Rock G. Positano, DPM, MSc, MPH, DSc, Founder and Director of the Non-surgical Foot and Ankle Service and the Heel Pain Center at HSS shares tips for styling boots in the warm weather. 

Dr. Positano said that for people who have issues with their feet or ankles, boots in summer can be salutary. For anyone with plantar fascia, Achilles’ tendon or heel and knee issues, they’re actually a good idea.

“The boot provides stability in these areas and often protects against overuse injuries,” Dr. Positano said. Especially if the boot has a one- to two-inch heel.

He calls this the “Cinderella complex” of footwear and advises avoiding it. Test the fit of boots in the mid- to late afternoon, when swelling is usually at its height.

Further risks: If your feet sweat a lot in the summer heat, you are at risk for athlete’s foot and contact dermatitis. “Perspiration in a closed boot in a warm climate may actually cause chemicals in the boot material to leach out and cause skin inflammation,” Dr. Positano said.

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