Spoiler Alert: Don’t Let These Unfortunate Foot Injury Scenarios Ruin Your Vacation

Your long-awaited vacation is finally here! At Goldsmith Podiatry, we want all our Manhattan patients to enjoy their summer getaways. The vacation scenarios below illustrate some foot health “don’ts” you’ll want to avoid to ensure that your feet take you where you want to go for maximum summer fun.

The Painful Start--You've got new sandals for your trip, and you can't wait to wear them. Your feet hurt as you drag your suitcase through a seemingly unending terminal. Several hours later, when you finally arrive at your destination, you hobble to your hotel and order room service because your feet hurt too much to go out.

Tip: Choose comfortable shoes for a travel day, and if you’re bringing new shoes on a trip, wear them around at home before you go to ensure they don't hurt your feet.

Sunshine on Your Soles—It’s a beautiful day at the beach. You slather on sunscreen, stretch out on your beach blanket, and drift off into a relaxing doze. When you wake up, you make the painful discovery that you forgot to put sunscreen on the bottoms of your feet, which have been turned toward the sun for several hours. Looks like you’ll have to cancel that walking tour for tomorrow…

Tip: Apply sunscreen to all parts of your feet (and the rest of your body) and reapply every two hours or after swimming.

Hike to Disaster—Your suitcase was so full you couldn't close it. You opt to take out your athletic shoes—after all, you’re not going on vacation to exercise. When an opportunity for a hike to see some ancient ruins comes up, you decide to do it in your summer slip-on sandals. On a gravelly downhill path, your foot starts to slip, and you twist your ankle. Guess you’ll be spending the rest of your vacation poolside with an elevated ankle.

Tip: Always wear the right shoes for the activity you’ll be doing to avoid injuries.

An Unwanted Souvenir—A few days after you return from your trip, your feet are itchy—especially between your toes and on the soles. The skin is red and flaky; nothing you try stops the itch. You think back to the resort poolside bar and restaurant that didn't require shoes and wonder if you've brought back a case of Athlete’s foot.

Tip: Wear flip-flops or shower shoes in public places that are warm and moist, and there are many bare feet to avoid contracting a fungal infection.

Contact our Upper West Side office at 212-877-1002 if you return from vacation with any unusual podiatric symptoms. Let one of our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith, Dr. Rosanna Troia, and Dr. Kristina Ruff evaluate your condition and prescribe the proper treatment