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View Full Version : Avoiding heel blisters etc



strollingalong
03-26-2012, 15:43
As a continuation on my post from yesterday...

I'm going to be knocked out my tendinitis near immediately with pressure on my tendon, so I must exclude that. I've cut my work shoes right down at the back and they cause me no issues. however it means I have almost a flipflop dress shoe. My heel lifts quite a bit, or maybe the shoe doesn't lift with my foot would be a better description.

I'm planning on cutting my new shoes once I get them, any advice?

I imagine this lift and drop motion of the heel will eventually cause big problems? I'd rather have those though than tendon irritation/agony

hikerboy57
03-26-2012, 15:55
put a little duct tape inside the heel of the shoe, your heel will slide more than rub. for some reason, Ive never gotten blisters on my heels.

strollingalong
03-26-2012, 16:15
ooooooooooo.... I like! thanks :)

stranger
03-26-2012, 16:59
Heel lift is usually due to the shoe being too big, or atleast too big on that foot (no two feet are the same size). This can be frustrating where the left foot is fine but the right one is moving, etc...

I have to deal with this...the best thing I've found is to either put hikers wool in your sock to 'fill up' the gap in the affected shoe, or put Leukotape and/or similar thing on your heel 'before' anything happens. The Band-aid blister block stuff works well, holds for days on end unless you are fording rivers - unlikely outside of Maine.

Movement means friction and friction causes blisters - to be honest I think it's better to blister and heal up than attempt to avoid blisters on a long hike. Once you blister in one area you are less likely to blister there again, but it's still possible.

stranger
03-26-2012, 17:01
Heel lift can also be a fit issue (cut, width, design), some shoes lock the heel in better than others, the Asics Trabuco does this very well for me in their current model.

Also, aftermarket insoles are a common cause of heel problems as they elevate the heel and push it outside the natural heel cup, sometimes it's better to replace the factory insoles every 300 miles than get Superfeet, etc...

Del Q
03-26-2012, 20:39
I have had some huge and of course painful heel blisters................superfeet and hiking shoes a 1/2 size larger helped............sock routine is knee high pantyhose (sorry, friend who is a federal agent told me that this is a Special Forces trick), foot powder, socks.........no heel blisters in years, works for me.

Air feet out mid day if not raining............2nd pair of socks for the day. Same routine.

ScottP
03-26-2012, 21:41
Tried chacos?

Cookerhiker
03-28-2012, 10:50
Thanks for all the tips. I had learned the trick about duct tape on the inside several years ago and I'm pleased to see it affirmed here.

Coinciding when I began using Merrill trail runners, I've experienced heel abrasions. Last Fall, I actually ended my Superior Hiking Trail hike 20 miles short of a thruhike because of the infection.

Had similar problems a few weeks ago hiking the Ozark Highlands Trail. Perhaps the new Superfeet insole I used to allevite plantar faciitis hastened the abrasions.

shelb
03-28-2012, 22:48
Body glide can help prevent blisters (and chafing)