Are socks really that important for foot health?

Imagine that you wear closed shoes for a long time, or you have circulatory problems. Socks, which are in direct contact with your feet, are really important for your feet!

Our feet are a highly complex structure with 26 bones, 33 joints, over 250,000 sweat glands that release approximately 280ml of sweat per day, and over 200,000 nerve endings. The feet have more bones, sweat glands, and nerve endings per square centimeter than any other part of the body, making them highly sensory and sensitive.

What are the benefits of a good pair of socks?

/Protection/

Friction between shoes and feet can cause blisters. Socks provide protection by adding a layer between shoes and feet, reducing friction and preventing blisters. For sports, outdoor or other high-impact activities, cushioning soles and padding are added to provide more cushioning and support. The more compatible socks are with the skin, the more effective they are in reducing friction damage to the feet, and natural plant fibers are the most beneficial of all fibers to human skin.

/Moisture Management/

The feet release moisture through sweating every day, which eventually gets trapped in the shoes, causing water to accumulate on the skin of the feet. This is uncomfortable and unhealthy for the feet, as the damp, muggy environment can lead to fungal growth and blisters. Socks made with the right fibers will absorb excess moisture, such as linen, which is a natural fiber that actively absorbs moisture from the feet and quickly releases it, drying quickly. Although cotton will absorb moisture, cotton socks will continue to hold onto the wet weight and dry slowly, which is not good for feet that work all day and are prone to sweating.

/Temperature Control/

The feet are the farthest part from the body, but they are extremely sensitive to temperature. "The feet know when the body is warm." The temperature of the feet is generally maintained at 28℃-33℃, which makes people feel comfortable. If it is lower than 22℃, the feet will experience local vasoconstriction due to the cold, which will affect the blood circulation of the whole body and make people feel uncomfortable. As people age, the temperature of the feet also decreases significantly. Long-lived elderly people know how to keep their feet warm. Socks can keep warm, but not all socks can cool down. Socks made of natural fiber flax can effectively control the temperature of the feet, keeping them warm in winter and cool in summer.

/Health/

Feet can provide a diverse environment for bacteria and fungi. Foot sweat is the source of moisture, the shed skin stratum corneum is the source of protein, and poor ventilation creates conditions for anaerobic conditions. There are 500,000 bacterial colonies and 47 fungal colonies per square centimeter on our feet. The large-scale reproduction of these microorganisms can cause foot odor, athlete's foot, itchy feet, dry and cracked feet, and tinea pedis, making the entire foot very unhealthy. The fiber of natural flax is hollow and rich in oxygen. The unique fruit acid component can effectively inhibit the growth and reproduction of fungi and bacteria. The antibacterial rate of socks woven with pure flax can reach 90%, which can keep the feet healthy.

/Comfort/

With the development of craftsmanship and technology, socks have also made great progress in terms of materials, styles, functions, etc. Nowadays, there are linen socks, hemp socks, arch support, heel contour, padded toe, compression socks, etc. For everyone's feet, the comfort of wearing socks is very important. Not only should the socks material be natural and safe, but they should also have the functions of protection, water temperature control, and healthy feet.