How to protect children's feet from the cold 2026

The arrival of cold weather and low temperatures increases the chances of suffering from foot problems. Therefore, it is necessary to take extreme caution in children, as well as in some other groups such as sports practitioners and elderly or diabetic people. From the Official College of Podiatrists of the Community of Madrid (COPOMA) we want to remember that it is important to increase preventive care and not forget about our feet during the winter, much less those of children. Normally, with the arrival of summer and the time to uncover them is when they take on greater prominence, and we proceed to take care of them with greater intensity, however, during the winter season we usually limit ourselves to wearing them covered, therefore, it is important to consider that we must observe them more regularly.

Issues to avoid:

• Sudden changes in temperature: When we come from the street with cold feet, it is almost a reflex action to bring them close to strong sources of heat to warm them up, such as stoves or hot water bottles. However, this could enhance the appearance of so-called "chilblains", produced by the strong and rapid contrasts in temperature. In the case of children, with their intense daily activity, this risk increases, since it is very common for them to go out to play sports in an intensely hot state. cold quickly go back to heat and so on. In this sense, with the sweat produced and in the event that the feet do not breathe well or wear socks that are too thick, etc., chilblains can be created, as well as blisters, etc., which end up causing pain and stinging because the feet have been “cooked.”
• Bad sports practices: It is very important to pay special attention to the way children walk or run, since, with low temperatures, the ease of getting injured or suffering some type of biomechanical alteration intensifies. Therefore, when they practice sports and it is cold, it is necessary that they are properly protected and with the appropriate footwear. In addition, warming up plays an essential role so that the foot is prepared and does not suffer during training.
• Spending a lot of time with your feet immobilized: Although in the case of children this is more difficult to happen, there may be times when it is inevitable for them to have to spend some time still in cold places. For this reason, it is recommended to teach children to keep in mind that they should move them from time to time and do certain exercises. When we get home we can also give them a small massage to help stimulate their circulation.

Tips to protect yourself from the cold

• Wear appropriate footwear that is the correct size and not tight so as not to hinder circulation. It is one of the main issues to take care of your feet. In addition, it must be made of natural materials, breathable, and with a non-slip sole to properly protect the foot from external agents and prevent falls. In this sense, it is also very important to use socks made of natural fibers, preferably cotton, as they will help our feet breathe.
• Paying attention to daily hygiene and especially drying your feet is essential. When you put on your socks, your feet must be very dry.
• Increase consumption of water and certain foods. Good hydration helps regulate body temperature and will prevent your feet from getting cold.

Finally, we must consider again the importance of the correct choice of footwear for each occasion. One piece of advice is that, every time the child has to wear new shoes, he does not do so directly at school time, but rather wears them for several hours at home beforehand, to check that they are not tight or that his feet are not sweating. Taking care of children's feet is essential to avoid possible long-term problems, therefore, introducing good habits from childhood and prevention is essential.

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Article prepared by Juan Carlos Montero, Member of Advertising, Communication and Networks at COPOMA.