MD Podiatrist Discusses Risks of Going Barefoot at the Airport

Dan Michaels, DPM says you should never go barefoot through airport security. First of all, there’s the risk of stepping on debris that could seriously injure you, like broken glass, sharp pieces of metal, jagged plastic that fell off someone’s overpacked rollaboard suitcase frame, or worse.

“Even a minor puncture wound can lead to infection or need medical treatment,” Dr. Michaels said, adding that he once had a patient who “had been in a rush and stepped on something sharp on the floor. He didn’t notice immediately, but later developed an infection at the site. It wasn’t too severe, but it required antibiotics and a few visits to the clinic to clear up.”