Watch Out for These Winter Foot Health Concerns
Winter weather brings about a variety of risks for your foot health. Here’s how you can take care of your feet in the wintertime. For many of us, winter is a time to kick back, relax, and snuggle up at home. For others, winter sports make it an especially exciting season for outdoor activities. But the simple joys of winter can also come at a cost to your feet. Whether you’re skiing at an icy resort, or you live in a warmer climate with minimal snowfall, wintertime brings about risks to your foot health — often in ways you might not expect. Every season comes with its own unique challenges for maintaining healthy feet. Even though our lifestyles are generally less active (and we’re therefore less prone to injury) in the wintertime than in the summer, we should all stay on high alert for the possibility of winter foot conditions.
What are some winter foot health concerns?
Common wintertime foot conditions often go under the radar until they become severe enough to demand treatment. But a bit of background knowledge can go a long way in preserving your foot health during the coldest season. Some of the most prevalent winter foot concerns include:- Chilblains. Chilblains are uncomfortable skin spots that occur when your feet are exposed to the cold. Even if the weather is well above freezing, your skin can develop itchy red patches called chilblains. When chilblains are severe, they can even lead to painful blistering.
- Athlete’s foot. You might think that athlete’s foot is more likely to occur during warm seasons. But the common fungal infection is especially pronounced during the wintertime, when your feet spend lots of time in closed-toed shoes, with minimal breathability.
- Dry skin. Dry skin is a wintertime risk anywhere on your body, and your feet are no exception. Whether you’re spending time indoors or outdoors, winter air is prone to low humidity levels that can irritate your skin. Dry skin can result in itchiness, ashiness, and shallow cracks in the surface of your skin.
- Frostbite. Frostbite may be an obvious result of cold weather, but it’s worth taking seriously. When your feet are exposed to below-freezing temperatures for a sustained period of time, your skin (and the connected tissue) can begin to freeze. The telltale sign of frostbite is cold skin that has become hard to the touch, pale, and numb. Frostbite is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention.
- Calluses and blisters. Winter shoes are often laced up tightly, with thick socks and minimal wiggle room. These factors often make winter shoes quite constricting, which can lead to calluses and blisters. Next time you put on snow boots or other winter footwear, make sure you’ve chosen the right size — and consider thick socks in the equation.
