Trench Foot

[Eore]

So i walked 18 in a tourny today and then walked 18 at my club.

i was wearing regular socks and golf shoes, and it was between 80 and 90 degrees all day. i was sweating.

the last 10 holes of my second round my feet started really hurting. i figured i had gotten sand in my shoes from the multiple bunkers i had been in and it was rubbing the soles of my feet.

i limped to my dad's car and took my shoes and socks off. my feet had deep wrinkles in them. i checked with my dad and the internet and i have mild trench foot.

does anybody else have this problem?

what can i do to prevent this in the future?

[bigphil]

take a knife and cut slits into your shoes just above the sole. this will allow the water to drain more easily out of your boots when you're in the jungle. seriously though....that is some hardcore sweat going on to get trech foot playing golf. you did say it was 80º-90º, so that is pretty hot for sure. what kind of shoes do you have? you might look into some special moister wicking socks too.

[Eore]

i usually wear Walter Hagen moisture wicking socks, but they were in the wash

its never happened to me before


and yes, i know the "medical" term isn't trenchfoot but i'm too lazy to look. i think it starts with and i

[Craig Mac]

Sorry to hear that, we see this quite a bit in our sporting goods store and we usually recomend that people get a foot powder(Dr. Scholls, or other). Another thing, if you are wearing a leather style golf shoe check in to getting a sneaker style shoe, something like the adidas ClimaCool that is breathable.

[joshtpa]

I wear a leather style shoe, and used to get this. I switched to these Under Armour socks and have not had a problem since...Check it out.

[Eore]

and for anybody wondering, the correct name is immersions foot

[Stacey_E]

I have had a serious problem with what has been diagnosed as plantar hyperhydrosis. Long story short, you learn to live with it. I have for some 8 years now. It is a daily struggle both summer and winter. People will say "my feet sweat too", but they just don't realize. I was given bad advice by a GP to go to 100% cotton socks. Firstly there is no such thing, they are all blends to some extent. Secondly cotton is the absolute worst material for sweaty feet. Cotton is perfect for absorbing moisture, what are your towels made of? Once cotton socks are saturated you have a perfect recipe for blisters, fungus and any number of problems.

The best advice I can give, although your condition may not be the same as mine, are synthetic based socks. Many outdoorsmen and hunters have gone to synthetics in their base layers, including myself. In the cooler months, when my feet sweat just as bad, wool socks are actually one of the best for keeping my feet dry and I actually sweat less than in cotton. You can find any of these at Wal-Mart, sporting goods stores and outdoorsmen stores. While they are more expensive, can you put a price on gimpy feet?

As for shoes, leather is better than synthetic, and a mesh-leather blend can help the cooling of the feet. Leather soles are more breathable than synthetic but I doubt you will ever find golf shoes with leather soles. Changing the socks often is another way to cope, although you might look weird setting barefoot at the turn. Weird be damned, if you have dealt with this problem on daily basis you just don't care.

As for foot powder, it might work for you, but I found it just produced a pasty residue after the shoes become saturated. Most likely your problem will be short term if this has just come on. Try washing and cooling them directly in front of a fan after you get home to alleviate some of the discomfort. If they feel chapped after drying, Lubriderm is the least aggravating of all lotions and does not clog the pores according to my dermatologist.

I sincerely hope some of this will help you.

[beach_golfer]

After a year in the desert, this is the best advice I can give.
1. Carry extra socks and change them frequently. (carried 2 pair in my kit and still do in my golf bag)
2. gold bond foot powder in generous amounts.
3. Ensure your shoes and socks fit very well.

Some have reccomended performance socks, they are great. But if your feet sweat that bad then you may not even tell the difference between those and cotton. My favorite were thin wool hiking socks. They pulled away the moisture and felt pretty good. Hope this helps.

[realed]

Yeah, although weird...I would agree and recommend changing socks along with some foot powder. That's what we did in the army on those long roadmarches. I feel your pain.

[worst_shot_ever]

I think there is a medical treatment for excessive foot sweating, if it is excessive, that involves rubbing on some aluminum-oxide based medicine of some sort. Essentially, it stops your feet from sweating after using it for a week or two. My point is that you can talk to your general practicioner next time you see him or her and may receive some useful relief if it's a real problem.

[Harry Longshanks]

Do you have more than 1 pair of golf shoes? If so, you should change between 18s. Leather is naturally breathable. Think of it as nature's gore-tex. However, like gore-tex, once the fabric becomes wet/saturated, the "pores" are blocked, the shoes cannot breath and the shoes turn into a sauna.

Always make sure you let your shoes completely dry after wearing them. (Do NOT dry leather shoes with heat. Try stuffing them with newspaper.) And polish your shoes regularly. The polish acts like a DWR (Durable Water Repellant) coating on a gore-tex jacket. It helps shed the external water so the fabric doesn't become saturated and unbreathable.

Carry extra socks in your bag, and change after 9 holes if your feet are sweating that much. Heck, carry 2 pair and change after 6 if you have to. Socks are cheap, and light. I like the Nike Dri-Fit no-show socks, but there are plenty of good moisture wicking socks out there.

In addition to the "pruning" you experienced, wet skin is much more prone to blistering.

Oh, and I've heard you can spray your feet with anti-perspirant to keep them from sweating.

[cwcaesar]

My advice is to change your socks frequently. In the Marines, on humps, we changed socks at every opportunity. Also, when I was training to run a marathon, I quickly learned the value of a good pair of socks. I used to think that $8 for six pair of cotton socks was ridiculous, but I was soon paying $15 a pair. A good pair of socks can keep the blisters and other things away.

[nico002]

Its not always sweat that causes this. I get it when I play in a very wet course.

[goblue107501]

A few times a year I will play 36 in a day. Whenever I do, as most have said, I change socks between rounds. I actually go as far as changing socks, shoes, shirt and hat.