Athletes Foot

Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is a fungal infection that usually begins between the toes. It commonly occurs in people whose feet have become very sweaty while confined within tightfitting shoes.

Athlete’s foot usually causes a scaly red rash. The rash typically begins in between the toes. Itching is often the worst right after you take off your shoes and socks.

What Is an Athlete’s Foot ?

Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that usually begins between the toes. Athlete’s foot commonly occurs in people whose feet have become very sweaty while confined within tight-fitting shoes. It isn’t serious, but sometimes it’s hard to cure. If you have diabetes or a weakened immune system and suspect you have athlete’s foot, you should call your doctor right away.

Common Athletes Foot symptoms

There are many possible symptoms of athlete’s foot, which include:

itching, stinging, and burning between your toes or on soles of your feet
blisters on your feet that itch
cracking and peeling skin on your feet, most commonly between your toes and on your soles
dry skin on your soles or sides of your feet
raw skin on your feet
discolored, thick, and crumbly toenails
toenails that pull away from the nail bed

What Causes Athlete’s Foot

Athlete’s foot occurs when the tinea fungus grows on the feet. You can catch the fungus through direct contact with an infected person, or by touching surfaces contaminated with the fungus. The fungus thrives in warm, moist environments. It’s commonly found in showers, on locker room floors, and around swimming pools.

Athletes Foot Diagnosis

In some cases, your doctor may be able to diagnose an athlete’s foot simply by looking at it. To help confirm the diagnosis and rule out other conditions, your doctor might take a skin scraping or skin sample from your foot for testing in a lab.

Athletes Foot Treatment

If your athlete’s foot is mild, your doctor may suggest using an over-the-counter antifungal ointment, cream, powder or spray. If your athlete’s foot doesn’t respond, you may need a prescription-strength medication to apply to your feet. Severe infections may require antifungal pills that you take by mouth.

Athlete’s Foot Prevention

There are several things you can do to help prevent athlete’s foot infections:

Wash your feet with soap and water every day and dry them thoroughly, especially between the toes.
Put antifungal powder on your feet every day.
Don’t share socks, shoes, or towels with others.
Wear sandals in public showers, around public swimming pools, and in other public places.
Wear socks made out of breathable fibers, such as cotton or wool, or made out of synthetic fibers that wick moisture away from your skin.
Change your socks when your feet get sweaty.
Air out your feet when you are at home by going barefoot.
Wear shoes made of breathable materials.

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For our patient’s convenience, we offer foot and ankle treatments for all kinds of conditions such as Athlete’s foot in Adrian, MI, Athlete’s foot in Ann Arbor, MI, and Athlete’s foot in Jackson, MI. We have our own digital x-ray, MRI, Cat-scan, and ultrasound equipment at many of our podiatry clinics. Our on-site podiatric physical therapy clinics allow for constant communication between the physicians and physical therapists, ensuring the most effective therapy and successful recovery for our patients.

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