We are approaching the New Year when so many people attempt to make the change for a healthier way of life. Part of that change is a more active lifestyle but many obstacles stand in the way. Those include motivation, time and injuries including or even caused by blisters. Often times people are faced with any of these adversities abandon their quest towards fitness and regress back to a less active existence. Drymax wants to help eliminate at least one if not more of these road blocks. The following article is written by Dr. Kent Feldman one of our consulting podiatrists about how foot blisters can undermine weight loss efforts.
Dr. Kent Feldman, DPM
Kent A. Feldman, DPM is a local and national leader in foot and ankle care. Dr. Feldman is the podiatry provider for the San Diego Chargers and the Departments of Athletic Medicine at San Diego State University, University of San Diego, Point Loma Nazarene University and Christian Heritage College. Dr. Feldman has lectured locally and nationally on new advanced surgical techniques. He is Board Certified in Foot Surgery by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. Dr. Feldman completed his undergraduate degree in biology at California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo and attended medical school at the California College of Podiatric Medicine. He performed his residency in foot and ankle surgery at Hillside Hospital and Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego and completed his training at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland, California 5.
FOOT BLISTERS OFTEN UNDERMINE WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS
New Fiber Technology Now Used in Socks Keeps Feet Dry, Preventing Blisters
And Helping to Keep Weight Loss Efforts On Track
By: Dr. Kent Feldman, Podiatrist
Oasis Medical Group San Diego, California
Podiatric Consultant to Drymax Sports
With the dramatic rise in the rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease, there is an increased awareness among the U.S. population to get or stay in shape.
The following statistics show why there is reason to be concerned:
· Approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight, 60 million are obese1
· Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.2
· There are 23.6 million people in the U.S, or 8% of the population, who have Diabetes.
It’s the fifth deadliest disease and contributed to 233,619 deaths in the U.S. in 20053
Walking is the first choice for exercise of millions of Americans starting health improvement programs. According to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, about 67 million Americans walk regularly for exercise. It is quite common for physically inactive individuals to discontinue exercise programs due to the smallest of setbacks: muscle soreness, blisters, or fatigue. Any excuse to discontinue exercise becomes a viable reason to return to a sedentary lifestyle.
Blisters are the most common foot-related injury and often lead to other problems
4. Diabetics should be even more careful as they are extremely susceptible to blisters, skin ulcerations and infections, all of which can lead to the 86,000 lower limb amputations which take place each year. This is due to the diabetic tendency of having poor blood circulation and a diminished sense of touch.
Wearing shoes elevates the foot’s normal skin temperature; and with the excess heat generated by physical activity, the temperature can rise 10 to 20+ degrees. This signals the foot’s sweat glands to perspire to lower the temperature through evaporative cooling. Shoes however, trap heat and moisture, impeding the evaporative cooling process leaving feet wet. Sweat soaked skin is the enemy of healthy feet because it creates a host of problems. Moisture increases friction and weakens skin making it more vulnerable to blisters, Athlete’s Foot, toenail fungi, and bacterial odors.
Shoes protect feet from certain problems, but they also create a moisture problem. It is the socks’ job to move sweat off the skin and keep feet dry. Wicking fiber socks made from polyester, acrylic, nylon or wool have been highly touted to keep feet dry. While wicking fibers are drier than cotton, they are also Hydrophilic, meaning their molecular surface charges attract moisture. Since wicking fibers attract moisture and are next to the skin, they can’t help but hold the moisture against the skin, keeping it wet. Wicking technology has its place, as it works well for shirts that can easily evaporate moisture into the open air, but it does not work well for socks because they are enclosed in shoes, where little if any evaporation takes place.
The science and technology of Drymax socks is best described at (
http://www.drymaxsports.com/):
“The laws of physics dictate that no single fiber technology can attract and repel moisture at the same time. To overcome this, Drymax socks utilize two different, interwoven fiber technologies. Drymax fibers do not wick, as they are Super Hydrophobic (water repelling). On a molecular level, moisture doesn’t stick to the inner layer of Drymax terry loops, which allow them to lift sweat off the skin (like a squeegee) into the moisture attracting outer layer. This dual layer design creates a self-contained moisture removal system that keeps feet dry and comfortable in cold, hot and even wet conditions. Independent lab tests confirm that Drymax socks stay up to 25 times drier than socks made with the wicking fibers, polyester, acrylic, nylon and wool.”
In my practice, I often see patients with blisters who have started fitness programs, many of whom are first time participants in the very popular 3-day fundraising walks. I now recommend Drymax socks to keep their feet dry and prevent blisters. Keeping skin sweat-free provides a much more healthful environment for the feet. The fiber technology breakthrough in Drymax socks will be a big help for those who are committed to getting out there and exercising. Drymax socks will literally help keep them on their feet and not sidelined by painful blisters, which can discourage any fitness program.
1 American Obesity Association, AOA Fact Sheets: “Obesity in the US.”
2 Ali H. Mokdad et. Al, ‘Actual Causes of Death in the United States, 2000”JAMA 2004;291:1238-1245.
3 American Diabetes Association.
4 A study to determine the association of blisters with subsequent injuries was conducted by RS Bush, SK Brodine & RA Shaffer
with 2,130 male US Marine Corps recruits participating in initial physical training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego,
California. The study found that recruits with blisters were 50% more likely to experience an additional training-related injury.
Shanna's Feet After Badwater Wearing Wicking Toe Socks
Dr. Kent Feldman, DPM
