How to Avoid Athlete's Foot

Summertime is a great season for being active outdoors — swimming, bike riding, playing tennis, and hiking. There are lots of upsides to summer fun, but it’s also the peak season for athlete’s foot.

This type of fungal infection targets warm, damp parts of your feet, like the areas between your toes. Athlete’s foot can result in uncomfortable, itchy symptoms. And once you have athlete’s foot, you may struggle to clear it up.

At Town Center Foot & Ankle of Kingwood and Atascocita, Texas, Dr. Stephen Eichelsdorfer and our team can help you recover from athlete’s foot. “Dr. Ike,” as he’s known, also has some helpful tips and tricks for avoiding athlete’s foot infections in the first place. Here’s what you need to know.

Pay attention to location

Location matters, and not just when it comes to real estate. There are some locations where you’re more likely to encounter foot fungus. 

You don’t have to avoid public pools, showers, and other risky locations altogether, but be aware of your heightened risk of athlete’s foot. That way, you can take extra precautions to protect your feet.

Athlete’s foot, like other fungi, thrives in areas that are warm, dark, and moist. And athlete’s foot is also very contagious. Public places where infections often transmit include public pools, changing rooms, and gym showers.

If you’re spending time in an area likely to expose you to athlete’s foot, protect your feet by not going barefoot. Use water shoes, sandals, or shower shoes to keep yourself and your loved ones free from foot infections.

Keep footwear clean

Athlete’s foot gets its name from the way that working out tends to produce ideal conditions for fungal infections. 

When you’re active, your feet are typically enclosed in shoes and socks. If your feet get sweaty when you’re moving around, that creates the type of warm, damp, dark environment that athlete’s foot prefers.

That’s not to say you should stop working out, running around, participating in sports, or having fun in the sun. But in order to keep your sweaty feet free of athlete’s foot, you need to pay a little extra attention to foot hygiene.

Let your shoes and socks dry out completely after your workout sessions, and don’t reuse dirty socks. You also shouldn’t share gym shoes or socks with others, as that could expose you to athlete’s foot. 

If you take the right steps to address your sweaty shoes, you can keep yourself clear of athlete’s foot.

Get podiatry support

Some people find that, despite their best efforts, repeated athlete’s foot infections or flare-ups remain a problem. At that point, it’s time to reach out to Dr. Ike and our team here at Town Center Foot & Ankle for expert podiatry support.

With professional treatment options and expert prevention advice, you can win the fight against athlete’s foot.

For help with athlete’s foot treatment and prevention, contact Dr. Eichelsdorfer at Town Center Foot & Ankle online or over the phone and schedule your appointment today.