Background Socks are an important element in running and can help to maintain the optimal conditions of warmth and moisture for the foot. Although socks with bioceramic fiber could be capable of having an antiperspirant and antimicrobial effect, there is little scientific evidence for such potential. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effect and the response, with regards to the foot’s perspiration, of a sock with bioceramic fibers, comparing the results with those of a cotton-made control sock. Methods A group of 33 male runners who were about to run a half-marathon race were asked to wear the bioceramic sock (Action®) on their left foot and the control sock (Kalenji Eliofeel Warm®) on their right foot. Before the race, a microbiological culture was taken on the skin under the fifth metatarsal head, followed by a measurement of the skin moisture on five anatomical zones of the foot. These analyses were repeated at the end of the race. Results After the race, there were significantly fewer bacteria on bioceramic socks than on the control (0.5 ± 1.2 × 104 versus 1.6 ± 2.3 × 104 colony-forming units/cm2, respectively, p = 0.022). At midfoot, dorsum, and the fifth metatarsal base, there was significantly less moisture after the race on the bioceramic sock than in the control (p = 0.011, p = 0.040, p = 0.023, respectively). Conclusion Socks made of bioceramic fibers showed antiperspirant and bacteriostatic characteristics that could help to maintain the normal physiology of the skin of the foot, which could contribute to preventing dermatological diseases.

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Socks with the same three-dimensional plantar design but with different compositions in the separation of their weaves could have different thermoregulatory effects. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the temperatures on the sole of the foot after a 10-km run using two models of socks with different weave separations. In a sample of 20 individuals (14 men and 6 women), plantar temperatures were analyzed using a Flir E60bx® (Flir Systems) thermographic camera before and after a run of 10 km wearing two models of socks that had different separations between the fabric weaves (5 mm versus 3 mm). After the post-exercise thermographic analysis, the participants responded to a Likert-type survey to evaluate the physiological characteristics of the two models of socks. There was a significant increase of temperature (+4 °C, p < 0.001) after the 10-km run with both models of sock. However, the temperature under the 1st metatarsal head was higher with the AWC 2.1 model than with the AWC 1 (33.6 ± 2.0 °C vs. 33.2 ± 2.1 °C, p = 0.014). No significant differences were found in the scores on the physiological characteristics comfort survey (p > 0.05 in all cases). The two models presented similar thermoregulatory effects on the soles of the feet, although the model with the narrowest weave separation generated greater temperatures (+0.4 °C) under the first metatarsal head.