Foot pain - What do you do?
Years of standing on a sales floor has done some damage. Hiking stretched the muscles and made the pain go away in the past. But some arthritis is kicking in, so what do you do?
Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.
Woo
Foot Pain
I hiked with foot pain for five years. It started slight and got gradualy worse so that last year I had xrays. They showed "bone spurs." I scheduled an appointment with a surgen, but my wife talked me into visiting a physical therapist. I went one time. He had me walk back and forth a few times and gave me two assignments.Originally Posted by Wise Old Owl
1. Start wearing green SuperFeet in my boots.
2. Strengthen my ankles by standing on one foot a minute or two every day.
My foot pain was gone within a week.
Shutterbug
What you should do will depend on why you have foot pain. If it's just arthritis then some type of anti inflammatory is about all you can do. I use plain ol aspirin but many people will disagree. It works for me. There are steroids that reduce inflamation also but I have never used them. Actually one of the reasons I try to walk at least three miles per day is to keep my feet from hurting when I do more miles on a hike.
KK4VKZ -SOTA-SUMMITS ON THE AIR-
SUPPORT LNT
There is a new and really high quality footbed called Orthosoles.
I've been fitting them on this years crop of hikers at Mtn. Crossings.
The sole has a impact foam base with changable arches and metatarsals, a thermoplastic heel form and small impact gel under the heel.
Stable, feels cushy, but without excess motion and even current sorefoot hikers are smiling.
The custom features are easily self adjusted to get the best fit for each foot.
NO Breakin...OK, maybe 20 minutes to adjust/change the arches.. But no breaking in your feet. Trail ready!
Average lifetime, 2-3 Trailrunners, 1 good boot, or 1000 miles.
This is a Low estimate..ask me in 2-3 more months! YMMV.
www,orthosole.com
I too have foot pain in my left foot from standing on concrete floors forty hours per week. It makes it harder to get out and hike any distance when my foot ends up hurting so much. I think it may be time to consult a doc and see what he/she says about dealing with the problem.
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams
Thoreau
I fell 45 ft. when I was 14. I crushed my heel bone and several smaller bones and relocated most of the soft tissue in my right foot. Some consideration was given to fuse my ankle to make it stronger but that would have severly limited my range of motion in my ankle. In the end it was put in a cast and let heal without any intrusion into my ancle. So pain in my foot has been part of my life for the past 48 years. I have experimented with shoes and boots a lot. And I am accutely aware of changes in my foot support. When using adjustable insoles be very careful not to put too much pressure on the instep arch of the foot. Much grief can come from walking to far on misadjusted insoles. My personal preferance is to adjust my insole and walk 2 or 3 miles. then see how my feet feel the nest morning and readjust if needed. Just my 2 pennies worth.
KK4VKZ -SOTA-SUMMITS ON THE AIR-
SUPPORT LNT
See if you can find thick "crepe rubber" soled shoes. Helps. Only one who has worked on concrete can understand how vile they are.
I had this same discussion with a podiatrist come to find out I have a little arthitis in my right foot big toe joint and after some walking I get a burning sensation. His solution for me is to start taking 800 mg Ibuprofen about 2 to 3 days before the hike and each day while hiking to keep any inflammation in check. I have been doing that I think it helps. Of course the more miles you do the more strain you will have.
If you can’t fix it with duct tape or a beer; it ain’t worth fixing
I suffer from Plantar Facitous. I use an antiflamitory as well as insoles with some relief. Once I get hiking and going I am fine but after a stop and or a rest it takes me a minute or two to get going really good. To many years in the INFANTRY. UGH!!!! I also reccomend streches and foot rotations, that helps me.
ZEUS307
"Sleep well an night, safe and sound, knowing that there are Warriors willing to go into harms way, do violence, to protect your country and your way of life" U.S. ARMY RANGERS
I can definitely sympathize with you on foot pain. I've had recurring achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciatis problems over the last few years. Just this last weekend on a 14 mile training hike, I aggravated the left foot, so bad I couldn't walk on it at the end of the hike I was limping badly. It will delay my thru hike start date a week, now it looks like I'll head for Amicalola Falls around April 16th.
After several sessions with physical therapists and "trial and error" over the last few years, now I work a lot on stretching, especially after the first 30-45 minutes of hiking at the beginning of the day... I use the green Superfeet insoles, and take Alleve on all backpacking trips. For me, Alleve works better than Ibuprofen. good luck!
Nursing shoes....
There is a new and really high quality footbed called Orthosoles.
I've been fitting them on this years crop of hikers at Mtn. Crossings.
The sole has a impact foam base with changable arches and metatarsals, a thermoplastic heel form and small impact gel under the heel.
Stable, feels cushy, but without excess motion and even current sorefoot hikers are smiling.
The custom features are easily self adjusted to get the best fit for each foot.
NO Breakin...OK, maybe 20 minutes to adjust/change the arches.
Average lifetime, 2-3 Trailrunners, 1 good boot, or 1000 miles.
This is a Low estimate..ask me in 2-3 more months! YMMV.
www,orthosole.com
I was looking at those at Mountain Crossings this past Saturday. I bought my first trail runners. I live in PA and hike the AT most often at spots between Lehigh Gap and DWG, so I'm keeping my big old boots for that sort of thing. Winton fit my trail runners, and I did a 6 mile hike up here in PA (not-rock trail) today and loved 'em. But, now I'm kicking myself for not trying the orthosoles for my boots. Maybe I'll order some. Do you think those can be changed from trail runners to boots on occasion? I've been using Superfeet in my boots, and I think I'm getting close to replacement time on them.
Yes, you can easily switch the Orthosoles between shoes. You might want to keep the alternate arches as different shoes/boots might require some adjustment.
Different things work for different people. That being said ...in 2003 when my dogs started to bark back at the PA rocks I got a large tube of "Aspercreme" and massaged my feet with it multiple times during the day. It seemed to make a diference.
'Slogger
GA -> ME 2003
The more I learn ...the more I realize I don't know.
Visit a CCEP (Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practicioner). They will be able to address the specific issue(s) you are having.
The orthosoles look very interesting as I am trying hard to get used to my new superfeet blue for reoccurring tibial tendonitis. Might look into it before this summer's hike.
Stiff-soled boots for me.
excellent - yes my super feet are wearing out. Time to replace.
i will look into that!
yep i can take that along!
yes that is what i am going to do with my $6 rei dividend!
thats a new one - i will give it a try!
Thanks - folks (first half of posts)
Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.
Woo
I looked into this 5 years ago when it was real bad and I guess I have to do it again with my Doc's blessing.
Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.
Woo
There is a stretch you could do in the morning before you get out of bed that might help....Use a belt or something simular and pull the top of your foot towards you. Hold that for a few seconds. Then switch feet.
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