Winter Foot Care: What You Need to Know

A tough city winter can be a real drag. Not only are the sidewalks and roads slushy with salt and ice, but the weather is often unbearably windy and dry as well. It becomes especially important during the winter, amid the extreme drops in temperature, that you continue to be diligent about self-care. Most people take care to moisturize their skin to combat the dry chill, but are you neglecting your feet?

That’s right, your feet need extra special care during the winter, to ensure that they are warm and dry – but not too dry – and that they are well supported. This article will cover what you need to know about caring for your feet this winter, from the type of footwear to choose, to tips and tricks for staying comfortable.

Footwear

Perhaps the single most important aspect of foot care is the type of footwear you choose. Most people spend the vast majority of their day in footwear, and so it pays to choose the right ones.

If care is key for you, the best footwear options for a cold winter are supportive, warm, breathable boots, preferably with custom orthotics. In the link above, Sorrel is highlighted as a footwear brand that makes particularly great winter boots.

Keeping Dry

If, by chance, you get some snow in your shoes, or the heat from your boots and socks causes an inordinate amount of sweat, take the time to dry your feet at home. It might seem counterintuitive to think that a cold, dry climate can produce a hot, humid environment in your boots, but it can certainly happen. And conditions like athlete’s foot and other fungi thrive in such environments.

Care Tips

While you want to keep your feet dry enough to ward off fungal conditions, some people grapple with an opposite problem – namely, that their feet get too dry in winter. This can happen all over the foot, but the heel is often particularly affected. To care for your feet, try heel balm, which can help moisturize the skin and avoid uncomfortable cracking.

Some also swear by a good footbath in the winter, with Epsom salts and hot water. This can certainly be a therapeutic way to wind down at the end of a long cold day, but remember to dry your feet thoroughly after the bath. Some use a pumice stone after their back, though it recommended you consult with a chiropodist before you try this.

Visit a Chiropodist

For a more comprehensive foot care plan, visit a chiropodist. They can steer you toward the right pair of boots for your feet, and offer more in-depth tips for avoiding foot conditions and staying comfortable. You can only get so far with an internet article, which has to offer a generalized take on foot care; at a certain point, it pays to talk to the experts, who can counsel you on your unique foot issues.

This winter, stand up to the cold. Before you go trudging through yet another snow bank in the wrong footwear, consider these tips and pieces of advice.