[at-l] my feets hurt

Fri Sep 26 10:41:30 CDT 2008

Keep trying...

Learn as much as you can about your feet.  Not just about the length and
width, but about your arch, your volume, and the shape.

Just because one shoe works well for someone else does not mean it'll work
well for you.  The last is the shape the shoe conforms to when it's being
built.  New Balance has at least nine different lasts that it uses to shape
their shoes.  For the walking/running realm, I think they use at least three
different lasts.  Other shoe brands have their own lasts that might conform
better to your feet.
Learn how to fit shoes properly yourself so that you can get help from the
store personel but not rely on them to determine fit.

The same is true for insoles.  If Superfeet work for you, great.  If not,
try others.

As for socks, even if one combination worked in one sitaution, that doesn't
mean it'll work in another situation.  Liners are designed to slide against
the outer sock, but that might be working against you going downhills when
the liners slide and your foot slides forward to crunch your toes.

I used to wear liners and rag wool but have had much more success with
Bridgedale socks with no liners.  I found the varying weaves and padding
keep blisters away better and also help reduce (not eliminate) sliding in my
shoes.

Remember, I'm just one data point.  What works for me has taken years to
figure out and since shoe options and my own feet are constantly changing,
it's a never ending process.

Don't stick with one store.  Try what REI has but then go to other stores
and try what they have.  I've seen people buy the first shoe they've tried
and be very happy but most of us need to try on many different shoes to find
the one that works best.  Don't forget to wander the store with them.  Use
the ramp if they have one to test the shoes going uphill, downhill and
sideways.  Don't just take one step, jump arond and spend a few minutes on
the ramp.  If the shoes don't work there, they won't work on the trail.  Buy
shoes later in the day after you've been on your feet.

One more thing...  If you're not using them, or you're not using them as
efficiently as possible, consider hiking poles.  The more weight you can
transfer onto the poles, the less that goes onto your feet.  It may not seem
like much for a few steps but it adds up over time.

Best of luck,

Mara
Stitches, AT99

On Fri, Sep 26, 2008 at 11:17 AM, Amy Forinash <amy at forinash.net> wrote:

>
> On Sep 26, 2008, at 10:41 AM, Mara Factor wrote:
>
> > Hi Amy,
> >
> > On my thruhike in '99, my feet hurt most of the time.  The worst of
> > it (heel pain) was alleviated when I got a pair of Superfeet at
> > Trail Days.  Since my size is a women's 14+ with a 5A ball and 6A
> > heel which doesn't really exist, I end up wearing a men's 13 2A.
> > For my hard to fit feet, I needed a pair of custom fit insoles.
> > Most people can use the off-the-shelf version and save some $$$.
>
> I have a beef with the Superfeet guys.  I got custom Superfeet from
> them in 2001 or 2002, and they sucked beyond belief.  They had sharp
> edges that shredded my shoes AND my feet.  Plus they advocated boots
> that were so tight they were painful just putting them on at the shop,
> let alone after you've walked some and your feet have swelled.
>
> That said, I used to use regular Superfeet and liked them.  Now I have
> custom "soft" orthotics I get through my chiropractor.  The orthotics
> I paid much more for through a podiatrist gave me blood blisters and
> had no cushioning to speak of.  I disliked them intensely.
>
> >
> >
> > Since my thruhike, I've reduced my pack weight and gotten out of
> > hiking boots.  I primarily wear New Balance running shoes - either
> > all terrains (800 series) or regular street runners (900 series) -
> > because they fit my feet better than most of the alternatives.  As a
> > result, I now have very little foot pain when I hike.
>
> I've hiked in New Balance running shoes, and they gave me a lot less
> sole pain but a lot more blisters.  I think the extra cushioning in
> the shoes is a good thing for soles, but I have been unable to control
> movement in the shoe.  I hiked in Merrell trail shoes last year and
> had less foot pain on the flat, but they couldn't hold my foot in
> place on downhills so I slid down into the toes.
>
> My most pain (non-blistery) ever has been hiking in any kind of boot.
> I think it's the relative lack of padding.  Are there boots out there
> that have the same kind of squishy foot as a running shoe, but hold
> your foot in place like a regular boot?
>
> > Only after hiking 400 miles when I got home, I realized that the
> > pain was due to pressure on some swelling on the top of the base of
> > my big toe caused by a minor break in a bone under my big toe.
>
> Owie!
>
> >
> > I reiterate the suggestion to make sure your shoes fit right.  Talk
> > to someone who knows how to fit shoes for hikers.  It's different
> > than for in town.
>
> I am really not sure how to proceed here.  I typically buy shoes from
> REI and the people there don't seem to know any more than me.  The New
> Balance store people weren't helpful.  The Superfeet people at Trail
> Days were completely off their rockers IMO.  I live in Central
> Maryland.  Anybody have a recommendation for good shoe fitters I could
> get to?
>
> >  Also make sure you're using the right socks for your feet.
> > Different weaves, different padding, and whether or not you use
> > liners can all affect how your foot feels in your shoe.
>
> I *think* I'm okay on that front.  I have a combination of thin liners
> and wool socks that I think is working for me.
>
> > If you're coming to the Gathering, I'll be giving a talk on Footwear
> > (tentatively scheduled for Saturday morning) and will cover these
> > and other options in more detail.
> >
>
> Unfortunately I won't be at the Gathering to hear your talk.  Thanks
> for your help, though.
>
> -amy
>
> _______________________________________________
> at-l mailing list
> at-l at backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/at-l
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://patsy.hack.net/pipermail/at-l/attachments/20080926/c20e0530/attachment.html 