Dear Harriette: Great answer to “Stinky” regarding foot hygiene, but you forgot the “biggie”: Do NOT wear the same shoes two days in a row.
This recommendation came home to me during basic training at Fort Knox in 1967. We were issued two pairs of boots; one pair we marked with white dots.
When we “fell out” each morning, every soldier in the barracks had to have the same pair of boots on: white dots on one day, and no white dots on the next. No exceptions.
Failure to follow the standard meant we all returned to the barracks. When called to “fall out” again, everyone wore the correctly marked boots. The point was to alternate the boots and give them a chance to breathe, inside and out. This approach works. You cannot imagine the potential odor coming from 60 pairs of boots lined up under bunk beds in an Army barracks. Many recruits also purchased baking soda.
Further, Americans should adopt the standard of most Scandinavian households and not wear street shoes in the house. I learned this as a child. Not only does it give the feet and shoes a rest from each other, such a practice leaves outside debris carried by shoes at the front door.
It also reduces wear and tear within the home — especially in America, where wall-to-wall carpet is more the style than in Europe, where wood floors are the standard.
Service-Wise, Chicago
Dear Service-Wise: Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Dear Harriette: Please pass on to “Stinky” some further advice. My husband could have written this letter 25 years ago. His feet (and shoes) smelled so bad that I made him leave the shoes outside the door when he took them off. Baking soda, over-the-counter foot powders and foot washing (at least two times a day) didn’t do the trick.
I finally got him to go to a podiatrist, who prescribed a topical medication for foot fungus. Within a month, the doctor’s prescription worked. Other advice from his doctor that worked was to have (at least) three pairs of shoes. Foot fungus thrives in moist environments, so letting the shoes dry thoroughly before wearing them again helps keep the fungus from recurring.
My husband also thinks that wearing natural-fiber socks (either cotton or wool) helps him keep the problem from recurring. As a wife with a sensitive nose, I am in full sympathy with Stinky’s spouse. And for a guy to write for advice shows his concern for marital harmony. It took several years of gentle suggesting (often called nagging) to get my husband to the doc. Podiatrists are really the go-to people for foot problems.
Sweet Feet in Chicago
Dear Sweet Feet: Thank you for your input. A podiatrist is an excellent idea, and you are right: Sometimes foot odor points to real health concerns that can be identified and resolved with a doctor’s help.
Please call the Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg Center office in Las Vegas anytime @702-878-2455 between Monday – Friday and we would be happy to set up an appointment for you. Please visit our website @ www.FallCenter.com. The Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg Center has Diagnostic imaging: Digital X-Rays, Ultrasound or Advanced Imaging will be used to aid in the diagnosis.
Dr. Anthony Ricciardi at the Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg Center has completed training in endoscopic/minimally invasive surgery for chronic heel pain and nerve pain, foot and ankle joint replacement for restoring pain free motion, arthroscopic surgery, bunion surgery, fracture repair, flat foot correction, external fixation for complex deformities and extensive experience in peripheral nerve surgery including diabetic peripheral neuropathy and reconstructive surgery of previously failed foot surgical procedures. In addition to his surgical training Dr. Ricciardi focuses on sports medicine of the foot and ankle through regenerative techniques using the patient’s own blood/platelets for healing chronic foot and ankle problems (pain) as a result of repetitive sport injuries. This cutting edge technology enables patients to continue training with little or no down time. Dr. Ricciardi continues to be active in teaching and training other podiatric surgeons on innovative surgical techniques in foot surgery. Dr. Ricciardi is Board Certified by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and Fellow of the Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons. Dr. Ricciardi’s vision is to bring each patient the most current state of the Art Technology and personalized treatment options to meet their Foot and Ankle needs (from conservative care to surgical options). Dr. Ricciardi believes in quality service and puts his patients first!
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