Holiday feet

This leaflet contains advice to help care for your feet while enjoying your holiday.

Happy feet will help you to enjoy your holiday

Avoid walking barefoot. Always wear footwear, even on the beach. The sand can become very warm and can burn your feet without you realising. If you are going into the sea, wear neoprene swim shoes to protect the feet. Avoid wearing ‘flip-flop’ type footwear as they may cause blisters between your toes.

Holiday feet

Avoid high or low temperatures. Protect feet from sunburn by using a high factor and waterproof sun cream on them (factor 30 or above) or keep them covered.

Check feet every day for any blisters, breaks in the skin, pain or any signs of infection such as:

• swelling, heat
• redness
• or leakage of fluid

First aid

Minor cuts and blisters

Take a small first-aid kit containing sterile gauze dressings and tape. If you have a small blister, cut or graze, use diluted antiseptic on a gauze swab to clean the wound and tape on a dry sterile gauze dressing. Do not use cotton wool.

Change dressing daily. Seek medical attention if you think it is becoming infected.

Advice on keeping your feet healthy on the journey

Long journeys can make feet swell. Try to walk about every half hour if possible, even a short distance will help. This will keep the circulation moving and keep swelling down. Make sure that your shoes are not too tight as your feet may swell in heat.

Wash your feet daily in warm water and moisturising wash. Rinse thoroughly and dry them carefully, especially between the toes. If your skin is dry apply a moisturising cream at least daily to your feet.

Avoid the areas between your toes. Apply extra moisturising cream if the skin gets very dry in hot or cold weather.

Toenails

Carry on filing toenails regularly as the podiatrist has advised.

Hospital shoes

If you are supplied with hospital shoes and insoles do not wear any other shoes during the holiday.

Contact podiatry foot protection

Document control

• Document reference: DP7063/07.17.
• Date reviewed: April 2017.

Page last reviewed: October 17, 2024
Next review due: October 17, 2025