Most people take care of their feet well enough to avoid serious infections that would lead to death. But it's important to realize the potential is there for foot infections to cause serious problems. I want to exaggerate a little to make the point that your feet should not be left to heal themselves. Even the smallest scratch or cut can advance to the point of a serious infection.

In fact, small scratches and cuts are more likely to cause problems on your feet than other parts of your body, because your feet are almost constantly enclosed in shoes, where they become sweaty and closed off from air. Shoes made from synthetic materials are the worst, because they seal off the foot tightly from any air circulation. Leather shoes, or shoes with built-in vents, allow at least a small amount of air circulation to attempt keeping your shoes and socks from getting damp. Tight shoes make this problem worse, as well as stressing the foot's bone structure.

Feet are also more susceptible to infection because they are often under physical stress from the weight of our bodies. The average person takes 10,000 steps a day, and that's a lot of wear and tear! If you have a small cut or scratch on one of your feet, stepping on the foot will cause the tissue to spread and injuries will more easily break open and become exposed to bacteria. The smart person makes sure a cut or scratch on a foot is kept clean and covered. Use an anti-bacterial treatment before covering.

It's also important to keep your feet dry to discourage the growth of bacteria. If you don't, the cut could get infected. Some people will stubbornly assume the infection will heal itself. The body is an amazing healing machine, but infections don't always heal themselves. If you let it go for a long time, theoretically the infection would grow until it caused disease. Then, like Chinese women who used to bind their feet and get cuts on them, your feet could become so infected that you die from septic shock. (Read more about Chinese foot binding here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_binding.)

Moral of the story: Take care of your feet!