Lifting The Lid On Foot Filth

Online, December 14, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Lamisil® Once has lifted the lid on Britain's grossest sports shoes. It seems that game tips and morale boosters might not be the only things being exchanged in the changing rooms - bacteria, fungi and infections are at risk of being spread around amongst our sporting favourites.

Recent research conducted by Lamisil® Once, at the University of Loughborough, has revealed the worst offending sports shoes that could be leaving our players open to a whole host of nasty foot conditions, including athlete's foot, verruca's and fungal nail infections.

At the top of the League are cyclists with Britain's most bacterial infested sports shoe - containing a whopping
25% of all bacterial colonies detected in the sample population. The UK's cyclists may be feeling virtuous about
not emitting exhaust fumes, but according to this new research, they may be emitting plenty of stinky fumes instead!

Danny Cipriani and Rafael Nadal may look the picture of health, but their sports respectively are responsible for some of the nation's unhealthiest sports shoes! Both varieties were found to contain 18% of all bacterial colonies detected. The UK's famously changeable seasons have also taken their toll on the shoes of Britain's joggers, with their running shoes coming in next across the finishing line and taking a very (un)respectable fourth place (13%) in the Lamisil® Once Fungal Foot League.

Our favourite footballer's bad behaviour off pitch may be dominating the headlines of late, but at least their boots are coming up smelling of roses, as they showed up in second to last place in the League (6%).

Media Podiatrist Emma Supple says; "There are a few surprises here for sure, but overall these results are very understandable. Shoes that are used for outdoorsy type sports and activities such as cycling, rugby and tennis invariably tend to encourage bacterial growth. Exposure to varying weather conditions, from the heat and humidity to the damp and cold, with insufficient drying out time in-between, make these sports shoes an ideal playing ground for our worst bacterial foes. However, the good news is that taking good care of your feet and shoes will help to ward off those bacterial nasties and keep your shoes odour and bacteria free.

"Follow my three step process for keeping your feet healthy and fungi free:
1.Scrub feet daily to dislodge all the dirt, grime and dry skin that these fungi feed off
2.Apply a good moisturiser
3.Change shoes regularly to allow them to dry out
And of course do get a professional opinion if you are concerned or symptoms do not improve" adds Emma

Here are some useful tips of how to keep your sports shoes smelling fresh & feet healthy:
• Wash your feet and toes daily
•Dry the skin between your toes thoroughly after washing. This is perhaps the most important point. It is tempting to put socks on when your feet are not quite dry. The soggy skin between the toes is then ideal for the fungi to grow
•Avoid wearing synthetic footwear, choose leather shoes where possible to let your feet breathe
•Always wear clean dry cotton socks
•Avoid sharing towels or footwear
•Athlete's foot can be a hidden cause of foot odour. If you have athlete's foot, Lamisil Once® is a revolutionary single dose treatment that kills the fungus that causes athlete's foot. It is clinically proven and helps protect against relapse for up to 3 months!

-ENDS-

For more information, please contact the Novartis Consumer Health Press Office on:
020 7878 3133 or [email protected]