Keep Feet Healthy During Cold Weather

Perhaps even more than the summertime, wintertime is especially rough on our feet. Humidity drops and temperatures grow harsh, making our feet dry, cracked, achy, and prone to infection. Keeping your feet healthy and happy during the winter means less work getting them spring and summertime ready.
Step 1: Moisturize to prevent infection. 

Taking warms baths and showers after spending time in the cold air can cause feet to become dry, which leads to cracking skin. Your skin is the first line of defense against infection, and just like cracks in the foundation of your house, cracks in your feet allow unwanted guests to infiltrate your body.
Stay away from moisturizers that are fragrance-filled or frilly, as they further dry your skin out. Look instead for lotion that contains water, glycerin, which keeps moisture in, and allantoin, which breaks down the rough barrier, allowing water to get into the skin. All of these ingredients help the skin heal itself. You will find the best moisturizers not in the beauty aisle, but in the health aisle or home improvement store. Men who are on their feet all day use O'Keefe's for Healthy Feet, which was designed to stimulate the skin's natural healing process by retaining moisture to hydrate the skin, altering pH levels, and increasing blood circulation.
Step 2: Protection from the elements
Going outside, even to quickly bring the garbage out to the curb, means exposure to bone-chilling winds, icy rain, and blowing snow. Brr! Choosing the right protective gear keeps feet healthy.
Invest in a good pair of boots that keep your feet warm. Fashionable boots don't mean they will keep your feet warm- they are more likely to cause you to slip on icy walkways and in parking lots. Boots should be waterproof to keep out rain and snow, and have a good sole with thick treads to help grip slippery surfaces. Wear your winter boots to work, and then change into work shoes. Consider wearing several pairs of socks to insulate feet and keep moisture away.
Step 3: Understand frostbite. 
Skin exposed to extremely cold temperatures for prolonged periods can get frost bite. Even when wearing thick socks and boots, moisture present in skin cells and tissues freezes. Frost bite can happen quickly, especially when skin is directly exposed to the cold, and there are varying levels of severeness.
Frost bite symptoms include numbness, pins and needles sensations, hard, pale skin when cold and red, and painful or blistered skin after warmed. If you suspect you have frost bite, never put feet in hot water, always warm water between 104 to 107.6 degrees F to gradually warm skin. If the symptoms continue after soaking in warm water, call a podiatrist immediately.

If you believe have a foot problem and do not currently see a podiatrist, call one of our six locations to make an appointment.
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Frostbite and Your Feet

Are you prepared? As we enter the cold weather season, many of us will be skiing, sledding, and shoveling snow. Many people will get cold feet as well as wet feet. Having “Jack Frost nipping at your nose” sounds great when Nat King Cole sings it, but it’s no fun when frostbite strikes your feet.

Extreme exposure of your feet to cold over a prolonged period can lead to a serious condition called frostbite. However, you do not necessarily need to be exposed to extremely cold temperatures to get frostbite. Even cool temperatures coupled with wet socks can induce frostbite.

Symptoms include pain and a burning sensation in the exposed areas, numbness in the toes or feet, and changes in skin color, from pale or red to bluish-gray or black. Children, the elderly, and people with diabetes are more prone to frostbite because of the size of their extremities or poor circulation. People who live or work outdoors also have higher likelihood of contracting frostbite because of their increased exposure to the cold.

There are various degrees of frostbite with frost nip (first degree) being the most commonly encountered by people who live in very cold climates or do a lot of outdoor activity in the winter. Skin may feel stiff to the touch, but the tissue underneath is still warm and soft.

Superficial frostbite (second degree) and deep frostbite (third degree) are serious medical conditions that must be treated by a trained medical professional. Skin will feel hard and frozen to the touch and blistering will happen. In some severe cases, doctors may have to amputate frostbitten limbs to prevent severe infection.

Start your treatment by getting out of the cold and moving to a warm environment. Keep the feet dry and 

warm; warm the skin gradually by using warm compresses or immersing the feet in warm water (101° to 104° F) until sensation returns. Do not use direct heat such as heating pads or fire, and do not disturb any blisters.

Frostbite is very serious, and if you suspect that you have it, seek professional help from a podiatric physician for any foot and ankle-related concerns. Prompt diagnosis and proper treatment are essential; they can literally save your toes. 

Connecticut Foot Care Centers

Podiatrists in CT

Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow our tweets on Twitter. 

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