BY SOPHIA CHANG - When the weather feels like a furnace, it may be hard to contemplate wearing sensible footwear instead of your favorite, flimsiest pair of flip-flops.
But podiatrists warn that feet need to be properly supported and kept dry for optimal foot health -- even in hot weather.
"The best thing to do in the summer is to frequently change socks and to use drying powders that take away moisture from the foot," said Dr. Fred DeLucia, a podiatrist at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. "Basically, you want to try to prevent fungal infection from starting, and fungus like to thrive where it's dark, hot and moist, and the summertime is prime for that. And you want to restrict the use of sandals," which offer little, if any, support.
DeLucia also recommends drying your feet after a dip in the pool or showering, and to look for causes of fungal infection such as athletes' foot. "Inspect your feet daily, examine in between the toes to see if you have moisture. After a shower, if you stick your foot into a sock, that moisture is going to stay there," he said.
A 2005 survey by the American Podiatric Medical Association showed about 40 percent of American adults reported having foot problems, including sweaty feet, toenail problems and heel pain.
Tellingly, that same study showed only about 33 percent of women chose comfort over style when it came to footwear.
"If you do have some issues where you're experiencing discomfort, there are two reasons for that," said Dr. Oliver Zong, a Manhattan-based podiatrist and cosmetic foot surgeon. "One, the shoe does not fit properly, or two, you have some deformity in your foot and the shoes don't fit that."
Shoes that are too tight can cause swelling, hammer toes, bunions and bunionettes, swollen patches on the pinky toe, DeLucia said.
"The problem with dress shoes is the tightness of the toe box," DeLucia said. "Take your shoe and put the underside of the shoe under your foot. If your feet go over the outline of the shoe, the shoes don't fit you."
But what if you're completely wedded to your Manolo Blahniks? Zong's clinic, which offers a range of services to correct foot problems, also offers a more extreme option: cosmetic surgery on your toes and feet, ranging from a nip, to make toes look slimmer, to a tuck of the pinky toe for a better fit.

Source: newsday.com