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6 At-Home Tips for Freshening up Your Runner’s Feet for the Summer Season

 

Calling all runners! Southern Hospitality gives 6 at-home tips to get your feet fresh for summer! Source: Jenny McCoy for Runner's World.

 

Putting your best FEET forward,

Southern Hospitality

5 Ways to Keep Your Feet Infection-Free in Public Places

Whether you’ve made the trek off to college or have a knack for going barefoot in public facilities, there is no doubt that you will need to protect yourself from the dreaded staph infection. Not just any staph infection, but MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). Staph infections are spread through skin-to-skin contact. However, MRSA is a form of bacteria that is resistant to common antibiotics used to treat other forms of staph infections. Contact with MRSA can range from just a simple pimple on the skin to a severely invasive infection that can lead to amputation. College dorms, gyms, locker rooms, public pools and hospitals are all common breeding grounds for MRSA. Here are 5 ideas to follow to keep your feet infection-free!

Protect Open Wounds: Any cuts, wounds, or breaks in the skin give easy access for bacteria to invade your body and cause an infection. The solution? Make sure these areas are securely covered to prevent being infected. It is also great as an added precaution to inspect your feet regularly depending on how frequent you share public facilities.

Wash Feet Daily: Simple hygiene can work wonders to fight off the chances of infection. A daily routine of washing your feet when bathing- that means rubbin’ and scrubbin’- is the most essential task to wash away harmful bacteria.

Wash Socks After Use: The warmth and moisture from your feet absorbed by your socks can allow bacteria to fester. You should never where the same pair of socks for consecutive workouts. Instead, wash them after working out and sport a fresh clean pair for each workout.

Always Wear Flip-Flops: Just because you may practice good hygiene, does not mean those around you have the same habits. You should NEVER walk barefoot on warm, wet public surfaces- such as college dorm showers, gyms, locker rooms, and public pools. The bacteria and germs from the skin of others carry can be easily passed on in these environments. It is always a good idea to wear flip flops to help protect your feet from infection on suspect surfaces.

Don’t Share Personal Items: Sharing is NOT caring in the case of MRSA. Personal items such as towels, razors, shoes, or even socks can bring you in direct contact with the bacteria. Even if another person’s item may appear to be clean, don’t trust it! You run the risk of not truly finding out until it is too late.

Putting your best FEET forward,
SH

At Last

 

FOOT FACT:

Born in Suriname (to parents of Surinamese and Dutch descent), Jan Ernst Matzeliger developed his passion for machinery at a young age, while working with his father in factories. Upon immigrating to the United States at age 19, Matzeliger learned English and eventually settled in Massachusetts. There, Matzeliger began working for a cobbler and developed an interest in making shoes. Noticing that all the shoes were made by hand, Metzeliger sought out to find a more efficient approach to making shoes. The African-American inventor would go on to create his patented shoe last machine in 1883.

Matzeliger’s invention would revolutionize the shoe industry. Prior to Matzeliger’s invention, cobblers would manually attach the “upper” to the sole of each shoe individually- with the use of a wooden or metal shoe last- making up to 50 shoes per day. With the shoe last machine, up to 700 shoes could be made each day. Try THAT on for size!

Putting you best FEET forward,

SH

Frost BITES!

FOOT FACT:
9 out of 10 cases of frostbite in adults occur in the hands & feet (feet being the most common). Prolonged exposure to frigid temperatures can halt blood flow to your extremities, depriving them of oxygen, leading to nerve and tissue damage. Warning signs include: numbness, red to bluish-grey discoloration of the affected area, and “waxy” skin appearance. Skin that is not properly protected from subzero temperatures and intense windchills can fall victim to frostbite in just 10 minutes! It is a good idea to always bundle up with the proper attire to protect yourself before battling the elements. And remember…NO COTTON SOCKS!!

Putting you best FEET forward,

SH

Jack Frost Nipping at Your…Toes?

FOOT FACT:

Avoid wearing cotton socks in frigid cold temperatures! Cotton socks absorb the sweat from your feet and with cold temps, cools the sweat, making your tootsies even more chiilled. Instead, look for socks made of synthetic materials (nylon, special polyesters, etc) to keep your feet on the go!

Putting you best FEET forward,

SH