The main risks of walking barefoot in public places are to your health, and it is not just the health of your feet that is at risk. Broken glass, nails, and stubbed toes are all potential hazards, but the worst and most likely sources of risk from not wearing footwear are communicable diseases that are commonly lurking in public areas. These invisible hazards can cause problems many weeks or days after a person is exposed to them.
Airport security areas have now joined the list of public places where people are taking off their shoes, joining pools, school locker rooms, gyms, and grassy parks as potential sources of infection that can occur through going barefoot. There are things you can do to protect your health and feet, even in airports where removal of shoes is now mandatory.
Risks of Walking Barefoot
Toenail fungus is a common problem, and it can be spread from one person to another when a bare foot comes in contact with the virus. Luckily, toenail fungus can be easily treated using laser therapy.
Herpes is another common virus that can enter the body through a break in the skin. Herpes virus can remain dormant and then cause painful outbreaks on the skin and mucus membranes.
Wart viruses are also common and can survive for many months in carpets and even on hard surfaces. Warts are also hard to treat and can cause significant discomfort.
Athlete’s Foot is a well know condition that is often contracted in public places. While not as hard to treat as some other foot problems, it is still no fun to endure.
Staphylococcus aureus is another common bacteria that can enter through breaks in the skin of feet. It can cause boils, acne, pneumonia and other serious ailments.
How to Avoid The Infections
There are times where you may have to take your shoes off in a public place, like when going through airport security. Wearing socks, or even carrying along flip-flops to avoid contacting the floor, are easy ways of keeping your feet safe from harmful viruses.
If you must expose your bare feet to public ground, make sure you practice good hygiene afterwards by cleaning and drying your feet as soon as possible and putting on clean socks. Keeping the inside of your shoes clean and sanitized is also good for your feet and your health.
Your bare feet can be a route of infection for some uncomfortable and even serious diseases, as well as a risk for injury. The best way of reducing the risks of walking barefoot in public places is not to walk barefoot in public places.
