[pct-l] Boots and Ankles

[Jeffrey Olson]

  I stopped wearing leather boots in 1994.  My feet grew on a long 
section hike and I had NB 802s mailed to me at Diamond Lake.  I sprained 
my ankle often, once badly enough I had to leave the trail.  The last 
couple years I've played golf almost daily on a very hilly course that 
is poorly maintained.  I walk on hummocks, grassy tufts, snake holes, 
etc.  I wear tevas or NB running shoes.

The consequence of an hour and a half a day of walking on uneven 
surfaces is incredibly stronger ankles than ever before in my life.  
This summer I fell off "those little rocks" that before would send me 
rolling to the ground (I fell often enough to perfect falling into 
rolling).  It helps to use poles, but what before would have sent me to 
the ground, was a minor irritant...

Jeffrey Olson
Martin, SD

On 8/26/2010 4:07 PM, ned at mountaineducation.org wrote:
> Although I've never considered myself having weak ankles, I've twisted one or two over the years unto major swelling and bruising. I have usually hiked in leather boots with stiff uppers to prevent accidental twists. Strangely enough, I have an unwitting tendency to find those little rocks which, if located under my boot in just the right location, my ankle rolls quickly laterally and if it wasn't for the leather upper to hold me together, I'd be recovering on the trail somewhere, soaking in a cold creek!
>
>
>
> Ned Tibbits, Director
> Mountain Education
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