ATHLETE'S FOOT - CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS
posted: Jul. 20, 2018.
What causes Athlete's Foot?
Anyone can get athlete’s foot, but certain behaviors increase your risk. Factors that increase your risk of getting athlete’s foot include:
- visiting public places barefoot, especially locker rooms, showers, and swimming pools
- sharing socks, shoes, or towels with an infected person
- wearing tight-fitting, closed-toe shoes
- keeping your feet wet for long periods of time
- having sweaty feet
- having a minor skin or nail injury on your foot
There are many possible symptoms of athlete’s foot, which include:
- itching, stinging, and burning between the toes
- itching, stinging, and burning on the soles of the feet
- cracking and peeling skin on the feet, most commonly between the toes and on the soles
- dry skin on the soles or sides of the feet
- raw skin on the feet
- discoloured, thick, and crumbly toenails
- toenails that pull away from the nail bed
Treatment
Athlete’s foot can often be treated with topical antifungal medications. If medications don’t treat the fungal infection, your chiropodist may prescribe topical or oral prescription-strength antifungal medications. Your chiropodist may also recommend home treatments to help clear up the infection.
Brought to you by Doctor John A. Hardy, owner of Toronto's foot clinic, Academy Foot and Orthotics Clinic.