Sweaty feet, hot feet (cold feet), foot odor

Some people’s feet tend to sweat excessively, making them susceptible to sweaty feet and foot odor. This can be very bothersome and unpleasant for the affected individual, and some people hardly dare to remove their shoes in public as a result.

kybun normalizes your foot environment:

The kyBoot has been especially designed to allow the foot great freedom of movement and to avoid pinching. The material is very breathable and made largely of genuine leather, and a great deal of the air in the kyBoot is exchanged with each step. This allows the foot to ‘breathe’ in the kyBoot, and if the feet sweat, moisture is removed more easily and foot odor does not develop as quickly.
If you tend more towards cold feet, kyBoot stimulates foot circulation through natural rollover, and the feet become pleasantly warm. The air-cushion soles also absorb the ground cold in the winter.

The kyBounder supports an everyday routine that is healthy for the feet by allowing them freedom of movement while resting on the elastic mat. Inside the shoe, the foot can be bare or clothed in light cotton socks and so get through a day at the office without any problems; foot odor is no longer a concern.

Definition

The term sweaty feet is used to refer to excessive sweat secretion in the feet.
Sweat glands are particularly concentrated in the soles of the feet and the palms of the hands – generally around 500 glands per cm². These glands do not have a thermal regulation function, but rather serve to give the (bare) feet better purchase on the underlying surface. This can also be seen from the fact that sweat production in the hands and feet is not regulated from the brain’s thermal regulating center, but from a separate center in the central nervous system via the sympathetic part of the vegetative nervous system. Sweating in the hands and feet is triggered via sympathetic nerve fibres and does not occur during sleep.

Causes

An overactive vegetative nervous system and overly large sweat glands are considered to be the causes of increased sweat secretion, but this can be exacerbated by other factors. Localised excessive sweating usually occurs in the underarms or hands (sweaty palms), and of course the feet.

The causes mentioned above, however, must be relativized in the case of odor production because it remains unclear whether a strong odor would arise from sweaty feet in their natural state (that is, bare) or whether this is caused primarily by wearing socks and shoes. It is not easy to answer this question objectively in western countries because the vast majority of the population here wear shoes and socks constantly during the day and have no experience of anything else. Interest in walking barefoot for extended periods of time is generally relatively limited.
It is probable that the vast majority of feet do not deserve the adjective ‘smelly’ because intense odor is far more attributable to socks and shoes. Bare feet – even in sandals – are better ventilated and can dry in the air and on the ground or floor.

Hot feet arise when heat accumulates within the shoe, which can happen with immobile shoes of poor material that does not breathe. If the foot cannot adequately move/roll in the shoe, an unpleasant burning in the sole of the foot can develop.

Cold feet usually develop when foot circulation is impaired for some reason. Further possible causes of cold feet include:

• Very low muscle mass in the foot
• Restrictive shoes that severely limit foot movement
• Slightly moist feet
• Insufficient clothing, extremities become cold first (are your hands cold, too?)
• Vegetative nervous system (reacts to stress, blood flows to the location where it is needed)
• Thyroid insufficiency
• Immune system disorders
• Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD)
• Energy deficiency due to insufficient nutrition

In rare cases, customers have reported having cold feet in the kyBoot. This could have the following causes:

• Lacing the kyBoot too tightly impairs blood flow, leading to cold or numb feet.
• What is different from normal shoes is the air expulsion at every step. This may be the reason for your cold feet. We advise inserting a soft, thin insole that does not let air through.
• The reason for your cold feet may be an underlying disorder, such as diabetes or peripheral arterial disease, that impairs foot circulation.

Sweaty feet in the kyBoot
One initial reaction that a kyBoot wearer may experience in the beginning is that the feet sweat more. The reason is the increased foot muscle activity in the kyBoot occasioned by foot rollover on the soft, elastic sole. It causes the foot to feel warm, something users suffering from sweaty feet notice quickly and find unpleasant.
This increased sweating in the kyBoot will stop as soon as the foot has become stronger and the user has become accustomed to the kyBoot.
The increased foot activity is generally very positive for the body because the feet form its foundation and therefore need to be particularly strong.

Hot feet arise in the kyBoot when the foot musculature is activated strongly. This is fundamentally a good sign because the foot musculature is the basis for the stability of the entire body. At first, when the user is still unaccustomed to the intense rollover in the kyBoot, it can feel unfamiliar and irritating. As the feet become stronger and more mobile, the kyBoot warms them less because they are better trained.

Conventional therapy

• Cleaning feet frequently (especially with cold water)
• Foot baths
• Walking barefoot
• Deodorizing insoles
• Alternating use of breathable shoes
• Cotton socks, frequent change and washing of stockings
• Mechanical removal of excess skin layers

The kybun principle of operation – being proactive

• The breathable material, largely genuine leather, allows the foot to ‘breathe’ in the kyBoot, meaning that warm air can leave the shoe more easily.
• With each step, the soft, elastic kyBoot sole allows a large part of the air in the shoe to be forced out of the shoe and replaced. This constantly removes the heat produced by the foot out of the shoe, and the foot does not become moist as quickly.
• The natural rollover allows the foot to move freely in all directions, stimulating foot circulation. Those who suffer cold feet will notice the difference immediately because their feet will finally be pleasantly warm.
• The air-cushion soles absorb the ground cold. This is a healthy side-effect, particularly in winter, and keeps your feet nice and warm.
• Walking in the kyBoot is similar to going barefoot, strengthening and mobilizing your feet. Shortened tendons and ligaments become more flexible, and pain decreases. Foot malpositions can be counteracted, and the joints are relieved of their load.
• The improved foot conditions lead to a more balanced foot health and generally to better body conditions. This allows the joints throughout the body to be gently loaded in the kyBoot, and existing joint and muscle complaints quickly decrease in most cases.

Initial reactions

Specific initial reactions with sweaty feet:

The foot can roll naturally in the kyBoot. This leads to increased foot muscle activity, which can lead to unfamiliar warmth in the kyBoot at first. The foot is unaccustomed to this new freedom of movement at first and must get used to the increased rollover (work) in the kyBoot. After only a few weeks in the kyBoot, the foot muscles will be stronger and the work in the kyBoot will no longer be so taxing. The increased sweating in the kyBoot will also disappear. Please read the other tips under ‘Application tips’ and seek advice from your local kybun dealer.

Click here for the general initial reactions experienced by kyBounder and kyBoot beginners: Initial reactions

kybun exercises

For information about the special kyBoot exercises or the basic kyBounder exercises , please click here: kybun exercises

Application tips

• Wear thin cotton socks with the kyBoot, especially if you suffer from sweaty feet.
• For extremely sweaty feet, we recommend an open kyBoot model, if possible. This allows foot heat to escape even more easily and reduces foot moisture.
• Lace the closed kyBoot models loosely and evenly from bottom to top. Avoid lacing too tightly.
• Be careful not to clench your toes unconsciously in the kyBoot, and relax as your foot rolls over the entire sole.
• Try to walk as much as possible in the kyBoot during your daily routine and reduce time spent standing. This ensures ventilation in the shoe and strengthens your foot and leg musculature.
• If you perform the kybun exercises regularly your musculature will be strengthened and relaxed, and initial reactions such as excessive sweating or foot burning will occur less frequently.
• Contact a kybun dealer you trust if you have further questions, feel insecure or if there is no alleviation of complaints in the kyBoot even though you are following the tips.