[pct-l] Toe injuries and shoe fitting (was Black Toes)

[m_factor at hotmail.com (Mara Factor)]

Marshall is right.  If you're getting blackened toenails, losing toenails, 
cracking toenails, etc., your shoes just don't fit properly.  For many, it 
takes a long time and a lot of shoes before we can find the right fit.  For 
me, it's still nearly impossible to find shoes that really fit, but I can 
now come close enough and rarely have problems with my feet when hiking.

The typical problems that can cause toe issues are shoes that are too short, 
too wide, too small a toe box, or too narrow.  :-)  Yes, shoes that are 
either too wide or too narrow can cause similar problems.

Try visiting a really good outfitter with people who are trained to know how 
to fit shoes.  They will size your feet on mulitple dimensions both when 
your foot is unweighted and when your foot is weighted.  Then, they should 
know which brands and models are designed for your shaped feet.

A simple test for appropriate length shoes is to loosen the laces completely 
and stand with your foot weighted in the shoe.  Push you foot forward so 
that your longest toe "just" touches the front of the shoe.  Don't cram it 
forward.  You should now be able to get your index finger down behind your 
heel to the bottom of the shoe.  Make sure this is true for both feet.  It's 
better for the shoe to be a little too long than too short.

Make sure the shoe doesn't narrow too quickly for your foot.  This could 
cause the shoe to squeeze your little or big toes and also cause problems.

Some people's toes curl up - or down when walking.  You may need a larger 
volume toe box to accomodate them.  Try wiggling your toes up and down in 
the shoes and see if there's room to move.

Get on the ramp that most stores have.  Jump up and down while facing 
downhill.  If your toes touch with a few jumps in the store, just think 
what's going to happen with the hundreds and thousands of downhill steps 
you'll be taking every time you go down a hill or mountain.

If the shoe almost seems to fit but you do get some jamming, try other types 
of lacing.  You want the laces to hold your heel back into the heel cup 
without crushing your instep.

You may also want to visit a podiatrist.  Depending on your foot type and 
structure, they may recommend shoes with specific kinds of lasts.  There are 
slip lasts, board lasts, and others.

Just because you hear of one person raving about a specific pair of shoes, 
doesn't mean that style will work for you.  One of the reasons I think that 
New Balance has become popular with hikers is that they have a greater array 
of sizes than most other manufacturers.  Even for men's shoes, they have a 
few styles in AA.  Just this year, they've started carrying women's 14s.  
But, other brands may fit you better.  Don't discount them just because you 
don't know of people wearing them.

Try on many different pairs of shoes.  Just because one pair feels "OK" 
doesn't mean the next pair won't feel like slippers.  Unless you try on many 
pairs, you won't necessarily know how good a fit you can get.

If there's a great difference in length between your weighted and unweighted 
shoe length, you may want to try a more supportive insole than the stock 
insole that comes with most shoes.  This could help support your feet and 
help them maintain their shape within the shoe.

For what it's worth, this is an ongoing issue.  Our feet change over time so 
just because a certain shoe fit you at one point doesn't mean it's going to 
fit you two years later - or 300 miles later.  :-)

Best of luck and keep trying...

Mara
Stitches, AT99

P.S.  In case you're wondering, I am currently wearing men's 13AA shoes 
because I haven't found any women's shoes long enough for me.  My current 
women's shoe size is probably a low-volume, 14 or 14.5 5A/6A.  So, I'm still 
swimming in the AAs but it's better than most alternatives.

So, I can't wait to check out the 14s that New Balance has started to carry. 
  With any luck, I'll be buying some women's trail shoes/sneakers again 
soon.  Gotta wait til they get to the factory stores here in the Boston area 
though...  Always takes longer than the full priced retailers.  Sigh.   -MF

http://friends.backcountry.net/m_factor


>From: "Marshall Karon" <m.karon@comcast.net>
>Subject: Re: [pct-l] Black Toes
>Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2004 00:10:22 -0700
>
>My experience is that prevention is the best cure - get longer, wider shoes
>so your toes don't hit the front.
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Cathy" <tahoe.cat@verizon.net>
> > Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2004 8:14 PM
> > Subject: Re: [pct-l] permanent injuries from thru-hiking?
> >
> >
> > > Hi does anyone know what can be done about getting black toes and 
>nails
> > > breaking half way back of the nail? This happens a lot to me and it
>takes
> > a
> > > very long time to grow back, months to almost a year. I've changed 
>from
> > > different kinds of boots and different socks but it still happens.
>Thanks
> > > Ground Pounder

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