When I started my basketball career, my parents warned me about Athlete's Foot. I have known about Athlete's Foot since I was little because my dad was a victim. My dad thought it would go away if he kept his feet dry after his workouts, but instead, it progressed to his nails. It was the ugliest thing in the world! It was so bad that he needed medicine to treat his Athlete's Foot. The medicine is also pretty expensive. That's one of the reasons why, every time I prepared my practice gear: shoes, socks, and ankle braces for practice, my dad would hand me an extra pair of socks and say, "Don't forget the extra. I betcha you don't want to deal with fungi on your feet?"
I certainly DID NOT want to deal with that. In the locker room after practice, I'd always change my socks. It felt good to wear dry, clean socks after practice (especially after my 5-7 pm practices during the winter!). Changing the socks you used during practice to some nice, dry socks can make the difference between getting sick (yes, it's cold during the winter and that sweat can make you sick, even if you're wearing a coat), and getting Athlete's Foot.
When I see people bare-footed in public showers, my first reaction is pure shock, what are they thinking? Don't they know what's on the floor of the showers? Ew!
All my life I have known that the fungi that commonly resides on people's feet is known as "Athlete's foot." After some research, I have found out that this microorganism is called Trichophyton rubrum (T. rubrum). T rubrum resides on the soles of your feet, the palms of your hands, in between your toes and fingers, and is highly contagious. You can get Athlete's Foot by direct contact with an infected person, contact with infected clothes (especifically socks and shoes), and by not using flip-flops in public baths and pools.
T ruburm thrives in warm and moist environments. So the soles of your feet are perfect victims, since people use closed-toed shoes with socks all the time. You are more likely to be infected by T rubrumwhen you keep your feet wet for a long period of time. For example, when you finish practice and you do not change your socks until you get home, after hanging out with your friends for two hours.
In sports, some coaches believe in the idea that "the best defense is a good offense." In order to make a good attack, you have to know the enemy very well. Now that you know how this fungus attacks your feet, you can take some steps to prevent it from residing on your feet by doing the following:
*Change your socks and shoes after exercising.
*Keep your feet dry as much as you can.
*When going to a public pool or shower, always wear flip flops.
There is always a risk that you can get Athlete's Foot returning after you have gotten rid of it. If you take care of your feet it will usually go away, but in case it returns, visit your dermatologist. Over-the-counter creams can also help you rid of Athlete's Foot
And remember, dry feet are happy feet :) Being aware of the slightest changes, like changing your socks after your workout, can make a great difference for your skin health.
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