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, including 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 the 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 accumulates in nursing shoes and has little outlet for ventilation. Nurses who wear pantyhose instead of socks experience increased heat and moisture buildup in the shoes, as the synthetic material in the stockings does not absorb moisture generated during prolonged walking away from the foot.
The replacement of the traditional nursing uniform dress with more comfortable scrubs has led to a decrease in the number of nurses wearing pantyhose. Socks have now become a staple of the nursing uniform. However, socks made of synthetic materials pose the same problem as previously used pantyhose. To ensure maximum moisture wicking from the feet, socks should be made of 100% cotton or specially designed moisture wicking materials.
Due to the high amount of moisture that is 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 the inside of uniform shoes with disinfectant after each use to kill bacteria between uses. Having two pairs of nursing shoes and rotating their use is a good way to let the nursing shoes dry out 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 be 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 allow them to dry before reuse.
• 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 the house clean, particularly bathroom surfaces, especially showers and bathtubs.
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 baths or Clorox solutions, have also proven effective in some cases. Along with the tips outlined above, it is possible to control chronic fungal foot infections and minimize discomfort.