Why nurses are prone to athlete’s foot

Athlete’s foot is one of the most common fungal infections that can affect the human body. Also called tinea pedis, this fungus is found in many public places, such as gym floors, locker rooms, swimming pools, nail salons, and airport security lines. In fact, all public floors where people can walk barefoot are a major source of fungal infection. Once a person’s body has been infected, socks and personal clothing can harbor the tinea pedis fungus. Studies have found that almost 70% of the population will experience athlete’s foot at some point in their life.

Once acquired, athlete’s foot can become a chronic condition, especially for nurses. Foot fungus grows in the warm, moist environment of feet in nursing shoes. All nurses will attest that the extreme amount of time spent walking during a nursing shift leads to “hot feet.” This heat builds up in the nursing shoes and has little outlet for ventilation. Nurses who wear pantyhose instead of socks experience increased heat and moisture build-up in the shoes, as the synthetic material of the stockings does not absorb the moisture generated during prolonged walking away from the foot.

The replacement of traditional nursing uniform dress with more comfortable medical uniforms has led to a decrease in the number of nurses wearing pantyhose. Socks have now become a staple accessory of the nursing uniform. However, socks made of synthetic materials pose the same problem as previously used pantyhose. To ensure maximum moisture wicking away from your feet, socks should be made of 100% cotton or specially designed moisture-wicking materials.

Due to the high amount of humidity generated during a typical nursing shift, nurses should ensure that their nursing shoes are “aired out” for at least 24 hours and completely dry before putting them back on. It is recommended to spray disinfectant on the inside of uniform shoes after each use to kill bacteria between uses. Having two pairs of nursing shoes and alternating their use is a good way to let your nursing shoes dry completely.

Nurses, for whom it is impossible to alleviate the generation of heat and humidity in their nursing shoes, it is important that measures to control and/or prevent athlete’s foot are practiced. These steps include:

• Wash your feet daily
• Dry your feet well, especially between the toes, with a clean towel.
• Always use a clean towel and never share towels.
• Use antifungal sprays on feet and shoes
• Spray shoes with a disinfectant and let them dry before wearing them again.
• Go barefoot at home as much as possible
• Avoid wearing synthetic or tight shoes that do not allow the feet to breathe
• Wear sandals to protect feet from contamination in public areas such as gyms, swimming pools, and public showers.
• Wear socks made of 100% cotton or moisture-wicking materials.
• Wear clothing, particularly uniforms, that are made of 100% cotton or cotton blends that are loose-fitting and allow moisture to collect in the groin and waist areas.
• Change your socks if they get wet, or at least once a day.
• Keep your home, and in particular, bathroom surfaces, especially showers and bathtubs, clean.

It is important to control athlete’s foot as this fungus can spread to other areas of the body, including the hands, mouth, scalp, vagina, and groin. If you have athlete’s foot, dry all other areas of the body after a shower before drying your feet to prevent the spread of the fungus to other vulnerable areas of the body. It is possible to treat athlete’s foot yourself at home using over-the-counter medications such as Lamisil, Tinactin, or Micatin. Other home remedies, such as vinegar foot soaks or Clorox solutions, have also proven effective in some cases. Along with the tips described above, it is possible to control chronic fungal infections of the feet and minimize discomfort.