Tinea Pedis & Lower Limb Cellulitis
Did you know that tinea can be spread to many parts of the body eg. the groin, under an abdominal apron and in fingernails. All of this has me questioning the way I was taught to wash and dry patients, whether in bed or in the shower…top to bottom – face before genitals and feet. That makes sense? But what if we are spreading tinea from under the abdominal apron down to the genitals and feet!!
When somebody has tinea pedis (feet) the skin integrity is disturbed allowing bacteria such as Streptococci and Staphylococci to enter, and it is these bacteria that can cause cellulitis. If the tinea is not treated patients may present again and again with lower limb cellulitis. So it is a good idea to check for tinea pedis and treat it, if indeed it is present.
As we don’t always know who has tinea, the elderly, diabetics, and even healthy young athletes, it is time to rethink the whole process.
HiCare bath cloths, warmed in a microwave and disposed of after use…a fresh one for each part of the body. No towels, no wet sheets when bed bathing…that could save on laundry bills.
From an OH&S point of view, HiCare bath cloths would put a stop to the need for bowls of water to be carried to and from the bedside, thus reducing the risk of back injuries. Besides a bowl of water could literally be a bacteria soup – a real infection control issue!
Just by changing the simple practice of bedbathing / showering patients we could see a reduction in tinea and a concomitant reduction in the number of patients presenting with cellulitis of the lower limbs!
As a runner, mtosiure is your feet’s worst enemy. Moisture causes blisters, discomfort, Athlete’s Foot and allows odor causing bacteria to flourish. The Running Lite Mesh Socks were designed with a special Dual Layer Moisture Removal System that moves mtosiure off the skin through the inner Drymax layer to the outer absorbent layer almost instantly. Running Lite Mesh Socks are a Low Density protective padded sock. We use dense padding, as opposed to thick padding, as it protects feet without adversely affecting the fit of the shoes. Our Running Lite Mesh Socks were designed to be used in mild to warm conditions, keeping feet cool, dry, comfortable and odor free.