On the market there is a wide choice of safety shoes, and at first sight they look all the same, but actually there are big differences between the various types. In this article my goal is to give you some advice about the best safety shoes for sweaty feet.
I will try to give you an idea of what kinds of problems can be solved or avoided by using certain kinds of safety shoes.
I am sure that this article will help you to choose the ideal model of safety shoes for your sweating problem.
If your feet sweat excessively, regardless of the temperature, you may suffer from hyperhidrosis, a disorder that can be very annoying. However, wearing the right type of safety shoes and taking special care of your feet can help control this problem.
Safety shoes for sweaty feet: causes and symptoms
There is a difference between sweating a lot under normal circumstances (by heavy work or when it’s very hot), and sweating because of hyperhidrosis. For those who suffer from that disorder, normally the sweating starts all of a sudden and for no particular reason even in everyday life. Hyperhidrosis is caused by an excessive stimulation of the sweat glands in the feet, and it gets worse when the person is feeling nervous or anxious. This overstimulation can happen for a series of reasons, including menopause, thyroid problems, previous heart attacks or some infectious diseases.
The best type of safety shoes for sweaty feet
When you’re off the clock, podiatrists recommend to be barefoot wherever possible: that allows the feet to breathe, which prevents excessive sweating and bad odour.
At work you should wear safety shoes made of porous (hence breathable) materials, such as cloth, fabric, and some types of breathable leather, like perforated sued leather. You should avoid cheap leather shoes because low-quality leather tends to be little breathable. This also applies to the materials of the linings and of the insoles. Boots of polymers should always be avoided, because those materials tend to trap heat and moisture, so worsening the symptoms of hyperhidrosis. Wearing open safety sandals is a great option, if they’re allowed at your workplace.
Safety shoes and socks to be preferred
Besides the above-mentioned tips, a good strategy is owning two pairs of safety shoes and rotating them so that you never wear the same pair two days in a row. Moreover, you should pay attention to the socks: choose ones made of natural fibers like cotton, because they’re more breathable than nylon and other synthetic materials. If your feet sweat excessively, you could consider washing them several times a day, even during work, and bringing a change of socks to work. If you don’t want to buy two pairs of safety shoes, another option is to get several insoles and alternate them. All these tricks will help keep your feet fresh and dry.
Take care of your feet
Medical treatment also exists, however in some cases minor changes in your lifestyle, some life hacks and wearing the proper kind of safety shoes can suffice to keep this annoying condition under control. Against bad odor and moisture there are sprays and powders to be applied before wearing your socks and shoes. Washing your feet daily with an antibacterial soap right after getting out of the shower can also be useful.
About 5% of the world population – that is more or less 367 million – have sweating problems.
Often who suffers from excessive sweating also encounters collateral problems, such as athlete’s foot, fungal infections and cold feet.
Some more advice for those with sweaty feet:
- To combat hyperhidrosis a well-organised lifestyle is necessary. Start following the following tips:
- Wash your feet often and dry them accurately
- Use antifungal powders
- Choose the appropriate type of safety shoes
Your feet contain about 250.000 sweat glands: how can you make sure they don’t get excessively busy? Choose breathable safety shoes, because they’re comfortable, fresh and they ease the symptoms of hyperhidrose. Sprays and roll-on are of help because they temporarily block gland activities. Use them before wearing your safety footwear.
- Wear the right socks
- Change your socks more than once per day and bring a spare pair with you at work.
- Buy some insoles and alternate them
- Absorbent and breathable materials represent an additional defense against bad odor and excessive sweating.
If your feet sweat a lot inside the safety shoe, the first test you need to perform is to compare the situation of your feet with your casual shoes, the ones you use for your free time.
The question you have to ask yourself is: do my feet sweat the same way even with casual shoes?
If the answer is positive then the problem comes from the foot, while if the answer is negative the problem comes from the safety shoe.
Having made this first distinction, if the problem derives from the foot you will have to intervene on three elements: The first is the sock, you have to use fibers as natural as possible otherwise the technical fibers made specifically to make the sock permeate the humidity and that do not remain wet; you must try to avoid synthetic materials without specific properties for sweat.
Finally, you must choose safety shoes with an antibacterial insole and you must also use those products that are on the market that help not to develop bacteria due to excessive sweating.
If instead the problem derives only from the safety shoe: if you work in very humid and wet environments, then you risk getting your feet wet from the outside, you will still have to choose a water repellent shoe but you will have to choose a product of a medium-high level so that the leather is of a higher quality and allows a greater transpiration of the foot (in this too the inner lining plays a fundamental role and if it is of quality it certainly allows a more rapid drying).
While if you are lucky enough to work in dry environments and therefore not likely to get your feet wet you should opt for a shoe in suede or a shoe in knitted fabric as open as possible to let the foot breathe.
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Safety shoes for sweaty feet: Conclusions
Those were some tips to choose the right type of safety shoes for sweaty feet.
If you follow some of this advice and you choose the suited pair of safety shoes for your needs, you will feel more comfortable at work.
I guarantee you that if you wear the right kind of safety shoes you will live a better working experience!
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