Athlete’s Foot Stops Many People in Their Paths

Exercisers who pad barefoot from locker to shower often discover an unwelcome side effect of workouts: athlete’s foot.

This fungal infection is known medically as tinea pedis. But its common name comes from the legions of athletes who are regularly infected with it.

No good figures exist on how many cases occur each year. The reason: Many people treat themselves with over-the-counter medications. Doctors, however, report that the infection is one of the common reasons people see a dermatologist or podiatrist.

Athlete’s foot can occur year-round, although the hotter the temperature and the higher the humidity, the greater the chance of infection. Sloughed off from an infected person, the fungus survives in shower stalls, on locker-room floors and in moist, hot steam baths, where it is picked up by the next person’s bare feet.

The long, thin strands of microscopic-sized fungus thrive on the dead layer of skin that contains the protein keratin.

“The things that we see most often are itching, scaling and tiny blisters on the soles,” said dermatologist Joseph P. Bark of the American Academy of Dermatology.

In some cases, the fungus lodges between toes. In others, it attacks nail beds, turning them a yellowish color or causing streaking. Scratching the feet and then touching other parts of the body can spread the infection to palms and elsewhere.

Treatment for athlete’s foot begins with anti-fungal preparations, available by prescription and over the counter. But any infections that don’t improve within a week or so probably need to be checked by a doctor, according to experts. Some severe cases become resistant to medication and must be treated by oral doses of an anti-fungal drug.

A chronic bout of athlete’s foot also can signal other problems, including secondary infections from bacteria or yeast.

“We’ve recently seen a number of patients who have skin infections that appear to be fungal, but then we find out that they are bacterial infections,” said Sheldon Laps, president of the D.C. Podiatric Medical Assn.

These cases respond to oral antibiotics. To make a diagnosis, doctors scrape dead skin cells or clip portions of nails. Samples are viewed under a microscope and cultured. Anyone can develop athlete’s foot given the right conditions. But those whose feet perspire heavily are most prone to the infection, since the fungus thrives in warm, moist areas. The infection can quickly spread through a family where one member is affected.

That is why, said Arnold Ravick, past president of the D.C. Podiatric Medical Assn., “prevention really is worth a pound of cure.”

A Few Preventive Steps

To help prevent athlete’s foot:

* Don’t walk barefoot. Wear thongs or flip-flops in locker rooms. Do the same at home if a family member develops the infection.

* Keep feet as dry as possible. Avoid wearing the same shoes every day; it takes about 24 hours for shoes to fully dry. Change socks at least once during the day if feet perspire heavily.

* Consider using foot powders to absorb the moisture or foot antiperspirants, available without prescription, to control sweating. Some doctors also suggest spraying a light mist of disinfectant into shoes to kill any lingering fungus. But be sure to let shoes dry thoroughly before wearing.