pedicure!
Custom Made Orthotics: What to Expect on Your First Appointment
A custom foot orthotic is a device derived from a three-dimensional representation of a person’s foot and also made of suitable materials with regard to the individual’s condition. It addresses structural or functional foot conditions that lead to faulty foot mechanics and abnormal gait patterns by providing support, stability, and balance. Custom orthotics are removable devices that can be transferred between shoes.
In this article, we outline what you can expect for your orthotics appointment, anything you might need to bring, and how you can go about booking one.
12 Years Of Serving You, Here's to Many More!
Toronto's Feet First Clinic specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of acute and chronic conditions that affect the tissue, bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints of the toes, feet, and ankles.
We’re confident in our ability to help inform you and solve your concern with the least amount of discomfort possible.
Call us at 416-769-3338 or Click Above to Book Your Assessment Today!
August 17, 2021
Post-sports foot care goes well beyond just a shower. In fact, cleaning and drying your feet is just one part of what is an ideal post-sports foot care routine. Proper hygiene is essential to keep your feet and skin healthy and to avoid common foot conditions.
From hockey change rooms to sweating inside your shoes for hours, sports present a noteworthy challenge for general foot hygiene. It not only takes proper precaution - like wearing the right shoes - but it requires discipline as well as consistency. After all, it only takes one careless instance to get something like warts from a shared public space like a swimming pool, gym shower, or locker room.
Sports-Related Foot and Skin Conditions
Overview of foot and skin conditions that are common when participating in sports
Sports are among the leading causes of foot and skin conditions, whether it's during or after the game/activity. These are some of the leading injuries and conditions:
Blisters: A blister is a small fluid-filled bubble that forms just under the outer layer of the skin.
Athlete's foot: Tinea pedis, commonly known as Athlete’s foot, is a contagious fungal skin infection that can affect the skin on the soles of the feet and/or between the toes.
Fungal toenail: A fungal toenail is a fungal infection of the nail. It can cause the toenail to become thick, discoloured, brittle, and fragile. As the fungal infection grows, it can crack the nail or even lift it off the nail bed. This can cause pain and discomfort.
Discoloured toenail: A discoloured toenail is the result of any number of toe conditions including subungual hematoma (bruising or bleeding under the nail), complications from an ingrown toenail, or a fungal nail infection
Achilles tendonitis: Achilles tendonitis is a painful condition that occurs when the Achilles tendon (the tendon at the back of the ankle that connects your heel to your calf) becomes inflamed.
Heel spur: A heel spur (also known as a “calcaneal spur”) is a bony growth that protrudes on the underside of the heel bone.
Foot odour: Bromhidrosis occurs when your feet have an unusual and unpleasant smell. It can be a sign of poor hygiene, fungal or bacterial infection. It can be commonly associated with hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
Plantar Warts: Warts are a contagious viral skin condition that is typically contracted in public spaces like swimming pools, gym showers, locker rooms, and change rooms. You can get them when your foot comes into contact with an infected surface.
For a comprehensive list of common injuries and conditions by sport - from tennis to soccer - read our comprehensive guide on sports and injuries.
What It Looks Like: A Post Sports Foot Care Routine
Seven suggestions for a sports foot care routine
Use a gentle soap and clean between your toes. After bathing, thoroughly dry your feet. This helps keep fungus and bacteria at bay. A nasty case of athlete’s foot can keep you from training. Products such as Gehwol Refreshing Foot Bath counteract sore, aching, and sweaty feet while invigorating tired feet, soothing sore feet, and eliminating any unpleasant burning sensation.
Change your socks often. That might mean several times a day if you train often or your feet tend to sweat a lot. Socks with special pads or moisture-wicking properties are highly recommended.
Keep your socks, slippers, or flip-flops on. Public places like swimming pool areas are prime grounds for warts, athlete’s foot, fungus, and bacterial infections. When barefoot, clean and dry your feet afterward.
Your shoes should be as clean as your socks. Never leave your sports equipment and footwear in a dark, damp place (like your bag). Dry them out as soon as possible and have more than one pair if possible. You can use disposable liners and remove them after use. You can also use foot powder to help prevent foot odour and to help draw moisture away from the skin, like Gehwol Foot & Shoe Deodorant. It's an antifungal spray that's perfect for sports players. You can spray it into your shoes or on your feet when you're on the go.
Keep your toenails trimmed. Cut your toenails like a pro. Wash and dry your feet first, use the proper toenail clippers, and clip straight across while filing jagged edges. For more assistance, we offer complete nail care treatment here at the clinic. No referral is necessary.
Monitor your feet: Foot conditions like calluses and corns are the result of constant pressure and friction on your feet. Check your feet regularly to see if you spot early signs of these foot issues. A foot file is a great way to gently buff away any rough, dry, and calloused skin.
Blister control: Blisters are among the most common sports-related foot condition. These are small, fluid-filled bubbles on the uppermost layer of the skin. The blisters on your feet are most often caused by friction from shoes, although they can also occur as a result of extreme temperatures, chemical exposure, and certain medical conditions. If you get a blister, don't pop it. Instead, wear shoes that reduce pressure in the area of concern, and cover it with a band-aid or gauze will provide added protection. You can also use Moleskin to help reduce friction.
Choose The Right Footwear
Investing in your feet starts with the proper footwear, both in terms of usage, and in fit
A foot care routine starts before issues arise. Footwear is the most important piece of equipment for your feet. Why not invest in a pair that fits, and keeps you injury-free? There are shoes designed specifically for each sport so choose accordingly.
In fact, ill-fitting shoes are the leading cause of foot pain and foot problems: 8 out of 10 people’s shoes fit incorrectly. At Feet First Clinic we put your feet first: feet are the foundation of your body and choosing footwear that fits properly is critical for preventing injury. We carry a variety of leading footwear brands and offer a free shoe fitting so you leave with the perfect pair.
Every footcare routine should start with the right pair of shoes.
Know When To Stop
Holding back can help prevent injury and foot conditions down the road
Proper discipline can stop most foot conditions and injuries in their tracks. Many foot conditions arise from repetitive trauma to a specific area without adequate rest. Allowing your body to rest and recover after playing sports ensures your feet have enough time to recover.
Injuries related to overuse include plantar fasciitis, bone injuries (stress fractures, for example), Achilles tendinopathy, and toe joint pain to name a few.
Your Foot Care Solutions Live Here!
From footwear to foot care products, we're your one-stop-shop
All under one roof! Our team handles any and all foot health concerns. From mild, to critical, we cover all sides of the foot needs spectrum. Call us to ask about actionable steps towards your solution today!
Call us at 416-769-3338 or Book Your Assessment Today!
July 16, 2021
Get out your swimsuits - it's time to go swimming! Indoor and outdoor swimming pools just reopened today in Toronto! Given that we are also in the warmth of summer, family pools are open and beaches and lakes are being swarmed by eager swimmers (and sun worshippers).
Swimming is not only a great family activity; it is also fantastic exercise - especially for people with joint and foot pain. It is one of the lowest impact forms of physical activity, which makes it accessible and suitable for people of all ages. Whether you're doing an aqua-fit class or laps around the pool, swimming is a fun and low-risk way to strengthen your joints and muscles, which is the best way to treat common foot conditions and foot pain, like arthritis, metatarsalgia and Morton's neuroma. And best of all, you can do it while enjoying the beautiful summer weather.
However, keeping your feet healthy when you go swimming, particularly in public pools, has many considerations. We are at a higher risk of contracting Plantar Warts, Athlete's Foot, and other fungal infections in public spaces. (Also consider chlorine's drying and irritating effects on your skin.) Keeping your hygiene practices is therefore crucial for healthy feet when swimming.
Below, we will give you the lowdown on common foot conditions that can affect you when you go swimming, and how you can treat and prevent them. We'll also give you some tips for good foot hygiene when you go swimming.
Plantar Warts
A plantar wart is a common viral skin infection. It presents as a small, rough growth on sole of the foot, and looks like a solid blister or small callus. They are usually caused by HPV, a virus carried by 2% of the population. The virus thrives in warm, moist environments, so a public pool is ideal for a plantar wart to grow - especially those wet puddles on deck and in the locker room. To protect yourself from getting plantar warts, it is wise to wear flip-flops or some other kind of footwear when you are in the locker room, on deck and in the showers (you don't need to wear them in the pool). If you already have plantar warts, wearing footwear in these places will also help prevent spreading the virus to other people.
Plantar warts usually affect children and teenagers more because they do more activities in high-risk places. However, healthy adults can contract them as well. Anyone immunocompromised is also more at risk.
If you do get plantar warts, our Chiropodists at Feet First Clinic can help you. We facilitate different treatments depending on the severity of the situation.
Athlete's Foot & Other Fungal Infections
Athlete's foot is a contagious fungal infection caused by dermatophytes. Sweaty feet from activity cultivates the growth of athlete's foot (hence the name). Fungal infections like athlete's foot thrive and reproduce in warm, moist environments. Thus they are very commonly found in public places like locker rooms or the pool deck, where there are lots of people walking around with sweaty, wet feet. If you or other visitors develop athlete's foot and go barefoot in these places, you risk transmitting it to others. In fact, fungal infections are much more contagious and difficult to treat than plantar warts.
To prevent or combat foot fungus, you need to enlist proper hygiene tactics. For starters, make sure you thoroughly wash your feet, ideally before and after swimming (between the toes too!). This will make your feet a less friendly environment for bacteria and fungal growth, and can help eliminate any newly acquired bacteria or fungus before it sets up shop on your feet.
It is also advisable to wear flip-flops or some other kind of lightweight footwear in locker rooms, showers and on the decks of public swimming pools. One idea would be to invest in a pair of swimming shoes. You can take these from the pool to the lake. They are also great if you are combing around rocky shores.
Click here for more information about how to avoid Athlete's Foot.
If you do acquire a fungal infection in your foot, you can visit our clinic and store to find the right anti-fungal treatment.
Foot Hygiene for Swimmers
Proper hygiene for your feet is the best way to deal with the threat of plantar warts or athlete's foot. You want to enjoy summer, and spend your time swimming, not dealing with foot issues.
The drying and irritating effects of chlorine on your skin is also something to consider. Dry feet can break up the skin in our feet and around our toenails. This provides a point of entry for fungal infections.
But don't worry; this is an easy fix. Below are our top tips for good foot hygiene when you go swimming:
Cleanse your feet regularly, and before and after swimming. Make sure you also get between the toes, where moisture can easily get trapped, and dry your feet thoroughly afterwards.
Use an anti-bacterial foot powder or medicated foot cream afterwards. We recommend Gehwol's Foot Powder: It has zinc-oxide, which has antimicrobial and skin protecting properties, as well as clotrimazole, which is proven to prevent fungal infections. You can dust some of this powder directly on your feet, in your socks, or in your shoes.
Moisturize your feet regularly, and especially after swimming. Our skin's natural protective properties are weakened when they're wet. Moisturizing strengthens them. For a one-size-fits all solution, try Gerlachs Gehwol Extra Universal Foot Cream. It thoroughly moisturizes and disinfects your feet. It can also help you with corns, calluses, and blisters.
Tend to your toenails and cuticles. The space on the sides of our toenails are a favoured entry point for fungal infections, so keeping it in tact is essential. We recommend Gehwol Fusskraft Soft Nail and Skin Protection Spray. It preserves the skin and nail's natural protective properties, and strengthens them. It also contains bisabolol and clotrimazole to help protect the skin and nails against fungal infection. It's so effective that the chiropodists use it in our clinic during treatments.
Treat yourself to a foot bath. After a day in the water, a foot bath intensely cleanses your feet (it also feels super nice!). For a refreshing foot bath that will also help fight foot odour and foot sweat, we recommend Gehwol Fusskraft Herbal Bath.
Keep Healthy Feet When Swimming
At Feet First, we love summer, and we are big fans of swimming. Public pools and their communities offer many opportunities for exercise and socialization for people of all ages and mobilities. By keeping your feet hygiene up and visiting us if you encounter any issues with plantar warts or foot fungus, we are here to help get you back in the pool! Call us today and book your appointment or learn more about the products we carry at 416.769.3338 (FEET.)
