Barefoot safety tips from the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons

by Kristen Seymour (Subscribe to Kristen Seymour's posts)
May 16th 2008 4:30PM

Categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements

There are few feelings that can compare with walking barefoot through the grass on a warm, summer day. I don't know about you, but as a kid I shunned shoes as much as possible -- as a matter of fact, I'm still barefoot a good deal of the time.

While it's fun to go around barefoot, it can also be dangerous. The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons has released a series of barefoot safety tips that any sandal shunner should take the time to read. Check out our gallery for all the tips (and explanations, so you can sound wicked smart when you tell your barefoot friends what to do!).

Barefoot Safety Tips from the ACFAS(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Tip: See a foot and ankle surgeon within 24 hours for a puncture wound.

Tip: Make sure you've been vaccinated against tetanus. Experts recommend teens and adults get a booster shot every 10 years.

Tip: Apply sunscreen to the tops and bottoms of your feet.

Tip: Inspect your feet and your children's feet on a routine basis for skin problems such as warts, calluses, ingrown toenails a

Tip: Wear flip-flops or sandals around swimming pools, locker rooms and beaches.

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Comments (2)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Judy 5-16-2008 @ 5:29PM

I'm really bad about walking around barefoot. I've been bitten by fire ants, stepped on lots of "stickers" (burrs, sticktites, whatever you call them), lots of chigger bites. I'm up to date on my tetanus shots, but I know one of these days I'm going to step on a snake or scorpion or something really bad. I do keep a pair of flip flops and garden clogs by the doors, but I don't always put them on.

And getting my 2- and 4-yo sons to keep their shoes on outside is impossible!

marcie0305 5-17-2008 @ 11:12PM

Hey Judy! I have been a closet sock -wearer for a long time :) but I find there are a lot of benefits to being barefoot, as your feet are a detox place - like your armpits - that's why they stink :) I think that it helps to connect with the earth and let the minerals, etc. draw the toxins out of your body - I hear you on the stickerburrs (as we call them here) - but those "nasties" also give your body a dose of reality and boost your immunities to "nasties" :)

Anyway, go barefoot when possible (not dangerous), I was barefoot today and stepped in a bunch of mud and decided to put my socks on over the mud, a free spa-like treatment if you will :)

~Marcie
http://feedingblackmail.blogspot.com