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Be Kind To Your Tootsies: How To Protect Your Feet During The Winter

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The winter months can wreak havoc on your feet, especially if you're not careful. You might not realize this, but your feet need extra care and protection during the cold winter months. This is particularly true when it comes to the cold. If your body is cold, it will do what it needs to in order to protect the vital organs. During extreme cold, your body doesn't consider your hands and feet to be vital organs. Unfortunately, that means your hands and feet will be the most susceptible to damage caused by cold temperatures. To protect your hands, you can wear heavy gloves. However, to protect your feet, you'll need to take some additional measures. Here are three steps you should take to protect your feet this winter.

Choose the Proper Footwear

During the warmer months, you can get away with choosing shoes for their stylish looks. However, during the winter, you can't afford to do that. To protect your feet, you've got to choose the proper footwear.

Traction

When choosing winter shoes, the first thing you should consider is the traction. Regardless of whether you'll be walking in ice, snow, or water, you'll need plenty of traction underneath you.

Ankle Support

Slip and fall accidents aren't uncommon during the winter. Unfortunately, those slip and fall accidents often result in ankle injuries. To protect your feet and your ankles, choose boots that have adequate ankle support.

Waterproofing

The cold can cause serious harm to your feet. Unfortunately, snow and rain can both cause your feet to get cold, especially if the moisture soaks through your shoes. For maximum protection against the cold, make sure the shoes you choose are waterproof.

Don't Forget the Socks

You might not like to wear socks, but during the winter they're crucial to proper foot health. Not only do the provide an added layer of warmth, but they also cushion your foot to prevent blisters, and insulate your feet against excess moisture. Go ahead and leave the socks off during the summer, but leave them on during the winter.

Let Your Feet Breathe When at Home

Your feet do need to be properly covered up when you're outside during the winter. However, they'll need some fresh air if you want to avoid athletes foot during the winter. When you're at home, go ahead and take your shoes off to air your feet out. Wear soft, breathable slippers to take the chill off your toes.

Now that winter is here, make sure you're giving your feet the care they need to stay healthy. If you develop sores on your feet that don't heal, or you suffer a foot injury, be sure to contact your podiatrist as soon as possible.


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