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sole-man
03-19-2007, 18:51
Heading for my first section hike for a whole two weeks. (Wish it was longer)
This is my first venture into hiking. I've been cross-training to help break in my boots. I went out last weekend for a three day hike to test out my gear and body. I did 10 miles a day on flat-land and was shocked how much my feet hurt. I received pain on top of one foot and sore ankles as well as toe and side of foot pain. I relaced and relaced and couldn't solve it. No blisters just PAIN. I did get my boots sized at the outfitter here.

I did a 15k walk/run with my pack on (38lbs) with running shoes and felt fine.

Is there a thing known as trail foot? Do I need to let my feet adjust to hiking day in and day out or is it the boots?

map man
03-19-2007, 18:58
Wear your running shoes instead of your hiking boots when you take your two week hike. You'll find many threads here on WB attesting to the advisability of wearing lighter footware (like trail runners) than used to be the norm.

Sly
03-19-2007, 19:58
I hate flat.

Heater
03-19-2007, 20:02
Heading for my first section hike for a whole two weeks. (Wish it was longer)
This is my first venture into hiking. I've been cross-training to help break in my boots. I went out last weekend for a three day hike to test out my gear and body. I did 10 miles a day on flat-land and was shocked how much my feet hurt. I received pain on top of one foot and sore ankles as well as toe and side of foot pain. I relaced and relaced and couldn't solve it. No blisters just PAIN. I did get my boots sized at the outfitter here.

I did a 15k walk/run with my pack on (38lbs) with running shoes and felt fine.

Is there a thing known as trail foot? Do I need to let my feet adjust to hiking day in and day out or is it the boots?

I couldn't help but notice all your problems were on the top and sides of your feet. Could that be because you are the "Sole Man." :D :D Ha ha! :D

Appalachian Tater
03-19-2007, 20:04
Try using cheap thin socks as liners if you think friction is playing a role.

If you're wearing leather boots, you have to break them in. Map man is right regarding lighter footwear. The majority of long-distance hikers seem to be wearing lighter shoes.

Sly
03-19-2007, 20:26
The biggest mistake I made, besides starting with boots, was to tighten them too much.

roaddamage
03-19-2007, 20:28
I've been training the past two weeks, and using both trail runners and hiking boots I get pain on the top of my right foot, but I don't know why. Appalachian Tater...I don't think friction is the issue, that results mostly in blisters. I start the trail april 1st and I'm just hoping that the pain goes away as my feet toughen up.

hopefulhiker
03-19-2007, 20:34
After hiking a lot your feet may swell up to about half a size bigger. Also take ibuprophren. It helps reduce inflamation. Sometimes in the middle of the day I would take my shoes and socks off and let my feet out for a few minutes...

Skidsteer
03-19-2007, 20:39
I did a 15k walk/run with my pack on (38lbs) with running shoes and felt fine.



Best not to make a habit of that regardless of your footwear choice. JMO...

Sly
03-19-2007, 20:48
Best not to make a habit of that regardless of your footwear choice. JMO...

Well, you know my secret! ;)

Skidsteer
03-19-2007, 20:51
Well, you know my secret! ;)

Heh, Heh....:D

sole-man
03-19-2007, 21:58
Love the reply about sole-man Austex!

I don't think friction is the problem.
I did notice that my feet were fine the bginning of the third day. I stopped, changed clothes and took my boots off. Immediately after I put them on again I had the same pain on the top of my right foot. So I believe swelling if definitely a factor. I will not be taking my shoes off during the day if I can help it.

I too am starting on April 1 and hope this works itself out.

Heater
03-19-2007, 22:09
Best not to make a habit of that regardless of your footwear choice. JMO...

Make ya go blind?

Appalachian Tater
03-19-2007, 22:10
The biggest mistake I made, besides starting with boots, was to tighten them too much..

That could be the problem. If you have swelling, confining them in tight shoes hurts. Lacing them too tight could also be the cause of the swelling.

sole-man
03-19-2007, 22:16
Well if I don't tighten them enough my heel will come up as I walk.
I don't think I want that? Do I?
I guess what I'm hearing is there will be a magical tightness for each foot that I have yet to find. I may try to lace them differently.

Skidsteer
03-19-2007, 22:16
Make ya go blind?

Excessive pounding is indeed rumored to cause blindness.

whitefoot_hp
03-19-2007, 22:19
i put some gel inserts in my boots one time (bad idea) and it led to all kinds of pain on the top of my feet. i think whats happening is your feet dont have enough vertical room in your boots. just a thought. when i took out those inserts, man my boots felt fifty times better. i think wearing them too tight can lead to the same situation. what i do now is, i dont tighten my boots that much down around my feet, but tighten them moor on those last hooks up around my ankle.

ShakeyLeggs
03-19-2007, 23:13
Depending on the style of boot you wear here is a little trick I learned over the years. When adjusting the tension of the laces before tieing, loosen the tension slightly over the top of the foot. Then adjust the tension at the ancle tighter. YMMV

Heater
03-19-2007, 23:21
Excessive pounding is indeed rumored to cause blindness.

Well they do have inserts now, that you pump up... that's what I heard... anyway. Don't know if that would help matters. I guess that would depend on your size, how much swelling was involved and your individual resistance to the friction.

A good sock might help.

Skidsteer
03-19-2007, 23:34
Yep.

Nothin' better than a good sock.

Rhino-lfl
03-22-2007, 10:44
When your feet heat up and swell a bit, it compresses the tendons and nerves along the top of your feet, as well as sides for the big toe and part of the little toe. If you hike and try some anti-inflammatories and cool your feet once in a while, if it helps, a longer term solution could be a simple cortisone shot.

Also, try leaving the laces looser over the top of your feet but tighter over your ankles so your heels don't ride up.

pokeyhontas98
03-22-2007, 11:00
Your feet can suffer a lot within those first few weeks. The strain of a backpack, the intense hiking, and the constant pounding of your toes up against the boots as you descend down mountains. On my hike in Maine, after 10 days in the 100-mile wilderness, my feet swelled up like cantaloupes and I had to take a 2-day rest in Monson. I lost a few toenails later on but it’s just part of the journey (they grew back). Along the trail I met folks with all sorts of remedies, used some myself but sometimes nothing works better than letting calluses form naturally

Mother's Finest
03-22-2007, 11:57
sly is correct about the difference lacing can make.

however, for any person that spends a long time on their feet, hikers, doctors, nurses, waiters and waitresses, the list goes on and on, the single most important factor is proper arch support. we came into this world with feet that are designed to adapt to changing terrain. They are not designed to walk on flat surfaces for a long period of time. spending time on the feet without proper arch support results in all types of diagnoses. things like bunions, hammer toes, plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia all can be traced back to improper arch support.

the best thing a person can do for themselves is get a proper set of orthotics made up months before they hike. this, coupled with a boot or shoe that fits correctly will take care of most foot problems. As for fit in a shoe or boot, when standing, the toes should have room to wiggle, there should be a bit of space between the end of the longest toe and the end of the shoe. The laces will hold the foot back firmly against the heel counter. Their should not be excess room across the top of the foot, nor should it be too tight.

Think of the orthotic as the base of support for your body. Everything else comes after. Some people like sneaks, some like trail runners, some like boots. For me, when the weather is bad or cold, leather boots by Meindl are the ticket. As soon as it gets warmer, I wear the Brooks Beast running shoe. When my time comes to hike, the majority of the time I expect to be wearing running shoes.

find a Certified Pedorthist to make your orthotic. www.cpeds.org (http://www.cpeds.org) to locate one in your area.

peace
mf

sole-man
03-22-2007, 12:29
I did 6 quick miles yesterday in a pair of ankle high hiking shoes. They are a little old but comfortable. Much lighter and I didn't have the same problems as the boots. Although when I got done I noticed my heels and soles were a little sore. Maybe not enough cushion because they are to old. I've got Superfeet greens in both shoes. Thanks for all the responses. A great help.

Montana
03-22-2007, 12:53
It sounds like you have a similar problem to one I've had on previous hikes. I was taught to tie a surgeon knot at the eyes closest to the ankle: take the two loose ends of your shoelace and wrap them around each other twice before pulling them tight, then continue lacing. This will allow you to leave the foot box loose while keeping your ankle stuck to the shoe. Here is a link explaining how to tie a surgeon knot; hopefully my explanation and these images will be enough to get you going..
http://www.killroys.com/knots/surgeon.htm

moxie
03-23-2007, 08:53
Once again, this is a matter of what works for you. On a thru hike with a heavy pack I appreciate leather boots with ankle support and especially waterproof boots. I met a ridgerunner in Mass. who wore knee high boots because the trail was a sea of sucking mud that year and he believed in walking on the trail, not on the edges because that only made the trail wider. If you don't mind wet feet and don't carry a real heavy pack alot of hikers prefer trail runners and that works for them. In my case it took some experience but I found Smartwool socks with nylon liners got me to Maine without a blister or sore foot. I wore out two pairs of LL Bean Cresta boots but my two pair of Smartwool socks made it all the way. In 2000 most hikers wore boots but one of my very best friends made the last 400 miles hiking in Chacos and another hiker did the entire hike in Tevas. Both wore socks. When it is warm and dry today I will wear light boots or trail runners but when the giong gets tough it's back to 3 pound boots. Just do what works for you. If one type of footware was correct for every hiker we would all be wearing that footware.

Earl Grey
03-23-2007, 08:57
What in the world are you doing RUNNING with your pack on?

The pounding caused by running will put alot of stress on joints in your legs but with a 38lbs on itll put that much more.

Sticks41
03-23-2007, 17:13
Is there a thing known as trail foot?


There is a thing called trenchfoot, that's all I know.