WEARING the wrong shoes to the airport could leave you limping off your flight with more than just sore feet.
Passengers who go barefoot through TSA checkpoints are being exposed to fungus, sharp objects, and even traces of fecal matter, experts warn.
Wearing certain shoes to the airport could leave you barefoot on filthy TSA floors, exposing your feet to fungus (stock image)[/caption]
Stylish heels or boots can land you in a barefoot shuffle through dirty airport flooring (stock image)[/caption]
While shoe removal isn’t always mandatory, TSA says it can speed up screening, and many travelers end up barefoot, whether they want to or not.
“I do think it is unsanitary,” Rami Calis, a podiatry instructor at Emory University in Atlanta, told WebMD.
Travelers selected for additional screening are told to step on mats that haven’t been cleaned in ages, printed with faded shoe outlines and covered in who-knows-what.
“You never know where people’s shoes have been,” Calis said.
“If someone who’s been on a farm walks through the airport, you’ll have fecal matter, too.”
Shoes with metal parts, like heels, shanks, nails, or decorative buckles, are more likely to trigger alarms and force removal.
That means even stylish heels or boots can land you in a barefoot shuffle through dirty airport flooring.
One flyer said she was ordered to remove both shoes and socks because she was wearing toe rings, and was horrified by the bare-foot experience.
Another said she was “appalled” when asked to take off flip-flops twice on a Florida trip, fearing she might pick up something nasty.
“I’ve already dealt with having a toenail fungus, and it wasn’t easy to get rid of,” she said.
Athlete’s foot, a common fungal infection, thrives in warm, dark spaces like airport floors, and it spreads quickly.
“The floor is often dirty where all those people walk through security,” Calis said.
“It doesn’t get any sun.”
No official studies have been done yet, but Calis is convinced fungi and bacteria are widespread in these zones.
TSA’s 3-1-1 rule
The Transportation Security Administration regulates the amount of liquids, aerosols, and gels that flyers can bring through airport security with the 3-1-1 liquids rule.
The 3-1-1 rule consists of the following:
Each container of liquid has to be 3.4 ounces or less.
All liquids have to fit in one clear, quart-sized, resealable bag.
Finally, passengers can only bring one bag of liquids each.
“I bet we’ll find 101 different things,” he said.
Kathleen Stone, DPM, a podiatrist in Glendale, Arizona, agreed that foot fungi are likely rampant during peak travel months.
Travelers should bring disposable foot covers, wear socks, and carry wipes to clean feet before putting shoes back on (stock image)[/caption]
Avoid wearing shoes with steel tips, steel heels, steel shanks, or metal buckles (stock image)[/caption]
“Probably the only way you can combat the fact you are walking on a filthy floor is to keep a pair of socks on,” she said.
But even socks don’t guarantee protection.
“If you step on a tack, then we’re talking about having to get a tetanus shot,” Calis said, adding that infections from cuts are a real danger.
Those with diabetes are especially vulnerable since they might not feel an injury to the foot right away.
“We podiatrists tell them never to walk around barefoot,” he added.
One man said his fungal infection began around the time he went barefoot through TSA at Orlando airport, and he is still battling it over a year later.
“I had to replace all my shoes, bleach my tile floors, took topical creams, and even an Rx pill, and nothing has worked,” he said.
Experts suggest travelers bring disposable foot covers, wear socks, and carry wipes to clean feet before putting shoes back on.
TSA also recommends skipping footwear with metal parts to avoid being flagged for screening.
Tennis shoes and slip-ons are generally safe, and those with PreCheck can usually leave shoes on entirely.
If not, it might be smart to skip the fancy footwear until you have cleared security.
Tennis shoes are generally safe (stock image)[/caption]
