Sweaty Feet and Breathing Shoes

It's a little-known fact that our feet perspire more than our armpits. How gross is that! Yet, it could be a reminder that the walk of faith can be a sweaty affair.

Sweat glands.

They're all over our bodies, and that's no news.

Yet, when thinking of how our bodies sweat, we're not likely to think of our feet - except when we shop for athletic shoes; at that point, we not only have fashion, but comfort in mind. Our feet get hot.

The average foot perspires a quarter cup of liquid on a slow day, and up to one full cup is excreted on a day of "fancy footwork." That's why shoe companies are working diligently to develop a shoe that breathes. Literally: cool shoes.

While average people walking one mile may not even break a sweat, their feet most certainly will. The environment in their shoes will closely resemble that of a Louisiana swamp: about 94 degrees in temperature with 96 percent humidity.

That's why shoe manufacturers are now turning to "comfort technologists" who have researched various shoe linings in hopes of discovering greater breathe-ability to help avoid muggy buildup. While the average sweaty foot in the average shoe might create serious...