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Best Socks For Sweaty Feet

Stephanie Patterson

Why Foot Sweat Occurs

You may have known that your feet were sweaty, but it was something you kept to yourself. You never wanted to ask your friends if they experienced the same problem because it seemed like the kind of quirky issue that was particular to you. It wasn’t restricted to summer either. Your feet sweat in every season, through ski boots, in your running shoes and even in your best dress shoes. Here’s the relief—sweaty feet are common! Things always feel more normal when they’re put into physiological terms. 

So what’s the deal with sweaty feet? Medically termed bromodosis, smelly feet happen around a 12-month clock, they are not as one might expect just restricted to the heat. There are two leading causes for bromidis: the first cause is, of course, sweaty feet but the second is wearing the same shoes every day. So, the analysis would follow that changing your socks makes a big difference! 

There are a couple of groups of individuals who are more likely to get sweaty feet. You may not be surprised to know that teenagers are in this cohort and also pregnant women. Significant hormonal changes affect both groups, and this makes them sweat more! Some things make you more likely to have sweaty feet: 

  1. If you are on your feet all-day
  2. If your shoes are too tight
  3. If you are under high levels of stress
  4. If you have a medical condition called hyperhidrosis that makes you sweat more than the average person

Here’s the key—your feet often become stinky if sweat seeps into your shoes, and they don’t dry before the next use. So, you’re getting the picture here, socks count! If you keep your feet clean and dry, changing your socks and shoes regularly, you can beat this thing. 

Here are some additional tips if you get sweaty feet frequently:

Why You Should Care About Sweaty Feet

Sweaty feet is something you shouldn’t take lightly. Imagine taking off your shoes after using your feet excessively, only to find that they’re all sweaty. Why should you care?

Feet generally don’t smell good, sweaty or not. But when you’ve been sweating in your socks and remove your shoes and socks, it releases the odour in a more noticeable way. It’s bad enough having to walk around in damp socks, why put yourself through the torture of stinking up a room? 

Excessive sweating in your socks and shoes can be dangerous because it could lead to bacteria and fungus building up. As a result, this could result in infections such as Athlete’s Foot. According to Dermadry, athlete’s foot is a contagious infection caused by sharing things such as shoes, bath towels, and socks. 

Athlete’s Foot, also called Tinea Pedis, doesn’t have to be specific to athletes. It’s simply called Athlete’s Foot because it’s most commonly spread through public locker and dressing rooms after an active activity. 

What happens when we become active? We sweat. When our feet sweat, they are at a higher risk of both spreading and receiving athlete’s foot because it’s the moisture of our feet that cause infections such as athlete’s foot. 

Some people have hyperhidrosis and can’t control how much they sweat. In this condition, even if an individual is not especially active, they will still sweat in their feet and other places. 

No one can pinpoint the cause of hyperhidrosis. Some theorize that it’s hereditary, but it can increase your risk of athlete’s foot. Having sweaty feet is unhealthy and unsanitary. By allowing your feet to sweat, you put yourself and anyone who walks on the same surfaces as you at risk of infection.

Foot sweat can be an embarrassing conversation starter. As if sweat shame wasn’t hard enough, being self-conscious about your foot sweat can cause your sweat level to increase. Once your foot sweat starts to stress you out, you can get stressed about sweating!

Instead of stressing about sweating and making matters worse, there are ways to control your sweat levels. It is best to follow up with a doctor on how you can increase your foot hygiene, and be sure to wear socks and shoes that allow your feet to breathe. 

Best Socks for Sweaty Feet: Athletes 

According to Medical News Today, wearing the right socks is one of the best ways to prevent your feet from sweating! You may wonder what the best socks are for sweaty feet. It is best to wear socks with breathable fabrics. It also helps if your socks are quick to dry so that when you do have foot sweat, it’s not as intense. The best socks for sweaty feet are socks that are made to make your sweat more bearable. 

The feeling of living in a pair of socks with sweaty feet is highly uncomfortable. Even though your feet may be mostly hidden from the world, there is always that looming fear that someone will notice, a partner or a colleague who smells the scent of your feet wafting up from under the desk in the shared workspace. The good news is that unless you are afflicted with the condition that makes you sweat in excess – hyperhidrosis – then the problem comes down to your sock. This is great news because once you get educated on the socks that will support you in this private problem, you will be on track to recovery and dry feet. 

A lot of sock experts are onto this problem, and some socks can help. You can wear moisture-wicking socks for athletics, work or leisure. As we know, many socks are made with 100% cotton. The trouble with this formula is that the moisture sits in the fabric. Performance socks have a different technical asset. They are crafted with “moisture-wicking” materials, including merino wool, nylon and polyester. These materials have a unique quality; they draw the sweat away from your skin to the surface of the material where it can evaporate, leaving your foot dry. Choosing a pair of socks that perform to defeat sweat can have added advantages of preventing chafing and blisters, enhancing performance and built-in anti-odour properties. 

Sweaty Sock Moisture LevelBest Socks for Sweaty Feet:
Below 50% of the socksAthletic Socks 
Above 50% of the socks  Compression Socks

If your sweat doesn’t fully soak your socks, then an athletic sock would probably do the trick. But if you have severe sweating. Compression socks have a highly moisture-absorbent fabric would be the best choice for athletes with drenched feet. 

Compression socks are the hype amongst high-performance athletes.Runners are a group of individuals, for instance, who benefit significantly from compression socks. Compression socks are sturdy elastic socks that are generally worn to knee height and compression socks enhance race performance, quicken recovery and prevent injury. The role of the compression sock is to compress the veins in your leg and the arteries and muscles. This has the effect of increased blood circulation through your legs, with blood flowing through smaller circulatory channels. The benefit of this is that blood returns to your heart faster, enhancing performance and preventing it from pooling into your feet. 

Many compression socks have a graduated effect. This means that they are tight at the ankle, and they lessen in intensity as they move up the leg. Though you want them snug, make sure not to go too tight with your compression socks. Not only are compression socks utilized in athletics, but they have a long history in medical applications for increasing circulation and assisting with vascular conditions. 

There are many benefits to the use of compression socks by athletes:

Best Dress Socks for Sweaty Feet 

The best dress socks for sweaty feet are those that look classy, but can also keep your feet at ease. One of the most essential effects of good dress socksfor sweaty feet is that they will prevent damage in your expensive dress shoes, and of course, they will ward off odour and that unpleasant damp foot sensation. Wicking is the distributed perspiration through material, and this is what good dress socks should do. Also, this process contributes to anti-odour capabilities. It is essential to have breathable socks for sweaty feet. Human beings have been actively pursuing the wicking process since they first tied animal skins around their feet! 

When picking the best men’s dress sock for sweaty feet, there is more to consider than merely the wicking efficacy. Here are some factors to take into consideration. Your dress sock should have the following assets:

When you’re purchasing a dress sock, it is imperative to consider sock material. Socks are commonly made of cotton, nylon, polyester and wool. Cotton is conventional, and it has excellent absorbent effects, but what it lacks is the ability to wick moisture away. When the sock gets wet with sweat and stays wet. It’s excellent for short-term intensity, like a cardiovascular workout, but it doesn’t always stand the test for morning through evening wearing patterns. Wool can be bulky for a dress material, but it is breathable and has strong wicking capacities. Synthetics are the answer in many cases. Materials like polyester, polyethylene, olefin and acrylic are wicking effective, and some socks contain a blend with these materials. It helps when socks are woven with wicking material, so pay attention to your labels for sweat-free feet. If you’re choosing between cotton and wool for a business option, choose cotton for the heat and wool for warmth. 

Best Work Socks for Sweaty Feet

The best work socks for sweaty feet truly depend on your line of work. What you wear to a formal business meeting is not what you wear to work manual labour. 

Refer to the table below for recommendations for different types of socks for sweaty feet doing a sweaty job at work. 

JobsBest Work Sock for Sweaty Feet
Construction workerMerino Wool-warm and moisture wicking
Office workerSynthetic Blend or Wool/Cotton-moisture wicking and appropriate colour, fit, and padding
Restaurant workerSynthetic Blend or Compression Sock-comfortable, supportive, sweat wicking
NurseCompression Sock-supportive, enhances circulation
TeacherSynthetic Blend-sweat-wicking
StudentSynthetic Blend-sweat wicking for hormonal changes
Professional Athlete Cotton-absorbent for high intensity workouts (best athletic socks for sweaty feet)
Pregnant WomanSynthetic Blend or Merino Wool (in winter)-sweat wicking for hormonal changes

Keep in mind that this is based off of an estimated foot sweat level. The amount of movement may have to do with how much you sweat, or how stressful the job is for you. Everyone is different, but the great thing about our socks is that all of them provide some compression release. This way, there is no right or wrong sock for a sweaty foot on the job! 

Best Socks for Sweaty Feet in Boots

The best socks for sweaty feet really depend on the type of boots you’re wearing. I find that many boots have a bit of a tight fit to them. But what does this tight fit do to our feet? It makes our feet almost unbreathable and more likely to sweat. 

Boots are no picnic for those with sweaty feet, unless they are very loose. But there are times when we must wear them. So if you’re going to wear boots, why not make your feet as comfy as possible? Casual socks so you can feel as comfortable as possible in your boots. Our casual socks are: 

Washing Sweaty Socks 

What causes foot odor? You may not want to stop to think about it, but doing so allows you to get to the root of the problem. It is bacteria, fungus and sweat by-products. The most vulnerable culprit—sweaty socks trapped in shoes for prolonged periods. Sometimes, the odor even persists after you have put them through the wash—how embarrassing! There is a simple fix to your sweat dilemma. 

  1. Fill a sink basin. Use warm water and then add 2 cups of white vinegar
  2. Place the socks in this mixture to soak for 30 minutes
  3. Turn the socks inside out so that the vinegar acts on the bacteria contained in the interior of the sock
  4. Drain the sink and rinse the socks under warm water
  5. Put the socks in the wash 
  6. Hang the socks to dry 
  7. Make sure that the socks are in a well-ventilated area and do not wear them until they are completely dry

You might have once been ashamed of your sweaty feet, but we hope that this helped clear it up—sweaty feet aren’t your fault, and there is an easy fix. It is a game-changer when you choose the best socks for sweaty feet to support your daily activities, let your socks and shoes dry completely and take the measures to wash your socks thoroughly. It can make the difference between feeling unsteady in a social situation with drenched feet with odor and being dry and relaxed. By paying attention to sock health, your foot health will follow, and you will never have felt freer! 

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