Excessive heat in feet is an issue that concerns people more than you might expect. For example an investigation into the wearing of safty footwear in Sydney, Australia revealed that the most consistant complaint (85% of all respondants) was that feet became overheated in this type of footwear.Naturally, a person or worker with hot feet is likely to become irritable and intolerent, but there are other problems associated with overheating of the feet. These problems stem from the fact that the soles of the feet (and the palms of the hands)have the greatest concentration of sweat glands in the body, so increased foot heat results in a large production of sweat.
Hot, moist conditions inside footwear provide an enviroment for fungal, viral and bacterial infection(2) The moisture promotes slipping of the foot inside the footwear and the combination of moisture and friction can result in skin conditions such as dermatitis and psoriasis(4). Also, maceration between the toes occurs with painful splitting of the skin, which provides a potential site for bacterial infection.
The sheer forces associated with slipping of the foot lead to blistering and when combined with foot motion, generate more heat. Chronic trauma to the foot is common in industry (especially with steel cap boots) and in sport under these circumstances, which can result in impaction of toenails, ingrown nails and sub ungal haematomas. Chronic damage to the nail plate will permanently disfigure the toenail.
Increased loss of body fluids through sweating risks general dehydration, which in turn affects muscle function, postural stabillity and loss of mental concentration.This scenario leads to lower efficiency levels and a higher risk factors of industrial accidents and sporting injuries.