Avoid the Beach Day Blues
At Pasco-Hernando Foot & Ankle, beautiful beaches are one of the many benefits of living on the Nature Coast. However, nothing can ruin a beach day faster than a foot or ankle problem. Below are some potential shore issues and steps to take to protect your feet.
Jellyfish Stings—lovely to look at but painful to touch. Jellyfish stings can occur not only when swimming but even on the shore if they wash up on the sand. If you are stung on the feet (or elsewhere), use gloves or tweezers to remove the stingers carefully. Applying vinegar, baking soda, or meat tenderizer should relieve the pain and swelling. Most jellyfish stings should clear up on their own after a few days. Still, if yours doesn’t, contact our Hudson office at 727-868-2128 or 352-683-5799 and let our podiatrist, Dr. Lawrence J. Kales, examine the affected area of your foot to make sure there’s no infection developing.
Sand Burns—don’t get caught between your beach blanket and the boardwalk running barefoot on hot sand. You can’t tell by looking, but sand can reach temperatures upwards of 120 degrees. That’s hot enough to leave a second or even third-degree burn on the soles of your feet.
Sun Burn—you’ll need to apply just as much sunscreen as often to your feet as you do to other parts of your body. FDA recommends a minimum SPF of 15. Don’t forget to put more sunscreen on after you go in the water or every two hours—whichever comes first.
Fungal Infections—walk into a seaside restroom or changing area with bare feet, and chances are you’ll be walking out with a bacterial or fungal foot infection. These infections spread by direct contact, so places that see lots of barefoot traffic—especially if they are moist and warm—are the perfect breeding ground.
Ankle Sprains—a spur-of-the-moment beach volleyball game or throwing a frisbee back and forth with your grandchild may seem like a fun idea but be sure you’ve got the right shoes with you. Trying to be active in flip-flops is an open invitation to a foot or ankle injury due to the total lack of support and coverage for your feet.
We hope everyone enjoys many fun days at the beach this summer. If you end up with an injury or other foot problem, however, contact us for help.