TORONTO CHIROPODIST, MARZ HARDY, D.Ch., B.Sc., PODIATRIC MEDICINE SHARES SOME INFORMATION CONCERNING STOCKINGS

Women who always wear nylon pantyhose are also inviting foot problems. Nylon is occlusive--it doesn't breathe--and the heat that it generates and traps causes excessive perspiration. A warm, damp area is an ideal place for the encouragement of fungal infections such as athlete's foot. (Pantyhose aren't the only apparel that cause excessive perspiration; the dress boots and shoe boots many women don in cold weather shouldn't be worn all day in an office.) Nylon, which tends to be abrasive, is even more so when it's damp; in a tight shoe that's already irritating, it offers little protection against blisters. Support hose, because they're so much tighter, can be the worst culprits of all.

Inexpensive nylon pantyhose can also cause forefoot problems, because the stretch mechanism constricts normal expansion of the foot when walking, and may pull the toes backward when the pantyhose ride up. The cramping and pressure of the hose can contribute to ingrown toenails and hammertoes. A better quality nylon will provide a better fit, and the better the fit, the less likely it is that cramping will occur. Women's feet have grown larger because of improved health care and nutrition. The one-size-fits-all stocking no longer is the universal answer, if it ever was. Attention to proper fit is essential.

Please contact Dr. Hardy, owner of Academy Foot and Orthotic Clinics for competent, honest and personable advice and foot care at 416-465-8737.

PROFESSIONAL FOOT CLINIC

416-465-8737

Toronto, ON Chiropodist Academy Foot and Orthotic

752 BROADVIEW AVENUE Toronto, ON M4K 2P1 

Across from the Broadview Subway | Professional Family Foot Care