Colder weather dries out your skin and nails, making them susceptible to damage and infection. Incorrectly fitting shoes or tight shoes due to thick socks, cause compression leading to bunions, hammertoes and plantar fasciitis. The constant friction can also cause painful calluses and corns.
• Fungus.
Common in winter. If your socks don’t wick away moisture, your nails become breeding grounds for athlete’s foot and other infections. Dry, cracked heels, left untreated, cracks can develop, increasing risk of infection.
• Frostbite/chilblains.
Cold causes blood vessels to constrict, limiting blood flow to the tissue. Causes itching, red patches, swelling and blisters.
• Raynaud’s.
Can develop when toes or fingers are exposed to cold, causing the small capillaries in your digits to spasm, limiting blood flow to the area. This causes numbness, pain and skin to turn white or blue.
• Morton’s neuroma and other neuropathy issues.
Cold weather can exacerbate neuropathy conditions, causing weakness, numbness, tingling, burning and pain in the area. Wearing shoes that pinch or constrict your feet also can cause these conditions to flare up.
If concerned, visit a Podiatrist who can supply warming balms, anti-fungal treatments and for Plantar Fasciitis or Morton’s - corrective orthotics.
