Charles Capuano

Feet rank among the body’s most under-appreciated body parts. They take abuse all day long, supporting your weight as you walk, taking a pounding when you run, getting twisted around when you ski or play basketball, and getting squashed when you wear tight shoes.

It seems that the only time that we give our feet their due respect is when they fail us. After all, anyone who has stubbed their big toe or suffered from blisters knows how little it takes to restrict the daily activities that we take for granted. Give your little troopers their much-deserved respect by learning how to prevent and treat common foot problems.

• Bad smell

Foot odour is unpleasant and embarrassing, but it’s a condition that’s very easy to treat. Smelly feet are the result of foot sweat confined in a shoe. Under these circumstances, bacteria multiply and release isovaleric acid, which causes the stench.

What to do: Easy. First, maintain good foot hygiene by always washing your feet well with soap, especially between the toes. Change your socks regularly and use a foot powder that absorbs moisture. Make sure that you wear soft, thick socks make of natural materials, as these also absorb perspiration. Avoid wearing plastic shoes; stick to leather and fabric. Consider buying an insole made of activated charcoal, which neutralizes odour.

• Fungus & athlete’s foot

Fungus can attack two parts of your foot: the skin or the nails. A skin infection is called athlete’s foot; it’s an itchy, scaling condition. The toenail fungus, however, creeps underneath the nails and causes ugly discoloration and crumbling. Both varieties are caused by exposure to warm, moist environments, like sweaty shoes and locker room floors.

What to do: While athlete’s foot is easily treated by over-the-counter medications, toenail fungus can be a real pain to cure. Once your doctor identifies the fungus, he can prescribe a number of antifungal oral medications that must be taken religiously. Prevention is the best measure: keep your feet dry, your nails short, and don’t walk barefoot in the gym, locker room or pool deck. And wash your hands after touching an infected area.

• Corns & calluses

Calluses are, in a sense, permanent blisters. Where there is persistent rubbing against the skin, a hard shell of dead skin forms. This occurs most commonly at the heels, balls of the feet and sides of the toes.

What to do: Callus and corn pads and solvents only treat the symptoms of these aliments. Besides, these remedies are made of acids that can corrode normal skin. You can cut or scrape calluses and corns off yourself, but they’ll only grow back. The best prevention is to wear proper footwear and use foot emollients.

• Ingrown nails

Both painful and unsightly, an ingrown nail penetrates part of the skin and can cause an infection. It can make walking painful and pus can amass in the affected area.

What to do: If your toenails are curved, you need to cut them across on a straight line. Allowing the corners to protrude will prevent them from cutting into the underlying skin. If your toenail is ingrown, do not attempt to cut it out. Seek out the help of a podiatrist, who will disinfect the area and safely remove the ingrown corner.