[pct-l] Insole-nt Question

[Elizabeth Church]

Yes! I agree with all of this! Roomy shoes, minimal drop, barefoot walking, feet strengthening, and Leukotape! I had no foot issues in 2013.

Cinco




> On Feb 17, 2014, at 11:03 AM, Betty Wheeler <bettywheeler at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> My "foot happiness" formula:  roomy minimalist shoes with 4mm or less drop
> and minimal cushioning, thin socks, Dirty Girl gaiters, Leukotape, and a
> cream or salve specifically formulated to condition but not soften calluses
> and to prevent cracks (e.g., Joshua Tree climbing salve), which I use at
> night after cleaning my feet. I also do a fair amount of barefoot walking
> or running, to help strengthen and condition my feet.
> 
> I'm a big fan of New Balance Minimus (I've been using the original women's
> Minimus 1010, and am nervous that v.2 is different and getting bad reviews,
> but I still have one relatively new pair of the originals, plus a "reserve"
> pair on the shelf). New Balance shoes are easy to get in wide versions (D
> in my case), which means a very roomy toe box. In my book, a roomy toe box
> + a minimal shoe is the #1 way to avoid foot problems. My test:  If a shoe
> doesn't fit me while I'm wearing CorrectToes, then it's not wide enough in
> the toe box -- not that I wear CorrectToes while hiking, but it does allow
> me to see if a shoe accommodates my toes when properly spaced.
> 
> I'm also a big believer in Leukotape. Much better than duct tape! Put it on
> at the first sign of a hot spot or problem area, and you're golden. It
> comes in a big roll, so I just put strips of it onto parchment paper or
> address label backing paper for my first aid kit, and then cut to suit the
> purpose when I'm using it on trail. (But Leukotape is not for anyone with
> latex allergy.)
> 
> I've been known to remove insoles from shoes and hike without any, but have
> been testing out Toasty Feet insoles, which block both heat and cold. They
> are pretty thin and offer minimal padding, and I've been trying them out
> with some success to help with cold -- they are supposed to help with heat,
> also, but haven't tested that out.
> 
> Some years ago, after too many years in relatively low dress heels that
> were essentially required for work, I had a lot of foot pain, and got what
> I now consider to be ridiculously bad medical advice -- including expensive
> and rigid custom orthotics, suggestions that I give up running, etc.
> Everyone's situation is different, but once I did some training using
> barefoot principles, and worked out my "foot happiness formula," all of
> that foot pain became a distant memory.
> 
> Betty
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubscribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
> 
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
> All content is copyrighted by the respective authors. 
> Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.