Sports are a common way to get toenail fungus. Toenail fungus is a contagious condition that can be difficult to completely cure. Everybody is at some risk of becoming infected with fungus. Sports and other physical activities can increase the risk of toenail fungus spreading among communities.
Why can you get toenail fungus while playing sports?
The main reason why sports cause an increase in toenail fungus spread is because of the conditions in which they take place and create. For example, most athletes have sweaty feet during and after practice or a sporting event. Fungus likes damp, dark environments; sweaty shoes and socks are the perfect places for toenail fungus to grow. When athletes don’t change their socks and shoes immediately after exercising, they put themselves at increased risk of developing a toenail fungus infection.
Additionally, sporting teams usually practice in the same area and share a common locker room. Locker rooms are perfect places for toenail fungus to spread. If one athlete has fungus on their feet, they might walk barefoot on the locker room floor and deposit fungal spores onto the ground. Other athletes, with sweaty feet perfect for catching fungus, could walk over these fungal spores and become infected.
There are topical solutions that are used to try to cure toenail fungus. They don’t typically work because they have a cure rate of less than 5 to 10 percent. This is because the topical solutions do not penetrate all the way through to reach under the nail bed. All fungi must be killed to cure your toes of toenail fungus.
Prevention Tips
Despite the risk, you can continue playing sports while staying fungal-free by keeping your hands and feet dry, and practicing clean habits like wearing shower shoes in order to decrease your chances of contracting a toenail infection.
If you have toenail fungus or its symptoms, click here to schedule a free consultation with one of our doctors.
Laser Treatment for Toenail Fungus
While sports are perfect places for toenail fungus to spread, this condition can be caught in many different ways. However, the most important thing to do when dealing with a toenail fungus is to receive an FDA-approved, safe, and effective treatment from a licensed podiatrist. The best such treatment is the PinPointe laser, which typically requires only one treatment to cure the fungus.
Our nail doctor in Dallas, TX, recommends this treatment. The laser treatment has the highest cure rate on the market. There are no side effects and no recovery period. You can go about your daily activities right after the treatment. Also, it is not painful. To schedule a consultation with a licensed podiatrist for the PinPointe laser treatment, give us a call at (800) 672-0625 or visit our website for more information.
