Athlete's Foot from School Gym and PE Class: A Parent's Guide (Guest Post from Dryello)

Sponsored by Dryello. Read the disclosure. Last reviewed September 28, 2026.

Guest post from Dryello. This guide was contributed by Dryello, the foot-care brand made by ProPedix, Inc., and edited by the Mom's Magazine editorial team for accuracy and tone. Dryello is a paying client of Mom's Magazine, and Dryello's Athlete's Foot Treatment Stick is the product featured first here. The full disclosure is at the bottom of the page. Everything medical below comes from each product's FDA-listed Drug Facts label or from public health sources we link to. Nothing here replaces advice from your child's doctor.

PE class is supposed to be the easy part of the school day. Then your child comes home scratching between their toes, or you find peeling skin when they peel off gym sneakers that have been zipped in a backpack since Tuesday. School gyms, locker rooms, and shared showers are classic places for the fungus that causes athlete's foot. This guide is for that specific setting — not the sports-bag smell problem we covered in our sweaty, smelly feet guide for tween and teen athletes, and not a full product ranking (that's our best athlete's foot treatments for kids and teens listicle). Here we focus on PE, school gym, borrowed sneakers, and what parents can pack and do.

Why school gym and PE class set kids up for athlete's foot

Athlete's foot is ringworm of the feet — a fungal infection, not a worm. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that athlete's foot is a form of ringworm, and that using public showers or locker rooms without protective footwear is a common risk factor. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says most people get athlete's foot from walking barefoot in moist public places like pool decks and locker rooms, and that the fungus thrives in the warm, moist environment inside hot, sweaty shoes.

A typical school PE period stacks those risks: kids change shoes in a shared locker room or hallway, some go barefoot on the gym floor during stretches or for volleyball, sneakers get damp with sweat and sit closed until the next PE day, and a few schools still have shared showers after class. Add the habit of borrowing a classmate's sneakers "just this once," and you have a short list of ways fungus can move from floor to skin to shoe.

Borrowed sneakers and the cubby problem

Two school-specific habits make PE different from a weekend soccer practice. First, borrowed or shared shoes. The AAD and CDC both advise against sharing shoes, socks, and towels when someone has athlete's foot. Even when nobody knows they have it yet, shoes that have been worn by someone with a foot fungus can transfer skin flakes. Second, the mid-week cubby. A PE sneaker worn Monday, stuffed into a locker or backpack still damp, and pulled out again Wednesday never fully dries. MedlinePlus lists closed shoes, sweaty feet, and keeping feet wet for long periods among things that raise the chance of athlete's foot.

Is it athlete's foot, sweaty feet, or just odor?

Parents often mix these up because they show up after the same PE class. They need different fixes.

HealthyChildren.org's athlete's foot symptom checker describes a red, scaly, cracked rash between the toes that itches and burns, sometimes with a raw, weepy look when scratched, and notes it is found mainly in teens. Before age 10, the same checker says a foot rash is usually something else. That age note matters for elementary PE: itch and peeling after gym still deserve a look, but do not assume it is athlete's foot and start an adult antifungal without asking the doctor.

Can my child still go to PE and school with athlete's foot?

Yes. HealthyChildren.org says athlete's foot is not easily spread to others on dry, normal skin, and that children with athlete's foot do not need to miss any school. Your child may take gym and play sports. The practical steps are to keep treating as labeled, wear shoes or flip-flops instead of going barefoot in the gym and locker room, use their own towel and socks, and tell the PE teacher if the school has a barefoot unit (gymnastics, wrestling warm-ups, some dance units) so your child can keep feet covered.

What to pack in the PE / gym bag

You do not need a new wardrobe. A small kit that lives in the PE bag year-round covers most of the AAD and CDC prevention advice.

• ✓Flip-flops or shower shoes for the locker room and any shared shower (AAD's first prevention tip).
• ✓A spare pair of clean, moisture-wicking socks. Change if the first pair gets soaked mid-day.
• ✓Their own small towel for feet if the school shower is used. Do not share towels (CDC, AAD).
• ✓A zip bag for damp socks so they do not sit against clean clothes in the backpack.
• ✓Their own antifungal stick or cream if they are treating a rash — labeled with their name, not shared with siblings.
• ✓Optional: a second pair of PE sneakers so each pair can dry a full day between wears (AAD).

If you are already packing for the school year, this kit slots next to the items on our back-to-school checklist by grade. For lunch and snack gear that also lives in the backpack, keep wet PE clothes in a separate wet bag so fungus-friendly dampness is not mixed with food.

Daily habits that actually reduce risk

Dermatologists' prevention lists are consistent, and none of them require a prescription. From the AAD: wear shower shoes in gyms and locker areas; keep feet dry; wash feet every day with soap and dry them completely, especially between the toes; wear socks that wick moisture or dry quickly and change them daily (or sooner when wet); alternate shoes so each pair dries; and do not share towels, linens, or shoes with someone who has athlete's foot. The CDC adds keeping skin clean and dry, not sharing sports gear or personal items like towels and socks, and changing socks every day.

• After PE: if your child can change into dry socks before the next class, do it. Damp socks against skin for the rest of the school day keep the warm, moist environment going.
• At home: pull PE sneakers open, loosen the laces, and pull out removable insoles so both can air-dry. Do not leave them zipped in the backpack overnight.
• Laundry: wash socks and towels in the regular laundry. HealthyChildren.org notes regular washing is fine; socks do not need to be boiled.
• Showers: dry between every toe. HealthyChildren.org also suggests drying the groin before the feet so foot fungus is less likely to spread to the groin (jock itch is often the same type of fungus).
• Home bathroom: if one child is being treated, wipe or mop the shower floor and keep each child's towel separate.

If there is already a rash: how OTC antifungals fit

Mild athlete's foot on the skin is usually treated with non-prescription antifungal creams, ointments, lotions, powders, or sticks. The CDC notes that ringworm on the feet is usually treated with over-the-counter antifungals applied for as long as the label directs — often about 2 to 4 weeks — even if the itch improves sooner. MedlinePlus advises continuing treatment for 1 to 2 weeks after the infection seems cleared to help keep it from coming back, and contacting a provider if it is not better in 2 to 4 weeks or if there are signs of bacterial infection.

Common labeled active ingredients parents will see include tolnaftate, clotrimazole, miconazole, terbinafine, and butenafine. Age cutoffs differ: many tolnaftate, clotrimazole, and miconazole labels allow ages 2 and up with adult supervision (and say to ask a doctor under age 2), while terbinafine and butenafine products are often labeled for ages 12 and up. Our comparison of the best athlete's foot treatments for kids and teens walks through those options with DailyMed labels. Below we feature Dryello's tolnaftate stick first because Dryello sponsors this page.

Meet Dryello Athlete's Foot Treatment Stick

Dryello's Athlete's Foot Treatment Stick is an over-the-counter antifungal made by ProPedix, Inc. According to the product's FDA-listed label on DailyMed, the active ingredient is tolnaftate 1%, the purpose is antifungal, and the labeled uses include curing most athlete's foot (tinea pedis); relieving itching, burning, cracking, and scaling; and preventing recurrence of most athlete's foot with daily use. Label directions say to wash the affected area and dry thoroughly, apply a thin layer twice daily (morning and night), pay special attention to the spaces between the toes, supervise children, and wear well-fitting, ventilated shoes while changing shoes and socks at least once daily.

Dryello sells the product as a dry, glide-on stick (a two-stick pack listed on dryello.com at $16.95 as of September 2026) so kids do not have to rub cream on with their fingers — useful when a middle schooler will not use a messy tube between PE and homework. Dryello's site recommends twice daily for about 4 weeks, then daily use to help prevent recurrence, which matches the label's prevention claim. A fragrance-free variant also exists on Dryello's site. We did not lab-test this product; details come from the label and Dryello's own pages. You'll find the sponsored product card further down this page.

Label warnings parents should read

• For external use only.
• When using this product, avoid contact with the eyes.
• Stop use and ask a doctor if irritation occurs, or if there is no improvement within the time frame the label or your pharmacist expects for that product class (MedlinePlus uses a 2-to-4-week check-in).
• Keep out of reach of children. If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
• Supervise children's use, as the label directs.

Where a foot antiperspirant fits (and where it does not)

If the skin looks normal and the main PE complaint is soaked socks or smell, an antifungal will not fix much. In that case the habits above matter most, and some families add a foot antiperspirant on clean, unbroken skin. Antiperspirants reduce sweat; deodorants only address odor (AAD). Dryello also makes Foot Antiperspirant Deodorant glide-on sticks For Him and For Her. Their DailyMed label lists aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly 6% as the active ingredient, with the use "reduces sweat," and warns not to use on broken skin, to stop if a rash or irritation occurs, and to ask a doctor first if you have kidney disease. Listed price was $14.50 each on dryello.com as of September 2026; For Her showed as sold out when we checked on September 25, 2026.

Do not put antiperspirant on a cracked, peeling, or itchy rash. Treat the infection first. For a longer look at sweat and odor without a fungal rash — sports bags, cleats, and how to talk to a teen about it — see our sweaty, smelly feet guest guide.

When to call the pediatrician

Call your child's doctor if any of these apply. The list draws on HealthyChildren.org, MedlinePlus, and NIDDK guidance for higher-risk feet:

• Your child is under 10 and you suspect athlete's foot. The AAP notes it is uncommon at that age.
• The rash is not better after about a week of treatment or not gone after about two weeks (HealthyChildren.org), or is not improving within the time frame on the product label.
• The rash spreads to the top of the foot, the toenails, or other parts of the body.
• You see swelling, warmth, red streaks, pus, increasing pain, or fever — possible bacterial infection; contact a provider right away (MedlinePlus).
• Your child has diabetes, poor circulation, numbness in the feet, or a weakened immune system. NIDDK advises people with diabetes to take foot problems seriously and check feet daily; do not self-treat without clinician guidance.
• Irritation, blistering, or a new rash starts after using a product. Stop it and call.

If you need a regular pediatrician, our guide to choosing a pediatrician covers what to look for.

Common PE-season mistakes

• Letting kids go barefoot on the gym floor or in the locker room "just for stretches." Flip-flops or sneakers are the fix.
• Stopping the antifungal as soon as the itch fades. Finish the labeled course.
• Treating feet but leaving wet PE shoes sealed in the backpack all week.
• Sharing one tube or stick among siblings. Give each child their own.
• Putting antiperspirant on a rash. Antiperspirants are not antifungals and usually say not to use them on broken skin.
• Assuming every elementary-school foot rash is athlete's foot. Ask the doctor when the child is young or the picture is unclear.

Quick answers parents ask about PE and athlete's foot

The FAQ block at the end of this page repeats the questions most families search for, written so they can be quoted cleanly: whether kids can stay in PE, whether borrowed sneakers spread fungus, how long treatment takes, and how sweat products differ from antifungals.

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