[pct-l] Foot care secrets in the desert

[brick at fastpack.com (Brick Robbins)]

At 07:10 AM 4/10/04, Jesse Whyte wrote:
>Anyone have any nifty secrets they'd be willing to share?  The basics 
>being a given, of course:  treat hot spots immediately, use moleskin 
>liberally, and make sure that shoes/boots fit perfectly.  Anyone have any 
>problems with new insoles causing blisters or anything else that really 
>surprised them in the desert segment?

Surprisingly, maintaining your electrolyte levels is one of the better hot 
weather blister prevention methods in hot climates.

You do this by eating salty foods, or drinking an electrolyte replacement 
drink like GatorAide or ERG.

If you get low on salt while drinking plenty of water (called hyponatremia, 
or sometimes water poisoning) your extremities swell (peripheral edema ) 
causing hot spots in your shoes and associated blisters.

Unfortunately hyponatremia is also associated with Lethargy, Confusion, 
Muscle cramps & Neurologic <http://www.fpnotebook.com/SPO12.htm>Impairment 
so you may not be in the best mental shape to take care of yourself....

--
Brick Robbins

The important things are always simple.
The simple things are always hard.