Ask The Experts
I’ve always thought of socks as fashion accessories, but IPFH says they’re critical to foot protection and comfort. Why?
Well-made padded socks are a key to protecting the feet’s skin and soft tissues (fat pads on the balls and heels) from injury. Padded socks protect the feet by reducing stress on the feet from pressure (gravity); impact (from the floor and from the downward pressure of the body); and shear forces.
Well-designed padded socks also help manage the moisture produced by the 125,000 sweat glands located on the bottom of each foot, which can soften the skin and make feet more vulnerable to blisters and injury.
Well-made padded socks serve as a “gasket” to help protect dynamic feet from static shoes. When you walk or run, your feet expand, elongate and flatten out with each step; they return to their original shape and size during rest. Padded socks that are designed and made with the dynamic nature of the foot in mind help protect the feet as they move inside shoes.
To help ensure that feet are optimally protected, IPFH suggests that you wear only properly selected and fitted, as part of an integrated approach, padded socks with shoes with non-slip outsoles and any inserts or orthotics prescribed or recommended by a doctor or foot health professional. Peer-reviewed, published studies have shown that wearing clinically tested padded socks can help prevent injuries to the skin/soft tissue of the foot.