Ruth Ann Cooper, D.P.M

Not only should you protect your feet from the sun's harmful rays, but take caution when thinking of going barefoot this summer. With Memorial Day coming up this weekend, summer is just around the corner. Summertime is primetime for puncture wounds and traumatic injuries to feet and ankles. The first and best defense to protecting your feet is to always wear shoes when outdoors.

Puncture Wounds:

Nails, shards of glass, slivers of wood, bits of shell at the beach, thorns from bushes and trees are all lurking in the grass and can easily puncture the skin of your foot. Even after you've attempted to remove the embedded object, many times dirt and bacteria that were pushed into the wound remain and can cause serious infections. Any puncture wound that has penetrated the skin should be treated in my office within 24 hours. Without proper treatment, this injury can result in not only infection, but painful scarring or development of a cyst.

Traumatic Injuries:

Accidents happen. Feet can get caught in the spokes of a bike. They may be hit by a rock or other object that flies out from under a lawnmower. Sturdy shoes should always be worn when riding bikes or mowing the lawn. Any traumatic injury should be evaluated in my office to determine the extent of the injury and proper treatment.