Jimmy Buffett, the shepherd of summer vacationers, once famously blew out his flip flop, stepped on a pop top, and cut his heel. Fortunately, a frosty margarita was all it took to nurse the eternal beach bum back to full health, but those of us at Dr. Bob Baravarian would hate for a foot injury to interrupt your vacation fun.
Before you hit the beach this summer, check out these six hot tips for keeping your and your kids’ tootsies safe at the beach.
#1 Foot Cuts and Puncture Wounds
Most beaches have rules against drinking from glass containers. Glass bottles easily shatter, and the debris can lurk in the sand, just waiting for a bare foot to cut. But glass isn’t the only dangerous shard out there: sea shells can cut your feet, too, and watch out for rusty nails and splinters on the boardwalk. A good pair of water shoes with sturdy bottoms should keep your soles intact.
If your foot gets cut, you should clean it immediately with soap or ointment from a first aid kit. Stay out of the water – oceans and lakes harbor bacteria that could cause an infection. A particularly nasty puncture wound should be treated by a foot and ankle specialist that same day.
#2 Burns on the Bottom of your Feet
Don’t get caught without shoes on the beach in the middle of the day: Sidewalks, blacktops, and even sand can heat up quickly when baking under the mid-day sun. Although flip flops aren’t the most protective footwear for most purposes, it’s best to keep a pair in your beach bag just in case you need to tip-toe your way across a hot parking lot.
#3 Jellyfish Stings
On some coasts, you might find jellyfish washed up on the shoreline. It’s best to avoid these blobs: their venom can still sting you even out of the water. If a tentacle gets stuck to your foot, carefully remove them without touching them directly with your fingers. The pain shouldn’t last longer than a day, but don’t scratch it – that will just aggravate the wound.
Alright, I know you’re wondering – is it true that peeing on a jellyfish sting will ease the pain? Science says no. Rinsing with freshwater, or watery urine, could make the stinging worse. On the other hand, you should rinse the area with vinegar or – handily enough – saltwater. Even better, you could make a paste of saltwater and baking soda to neutralize the burn. Science!
#4 Sunburns and your Feet
It’s easy to forget about your feet when you’re slathering sunscreen onto your shoulders, back, and face, but don’t forget the tops and bottoms of your feet.
Skin cancer can affect any surface of your body.
#5 Arch and Heel Pain
Cushy sand makes for an awkward, uneven surface. Jogging, walking, throwing the Frisbee or playing beach volleyball can put strain on your feet and lead to pains in the heels and arches. Ankle sprains are also pretty common for beach-goers. Wear athletic shoes with arch support when playing sports on the beach – never rely on flip flops to protect your foot’s structure! If you do sustain an injury, bag some ice from the cooler, rest, and elevate your ankle. See a foot and ankle specialist within a few days if the pain doesn’t subside.
#6 Diabetes and your Feet
One symptom of diabetes is poor blood circulation and numbness in your feet. This is especially dangerous for diabetic beach-goers because they may not notice a cut or puncture wound right away. If it goes untreated, the risk for infection or ulcers increases. If you are diabetic, wear protective shoes and check your feet for cuts after walking.
Dr. Bob Baravarian is conveniently located in Los Angeles, near Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, providing expert foot and ankle care for patients throughout Southern California.
Dr. Baravarian is so great! I had an injury to my left foot. He took x-rays and provided me with a boot! I feel like a whole new person! Now I can run again with no pain!🏃♀️ I recommend you to go him for any foot and ankle issues.🦶
Dr. Baravarian is absolutely an incredible doctor. He is very experienced and I am so grateful that I found him! I had 2 PRP procedures done on my ankle and didn’t feel much pain! It’s wonderful to find a doctor that is trustworthy!
Dr. Bavarian was great. He said i didn’t need to remove part of my nail…the infection would subside. Very honest. Staff was great, kind. Irtually no wait. I recommend highly.
Dr Bob is the best! I have needed this bunion surgery for years, and when I met Dr. Bob I felt 100 percent confident he was the right Dr. to correct my bunion! I have completed the right foot and will be doing the left foot in a couple weeks! Thanks to Dr Bob I will be able to be super active and no longer have pain! I am so grateful to him.
Rachael H
I love there staff super nice and friendly and when you meet the doctor is to die for😁super friendly and he explains everything clearly and makes sure you understand everything before he leaves the room doesn’t rush you at all
I was able to get an appointment the next day after dislocating my toe. I had a great experience. The staff were friendly and the doctor answered all my questions.
I have been so impressed with Dr. Bob. Ive never sat in the waiting room one minute longer than my appointment time. That’s a real plus. More importantly is his honest, professional approach to his craft and his commitment to my recovery. He’s the best and I highly recommend him.
Dr. Baravarian is incredible! After three podiatrists and a failed surgery left me with no answers for my feet pain, Dr. Baravarian figured out the real cause of the pain in the first visit.I was ready for another surgery to fix the first one, but he held off until the root issue was treated. My hammer toe and bunion surgery went perfectly—I was amazed to have no pain afterward! Dr. Baravarian is super knowledgeable and explained everything about the surgery and recovery clearly, making me feel informed and at ease.
I also want to extend my gratitude to his staff, who were incredibly kind and supportive throughout my treatment.
dr baravarian is an excellent dr. he diagnosed my issue, prescribed the perfect remedy and his treatment has allowed me to resume all my activities. he saw me on time and his office staff is also very good
I highly recommend Dr. Baravarian. From checking in at the front desk to the doctors diagnosis everything went smoothly and diagnosis was good. After care instructions were explained well.
I consider him a knowledgeable and experienced Ankel specialist.
I chose him as my foot doctor and continue to receive treatment.
I decided to give him a 5 star rating.
