[pct-l] Weight Loss, Anorexia, and Sore Feet?

[Melanie Clarke]

Dear Mark,

I "discovered" those also at the "end" of my section hike.  Because my foot
really expanded on my JMT section hike, I bought those insoles along with a
pair of trail runners 2 sizes too big for this year's hike.  I went on some
practice hikes and my foot was moving all around in the shoe.  I think I
overdid the size.  So I put those shoes in my food drop for Big Bear and
just wore my old hikers for the first part of the trip, hoping for some
expansion.  The balls of my feet were hurting so bad by Big Bear, I could
hardly walk.  My feet felt great, however, when I wore those new insoles
with the new hikers.  The shoes were still too big but I did not experience
any more soreness on the balls of my feet for the rest of my section hike.

I AM going to try those insoles (smaller size) on my 2012 section hike (I
can only do section hikes until I retire).  I think those insoles might be
the answer to keep us going.  We need others to do more field testing
though.  I bought mine at Sport's Authority in CA   www.yoursole.com

Toga

On Thu, Oct 13, 2011 at 10:47 AM, Mark Nienstaedt <mark.nienstaedt at gmail.com
> wrote:

> Hi Everyone,
>
> I finished a successful PCT thru hike on September 26th.  I'm also a 2002
> AT
> veteran and have other long walks to my credit.  I'm habitually very fit
> and
> light weight.  On the PCT this year, I weighed in at various points and
> found myself as much as 23 pounds down at 137.  If I normally carry 160
> pounds on a light frame, this weight loss is significant, especially if you
> consider that I train year round for masters elite level cross country ski
> racing.
>
> Two weeks off the PCT, I still have sore feet.  In particular, sore front
> foot pads.  I've experienced this on long trail hikes before.  This past
> week a friend of mine has offered me an interesting suggestion.  He's had a
> friend who experienced anorexia as a younger woman.  He says she has
> reported that she lost so much weight that she couldn't walk.  Essentially,
> when the body begins to metabolize fat, it grabs it from wherever it can.
> The fore foot padding is significantly fat.  Anorexics have difficulty
> walking once their fat loss has reached the point where their un-fat-padded
> feet become very difficult to walk on comfortably.  The question is, could
> there be a connection between hiker weight loss and sore hiker feet?  What
> do we think?
>
> Obviously, I can gain a little weight back and hope it excellerates my foot
> soreness recovery.  Beyond that, if it's of interest my experience is that
> a
> good solution if you experience footsoreness on trail is shoe inserts.  I
> did not find Superfeet helpful.  They have inadequate forefoot padding in
> my
> experience.  My much preferred product on trail was the blue insert
> available at www.yoursole.com .  I recommend it.  Regardless of
> weightloss,
> I may have avoided footsoreness on trail had I used the yoursole blue
> insert
> from the outset of the trail this year. I only discovered it walking
> Washington state at the trails end.
>
> I'm interested in other views on footsoreness.
>
> Buffalo Jump Sly!
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