Feet are probably the hardest working part of our bodies, carrying us through thousands of steps every day – all while being squeezed into trainers, work shoes and the occasional pair of heels that we instantly regret.Yet despite all the pressure we put on them, they rarely get any appreciation. In fact, they usually only get our attention when they start making their presence known – by their smell.Foot odour is one of those problems people often apologise for before they’ve even taken their shoes off in my GP clinic. They’ll laugh awkwardly, tell me they’re embarrassed and insist they’re the only person with the problem. They’re not.In fact, if you’ve ever found yourself discreetly checking whether the smell is coming from your own shoes before blaming everyone else in the room, you’re in very good company. Up to one in five of us suffer from chronic smelly feet – and most of the rest experience the problem at some time.The first thing to know is that sweat itself doesn’t actually smell.Your feet contain around 250,000 sweat glands, more than any other part of the body, concentrated across the soles. It’s perfectly normal for each foot to produce up to half a pint of sweat a day, especially in warm weather or during exercise.The problem starts when that sweat becomes a buffet for bacteria.Our skin is naturally populated with bacteria that are usually completely harmless. On the feet, however, they feast on the abundance of sweat and dead skin cells, breaking them down into compounds that produce that unmistakable cheesy smell. Foot odour is one of those problems people often apologise for before they’ve even taken their shoes off in my GP clinic, writes Dr Raj Arora Feet contain around 250,000 sweat glands, which is more than any other part of the body, concentrated across the solesIf you’ve ever wondered why your trainers seem to smell worse than your sandals, it’s because bacteria absolutely love warm, dark and damp environments. A sweaty foot trapped inside a shoe all day is basically their dream home.Some people are simply more prone to sweaty feet than others, largely down to genetics and having naturally more active sweat glands.Teenagers often notice it because of hormonal changes. Sweaty feet can also run in families. Certain medical conditions – such as hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating for no obvious reason), thyroid problems and the hormonal changes of menopause – can all increase sweating, as can stress and anxiety.If you’ve ever noticed your feet becoming clammy before a job interview or a first date, you’re not imagining it.As for whether men have sweatier feet than women, the evidence is mixed. Foot sweating varies enormously from person to person, and there’s no strong, consistent proof that one sex is worse affected, so I’d call it more myth than medical fact.The type of shoes you wear matters more than many people realise.Synthetic materials, including faux or ‘vegan’ leather made from plastics, such as PVC or polyurethane, don’t allow moisture to evaporate as easily as breathable fabrics such as cotton, canvas or genuine leather.And if you’re wearing the same pair of trainers every day without giving them time to dry properly, you’re creating ideal conditions for bacteria to thrive.Your socks deserve some attention, too.Again, cotton and moisture-wicking sports fabrics are generally much better than synthetic materials that trap sweat against the skin.And yes, changing your socks once a day really does make a difference. Twice a day may even help if your feet sweat heavily, and it’s always worth changing them straight after exercise, too.One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that smelly feet are a sign of poor hygiene.Usually, they aren’t. Even people who wash their feet every day can struggle with foot odour if they naturally sweat more than average.That said, there are a few simple habits that can make a huge difference.Wash your feet daily using soap and water, paying particular attention to the spaces between your toes, where moisture tends to collect. Dry them thoroughly afterwards because bacteria and fungi thrive in damp skin.If your shoes are damp after a long day, let them dry completely before wearing them again. Rotating between two pairs of shoes can make a noticeable difference.Foot powders – which typically contain moisture-absorbing ingredients such as talc or cornstarch, or antiperspirants designed specifically for feet – can also reduce sweating and are applied directly to the soles.Many people don’t realise that the same ingredients used in under-arm antiperspirants, namely aluminium salts which work by temporarily plugging the sweat ducts, can work surprisingly well on feet too.For more stubborn cases, or true hyperhidrosis, a GP may suggest prescription-strength aluminium chloride preparations, iontophoresis (a treatment using a mild electrical current passed through water, which temporarily disrupts the signals between nerves and sweat glands) or, for severe cases, ‘Botox’ injections to temporarily switch off the sweat glands.Occasionally, foot odour is actually a clue that something else is going on.Athlete’s foot is one of the most common fungal infections I see in general practice. Alongside an unpleasant smell, it often causes itching, redness, peeling skin between the toes or cracked skin.The good news is that it’s usually easy to treat with antifungal creams available from your pharmacy. Rotating between two pairs of shoes can make a noticeable difference for sweat problemsCertain bacterial infections, such as erythrasma, can also produce an unusually strong odour, particularly if they’re associated with soreness, swelling or broken skin.There is another condition called pitted keratolysis, which sounds far more dramatic than it is.It’s a bacterial infection that causes tiny pits in the soles of the feet along with a particularly pungent smell.It’s more common in people whose feet remain sweaty for long periods, including runners, athletes and anyone who wears enclosed footwear, such as trainers or boots, for work.It’s usually treated with a topical or oral antibiotic alongside measures to keep the feet as dry as possible.So when should you see your GP? If you’ve tried improving foot hygiene, changing your footwear and treating excessive sweating with an antiperspirant but the smell persists, it’s worth getting checked out.As a rough guide, ‘excessive’ sweating for feet means soaking through your socks or needing to change them multiple times a day.Equally, if you notice pain, swelling, discharge from the skin or between the toes, spreading redness or ulcers, these can be signs of infection and are worth having looked at promptly. And if you have diabetes and develop any new foot problem, don’t ignore it.The reassuring news is that, for most people, smelly feet are incredibly common and almost always treatable.So, if you’ve ever slipped your shoes off under the table and quietly hoped nobody noticed, don’t panic. Your feet aren’t trying to sabotage your social life. They’re simply telling you they’ve been working hard.Give them a little fresh air, a little TLC and perhaps the occasional day off from those faithful trainers. They’ll almost certainly return the favour.