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evansprater
10-26-2012, 16:35
So I did my first 21 miler on Monday into Fontana... My feet were messed up so I took a zero there, which was nice. Wednesday I headed into the smokies and did 13.2, 14.7, and 13 miles the last three days. On the 14.7 day I noticed my feet getting pretty freaking sore around hour 6, and today going into newfound gap, they got really sore around hour 3, to where the last few miles were almost unbearable. I did notice last night as I was standing in the shelter that the soles of my feet felt almost like they were bruised... Tender and a bit sore when standing and the like. I have some Keen waterproofs (anticipating snow) with blue superfeets. My thought is the superfeets are too thin - they're barely 1/8" (if that) thick. Do I just need some more cushion in there? I don't think I'm pushing myself too hard, anyways. Either way the weather will probably keep me in Gburg til Monday to give the feet a good rest. Any ideas or thoughts are greatly appreciated!

hikerboy57
10-26-2012, 16:43
i dont think its the shoes, ive got a couple of pair of keens and the midsole is strong enough for rough trail. probably just the increased miles day after day, try massaging your feet for 15-20 minutes at the end of the day, it helps for me.

jakedatc
10-26-2012, 16:48
dunk them in a stream or cold pond for 5-10mins too. that will help reduce any swelling going on. just do it downstream from where folks get water.

snifur
10-26-2012, 16:51
it could be a lot of different issues. are you in boots or shoes? how well did you test your footwear before you hit the trail? did you get the right size that also all0wed for spreading? your feet may not be used to the miles. might not be used to the shoes. you just might be a tender foot. you may need more cushion on the balls of your feet. you may need batter arch support. try skipping the second lace eyeholes up from the toes to allow for some spreading. are your shoes on the right feet? are you wearing the shoes while doing those big miles? have you hiked much in the past? are you walking backwards when you hike? there are so many different issues it could be. too many people rush onto the trail with out testing their gear and finding out what they really need. are you wearing socks? what kind? are your socks on the right feet? start trouble shooting and see what fixes it. until then, keep the miles low slow and easy or you might be risking a serious injury.

evansprater
10-26-2012, 17:05
Lol. No, got these at Neels Gap to replace the horribly fitted boots REI gave me. Yes, they're on the right feet. I've only been able to wear my liner socks because I I wear my smart wools (thick or medium) they sweat so much they get pruny and hurt even worse. I will try the skipping the second lace hole idea, didn't think of that! They are pretty big though (size 13, I normally wear 12) so my heel doesn't grind and toes don't smash in the front. I have not hiked much in the past but am an avid long distance runner and had done at least one 10+ mile run a week for the last three years so I'd think they'd be used to the pounding. Sending home my yet tomorrow so that'll reduce some weight as well...

evansprater
10-26-2012, 17:06
Sending home my tent* stupid iPhone

hikerboy57
10-26-2012, 17:15
Sending home my tent* stupid iPhone

i was wondering what you were doing carrying a yet. theyre completely worthless.

SCGamecock
10-26-2012, 17:45
So I did my first 21 miler on Monday into Fontana... My feet were messed up so I took a zero there, which was nice. Wednesday I headed into the smokies and did 13.2, 14.7, and 13 miles the last three days. On the 14.7 day I noticed my feet getting pretty freaking sore around hour 6, and today going into newfound gap, they got really sore around hour 3, to where the last few miles were almost unbearable. I did notice last night as I was standing in the shelter that the soles of my feet felt almost like they were bruised... Tender and a bit sore when standing and the like. I have some Keen waterproofs (anticipating snow) with blue superfeets. My thought is the superfeets are too thin - they're barely 1/8" (if that) thick. Do I just need some more cushion in there? I don't think I'm pushing myself too hard, anyways. Either way the weather will probably keep me in Gburg til Monday to give the feet a good rest. Any ideas or thoughts are greatly appreciated!

I had to stop wearing my blue Superfeet insoles because my feet felt like they were bruised also. I recently bought some Keen boots because I found them cheap. I bought a thin blue gel insole, which I found at Walmart, and I put them under the insole that came with the boot. They are extremely comfortable with the extra gel cushion. The blue Superfeet just didn't have enough cushion, was too rigid, and now my feet feel better.

MuddyWaters
10-26-2012, 18:28
Your second day was over the rocky up-down section which is a little hard on feet between thunderhead and derricks knob.

After that the trail is much better.

kayak karl
10-26-2012, 19:04
I had to stop wearing my blue Superfeet insoles because my feet felt like they were bruised also. I recently bought some Keen boots because I found them cheap. I bought a thin blue gel insole, which I found at Walmart, and I put them under the insole that came with the boot. They are extremely comfortable with the extra gel cushion. The blue Superfeet just didn't have enough cushion, was too rigid, and now my feet feel better.
same here. wore Superfeet and the bottom of my feet felt like i was standing on marbles or a rocky stream bed. switched to Dr Scholl knock-offs and i was fine.

moldy
10-26-2012, 21:16
How much does your pack weigh? This could be part of the problem. Your foot is a complicated little machine, too flat or too high an arch and it can effect how big a load it will take on a long distance hike. The same thing that happened to you happened to me and I ended up with a 20 pound pack. Now I can do 3 or 4, 20 mile days in a row with only minor foot pain. Playing musical shoes did nothing for me.

Don H
10-26-2012, 21:39
Do your feet hurt worse when you first get up in the morning?
Typical symptom of Plantar Faschiitis.

Theosus
10-26-2012, 21:45
Almost sounded like gout at first. Heat some marbles until they are around 140 degrees... then stand on them. Sort of what gout feels like, except the marbles are in your foot. Not fun at all.

Tinaphps
10-26-2012, 23:33
Ahh! I stand corrected then, Thanks for clearing that up.
http://www.freecoupontoday.info/coupon/shopping/act.jpg
http://www.freecoupontoday.info/coupon/shopping/lk.jpg

Train Wreck
10-26-2012, 23:59
Hikerboy may be right about your foot pain being caused the by increasing mileage each day. Gatlinburg will give you a much needed rest. Go get yourself a couple of Motrin before you read the rest of my post :)

I use to have the same problem every time I'd go hiking. My boots fit correctly, and I was carrying a reasonable pack weight (not UL, but not overloaded, either) so I knew it wasn't a gear issue. While hiking, my feet would start getting sore earlier and earliereach day, to the point walking was not enjoyable at all. It got bad enough that I finally saw a podiatrist. He told me that (1) I didn't have very much padding (tissue & muscle) on the balls of my feet, which made the bones ache with all the pounding they took on the trail, and (2) my high arches were contributing to the problem because they threw my weight onto the balls of my feet also . A bad combination that caused the exact symptoms you described. The good news - I got prescription orthotics and haven't had any real problems with sore feet since.

You might try taking Motrin throughout the day, at least for a couple of days, when you return to the trail.

evansprater
10-27-2012, 08:27
Great, thanks for all the help guys. Nobthey do not hurt worse in the morning, and if it was plantar fa*****is, from what ive heard, i wouldn't be able to walk. i will put some cheapo gels under my superfeets (or perhaps just replace them). There happens to be a custom orthotic place on the main drag here in gatlinburg so ill stop in and see what they have to say as well! You guys rock!

shadow11
10-27-2012, 08:56
Great, thanks for all the help guys. Nobthey do not hurt worse in the morning, and if it was plantar fa*****is, from what ive heard, i wouldn't be able to walk. i will put some cheapo gels under my superfeets (or perhaps just replace them). There happens to be a custom orthotic place on the main drag here in gatlinburg so ill stop in and see what they have to say as well! You guys rock!
Ditch the keens.and get yourself some trail runners with a vibram bottom and add a gel insert.don't worry about waterproof. trail runners with netting will dry pretty good over night.I hiked with other hikers who were wearing keens.they all had one thing in common,lost toenails. At your age its most likely your shoes,and not your feet.

Don H
10-27-2012, 09:06
I used Superfeet insoles on my thru last year but i think I'll try some gel inserts. Any recommendation on brand/type?

evansprater
10-27-2012, 15:58
The only thing shadow11 is I'm noBo in October... In expecting snow. I feel like the warmth and waterproof of the boots is a necessity in snow, am I right? Any other time of year and I'd have trail runners forr sho.

Don H - I bought some ten dollar dr scholls gels at Walmart and out them under my superfeets today. Still taking a few days off to let the feet really heal, but I can already tell a huge difference. You get the awesome support of the superfeets with the gelly comfort of the dr scholls underneath!

Don H
10-27-2012, 21:24
I would think the ridges on the underside of the heel on the Superfeet would shred the gel insoles.
Let me know if it works out.

evansprater
10-28-2012, 11:34
Well guys the pain was actually getting worse on my zero day with very little walking and both my big toes were going numb... I went to a local podiatrist in gatlinburg and apparently my arches were flattening out and crushing the nerves in the balls of my feet, where most of the pressure was going. I got some custom orthotics that have major arch support and are supposed to "reshape" my foot eventually, with enough walking, and return the feeling to my big toes and stop the "bruised" ball of foot problem. I didn't know my feet were as messed up as they were. Oh and apparently gel is bad for your feet. Really bad - the podiatrist said it offers less support and makes your foot even weaker.

Wise Old Owl
10-28-2012, 13:24
explains why gel didn't work for me.

Rain Man
10-30-2012, 08:32
So I did my first 21 miler on Monday into Fontana... My feet were messed up so I took a zero !

Know what you should call a 21-miler followed by a zero. Two 10.5 days only WITH the problems of excessive mileage.

Hike reasonable, not "macho" mileage, and your feet will love you.

And yes, gel inserts are as bad a gel bicycle seats. Might feel good for a few minutes, but cause more problems than they solve over longer distances.

Rain Man

.

prain4u
10-30-2012, 10:32
The only thing shadow11 is I'm noBo in October... In expecting snow. I feel like the warmth and waterproof of the boots is a necessity in snow, am I right? Any other time of year and I'd have trail runners forr sho.

Forget the feet for a minute....Am I reading this correctly...are you starting a NOBO thru hike in October (and are now in the Smoky Mountains)?

I am hoping that I am reading that wrong or that you are just doing a "section hike" right now and going to resume your hike in Spring. If you are really doing a "legitimate" thru hike without significant breaks--most of the hike will be in semi-crappy weather and in places that are dangerous or even closed in winter. Bas feet would make this even more "interesting". What am I missing here?

evansprater
10-30-2012, 11:35
I have not said I am thru hiking, though others have called me one on the trail. I am planning on getting as far north as the weather allows/I am comfortable with, getting a job wherever I land (maybe harpers ferry or something?) and resuming in mid march or early April. I would still consider it a "legitimate" thru hike because it is within the confines of one calendar year, just (hopefully) broken up into two halves. I have had several people tell me I could make it to the southern part of the whites or even Baxter before I had to stop. I honestly have no idea how far ill go before I break for winter, though.

prain4u
10-30-2012, 14:18
I hope you didn't take offense at my use of the phrase "legitimate" thru hike. That was not my goal. I was really struggling to find the right word to convey the concept of starting at Springer and going straight through to Katahdin without having any significant stops, missed sections, breaks, flip-flopping, blue blazing etc. In retrospect, perhaps the phrase "standard" or "typical" thru hike would have been better---but starting your hike in October certainly doesn't make it "typical" or "standard" either. Dang the English language! Sometimes it is so limiting!

Drybones
10-30-2012, 16:25
It may be just a matter of work hardening your feet. Your feet are being asked to do stuff they have never done before and may need time to condition. I had a memorable bad day this spring where I took the wrong trail twice trying to make up for time lost going back to the Double Springs Shelter to get the phone I left there. I logged 15 trail miles but did 25-26 on rugged terain. The constant pounding of my feet on rocks all day made one foot feel like it had been hit with a hammer, it hurt to touch the sleeping bag that night. It was better the next day but took several days for it to feel normal again.

SassyWindsor
10-30-2012, 17:50
Get good quality boots, like Italian made Scarpa's SL M3's. They have the soles and mid-soles that can handle the toughest of trails, especially rocky terrain. Footbeds(some call insoles) should be on the thicker side, especially if you have excess volume inside the boots.

SassyWindsor
10-30-2012, 17:59
Video review of the latest Scarpa SL boot. Note that the leather has very few seams to keep weather tight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkiNRjGAF3Q&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkiNRjGAF3Q&feature=related)

evansprater
10-31-2012, 09:25
Thanks for the suggestion! I don't know if you saw, though, it seems the problem has been solved by my Alzner Orthotics I picked up in Gatlinburg. A google search yields tons of info about them, if you're interested.