Toes in the water, arches in the sand...

No, that's not exactly how the Zac Brown song goes. (This is a family publication, after all.) But for many of us, summer is just like that song -- all about bare feet, flip flops, and carefree times to wear a little and relax a lot.

Well, you may not feel it now, but summer can take its toll on your feet. If you're like us, you've walked barefoot on enough concrete and sand by mid-July that you probably don't even feel it, but your feet can end up taking a lot of abuse.

So, it might not be a "sexy" topic, but if you spend a lot of time shoeless during the summer months, you might want to read on.

Pick the right shoes

It might seem obvious, but foot care begins with footwear. As much as we all love slides and beach shoes, they're not really designed to give you the support you need for foot health.

But don't worry - we're not recommending you throw them out. Just make sure you spend some time in a good pair of sneakers, with plenty of midsole support for your arches, sturdy lacing, and outsoles with enough traction to handle different types of terrain, whether it's on sand, stone or sidewalk.

Skin care...for your feet?

You spend the entire summer protecting your skin… well, your feet need the same attention! For starters, always use a good sunscreen on your feet. But beyond that, walking on hot, rough surfaces with bare skin can leave feet achy with blisters and calluses. These can be formed from buildups of unwanted hard skin from repeated friction. Fortunately, your FSA can cover a wide range of products to help.

(But do your due diligence -- make sure the supports you buy are sized correctly for your feet and shoes! Otherwise, they're not doing what they're supposed to.)

As always, we're not doctors, so if you're having some foot discomfort, make an appointment and get it checked out. Because the sooner you do that, the sooner you'll be able to enjoy the rest of the season, pain-free. Whether you put your toes in the water (or anything else in the sand) is entirely up to you.

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