Bare Feet and Airport Floors - By: Dr Andrew Schneider

I'm sitting near my gate at the airport in Dallas returning from a very worthwhile podiatry conference. My flight is delayed and I'm passing the time by doing some reading, organizing my notes from the meeting, listening to my iPod, and people watching.

The one thing that is striking is the number of people who are traveling in what I consider to be the absolute worst footwear available...flip-flops. Sure, they have their place: the locker room at your gym, inside public showers, around the pool deck, and maybe one or two other uses. But absolutely not in an airport. I mention this for two reasons.

The first seems obvious but overlooked. I guarantee if you ask some of these people they'll tell you it is the convenience of slipping them off to go through security. This baffles me! You mean to tell me that you want to go barefoot through the same path where thousands of people trudge each and every day. Think about it, along with your perfect bare feet walked how many before you with athlete's foot, nail fungus, warts, or flesh-eating bacteria? (Well, maybe not flesh eating, but you understand...lots of creepy crawly bad stuff) How often do you think they shut down the security lines to give the floor a good scrubbing? Ten times? Five? Even once? Unlikely!! Wear socks people. You know that you usually slip on your tennis shoes without tying them again anyway, right?

Second, with the amount of walking in the airports, are shoes without any support or protection the right thing to wear. Which is better? Having a 200 lb. stranger in an airport step on your bare foot, or one protected by a shoe? This is not just for airports. The same applies for malls, Disney World, Six Flags, and most other places you can think of.

Before our first child, my wife and I took the usual prenatal classes. It was clear that the podiatrist's wife (mine) was the only woman not wearing flip flops to each class. Coincidentally, she was also the only woman not complaining about foot pain. Trust me, I know those shoes are fashionable and cute. But does that really matter when you're forced to sit or limp in pain?

The footwear that you're wearing should go hand-in-hand with your activity. If you need to go barefoot, be sure to protect your feet. Doing a lot of walking? Wear a more supportive shoe. Going out for a dinner and dancing? That's the time to break out the cute shoes.

About the Author

Dr. Andrew Schneider is a podiatrist in Houston, TX and is the medical director of Tanglewood Foot Specialists. He treats all injuries and conditions of the foot and ankle. For more information and many informative videos, visit http://www.tanglewoodfootspecialists.com and his blog at http://tanglewoodfootspecialists.blogspot.com

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Dr-Andrew-Schneider/44015

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