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[pct-l] Re: [FixingYourFeetEzine] Fixing Your Feet E-zine - August 2005
- Subject: [pct-l] Re: [FixingYourFeetEzine] Fixing Your Feet E-zine - August 2005
- From: tahoe.cat at verizon.net (Bill & Cathy)
- Date: Thu Aug 25 10:29:50 2005
- References: <dei9e4+aih9@eGroups.com>
Hi Just got "Fixing Your Feet" 3rd Edition a friend gave me a Barnes and Noble card so I'm ready to read, Just got 2 huge blisters yesterday doing 4.5 miles in my sandals, now to fix them, I have a month before my vacation and I don't want anything slowing me down. Remember "Be Prepared"
Ground Pounder Bill "Semper Fi"
PS I don't remember ever having blisters in the Marine Corps----- Original Message -----
From: John Vonhof
To: FixingYourFeetEzine@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 10:06 AM
Subject: [FixingYourFeetEzine] Fixing Your Feet E-zine - August 2005
My Groups | FixingYourFeetEzine Main Page
FIXING YOUR FEET E-zine
---------------------------------
Volume 5, Issue 8, August 2005
John Vonhof, Footwork Publications
mailto:johnvonhof@comcast.net
http://www.footworkpub.com
Copyright, August 2005, All rights reserved
---------------------------------
PURPOSE
---------------------------------
The Fixing Your Feet E-zine is published the middle of each month to
inform and educate athletes and non-athletes about proper foot care
skills and techniques, provide tips on foot care, review foot care
products, and highlight problems people have with their feet.
---------------------------------
THIS ISSUE IN SUMMARY
---------------------------------
The editorial, Four Years of Foot Care, reviews the content shared
through this E-zine over the past four years. It also introduces my
new Happy Feet blog. The feature article by Karl King looks at the
relationship between blisters and black toenails and the sodium in
your body. There are two great products in the Products section, one
Tip, and a Question. The Bad Feet Contest has a great shot of
toenail blister. The Non-Feet Good stuff has several products to
check out. Then finally, the reader feedback is always worth
reading.
---------------------------------
CONTENTS
---------------------------------
This issue features:
1. Editorial: Four Years of Foot Care
2. Fixing Your Feet 3rd edition
3. Featured Foot Care Products
4. Foot Care Tips
5. Feature Article: Blisters, Black Toenails and Sodium
6. Question of the Month - Compression Socks
7. The Bad Feet Contest!
8. Non-Feet Good Stuff
9. Reader Feedback and Comments
---------------------------------
1. EDITORIAL: Four Years of Foot Care
by John Vonhof
---------------------------------
This issue marks a milestone. It marks four years of giving
editorial advice, feature articles, tips, and product information on
foot care and footwear. It has been quite the trip. The addition of
the Bad Feet Contest has been fun and informative. It shows what can
happen if one fails to heed advice, or sometimes, when stuff
just `happens.' Below is a listing of all the editorials and
feature articles the e-zine has carried over the past four years. In
four years, I have skipped only one month-November 2001, and I
don't even remember why.
Fixing Your Feet, now in its 3rd edition, has become a popular
book for athletes and this Fixing Your Feet E-zine has become a
staple for those wanting information between editions.
Now there is something new. I started a new service to fill
another need-a blog, "Happy Feet: Expert Foot Care Advice for
People Who Love Their Feet." You can check it out at
http://www.vonhof.typepad.com/happy_feet/
A blog is like a journal where new subjects are posted as often
as the owner wants. I will be writing an entry every day, or when
time is tight, about every other day. Blogs are meant to be
informative and this will be fun. Most entries will be a few hundred
words at the most. A quick read. I'll talk about foot care issues
and experiences, footwear and foot care products, and tips. This
will not replace the monthly e-zine--I'll still do that every month.
The blog is a way to get information out to you sooner. It allows
you to comment at any time and to see what others write. I invite
you to check it our and tell me what you think. Here are recent
topics:
- Be Careful Out There
- Healthy Skin and Toenails = Healthy Feet
- Size Matters
- The Insole Test
- Trimming Toenails
- Our Aging Feet
- An Intense Focus on Feet
- Proper Footwear
- The Right Sock for the Right Shoe
- Tossing Socks
- The Right Footwear Can Make all the Difference
Initial feedback has been good. The blog has averaged 66 page
views per day. Michael Cowart wrote: "Finally!" Then Bonnie
added: "The blog looks great keep up the great work!" And
Fred commented: "I've used your advice on many occasions, and
passed it on to many more soldiers. An Army might move on its
stomach, but without feet.... not very far." Again, you can check
it out at http://www.vonhof.typepad.com/happy_feet/
Our feet are not static. They change as we age and they are
affected by conditions which are sometime beyond our control when we
participate in events that tax them to their extreme. The ever-
changing market of footwear in shoes, boots, insoles and socks also
affects them. Ingenuity and creativity has led to the development of
new and better lubricants, powders, and blister patches. There will
always be the need for information on our feet. The growing numbers
of people participating in easy to extreme sports has created a
hungry audience. Couple this with the growing efforts by footwear
manufacturers to meet this appetite, and you have a whole
smorgasbord of topics.
I welcome your feedback and suggestions on topics. The question
in this month's issue asks about compression socks. That's
what makes this e-zine work. The comments and feedback from its
readers is what keeps it alive. I thank you for your support and
encouragement for the past four years.
The following back issues of this E-zine are archived at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FixingYourFeetEzine/. Look for the
calendar at the bottom of the page and click on the desired month.
2005 Articles
July -- Patching and More Patching and Bad Toes and Surgery--a
Comeback
June -- What I Learn from Touching Feet and Finishing a 100-Miler
with Healthy Feet
May -- Summer Foot Care Basics and Conquering the Baatan Memorial
Death March
April -- The Value of Certified Pedorthists and Best Feet Forward
March -- Why carry A Foot Care Kit? and Blister Patches
February -- The Bionic Shoe and Proprioception
January 2005 -- Improvise for the Sake of your Feet and Pump Bumps
on the Heels
2004 Articles
December 2004 -- New Year's Resolutions and Your Feet and More on
Toenails
November 2004 -- Christmas Gift Ideas for Those That Love Their Feet
and Fretting About Foot Fungus: Tips for Toenail Treatment
October 2004 -- What Changed? and The Little Toe Triangle
September 2004 -- We Live and Learn--From Each Other
August 2004 -- Products, Products, and More Products and Trying the
New Inov-8 Trail Shoes
July 2004 -- Touching Feet and Toenails and Blisters... Again
June 2004 -- Smart Athletes, Smart Shoes
May 2004 -- Smart Athletes, Smart Shoes
April 2004 -- Learning From each Other
March 2004 -- You CAN Have it Your Way
February 2004 -- The Top 10 Things That Have Shaped Foot Care
January 2004 -- Helping Others with Feet Problems and Massaging Your
Feet
2003 Articles
December 2003 -- Curly Toes and Traveling on Foot Over Snow and Ice
November 2003 -- Christmas Gifts and Shoes
October 2003 -- Shoe Reviews and Buying Shoes and Come Watson, Come,
The Game's Afoot
September 2003 -- Acronyms and Terms and Blisters and Toenails
August 2003 -- My Feet, Your Feet and Surviving to Run Another Day
July 2003 -- Bad Feet - It Can Happen to Anyone and The Big Bad Rash!
June 2003 -- Two Important Factors for Healthy Feet on Trail Runs
and Chiropractors and Foot Biomechanics
May 2003 -- Finishing WS100 with Healthy and Happy Feet and
Orthotics 101
April 2003 -- The Boy Scout's Motto and Foot Care and Dealing with
Injury and Surgery, Part II
March 2003 -- The Need for Foot Care Supplies and Dealing with
Injuries and Surgery, Part I
February 2003 -- Preparedness and Ankle Care
January 2003 -- Cold Feet and Moisture, Cold and Trenchfoot
2002 Articles
December 2002 -- The Best of 2001/2002 Tips, Products and Services
November 2002 -- Feet are Everywhere and Bad Feet, Even in the Army
October 2002 -- Biomechanics and Extreme Sports and Duct Tape
Effective in Wart Removal
September 2002 -- Is There Hope and Stretching After Exercise
Prevents Injury
August 2002 -- Weight Training and Foot Care and Sand, Scree, and
Scorching Pavement
July 2002 -- Glimpses and Thoughts about Feet and From the Mouths of
Racers
June 2002 -- WS100 with Happy and Healthy Feet and Badwater Badfeet
May 2002 -- Fit, Fit, and Fit and Understanding Tendon Disorders
April 2002 -- The Boom in Trail Shoes and Being Kind to Your Dogs
March 2002 -- Gooey Mud and Gaiters
February 2002 -- The Magic of Fit and Perfect Hindsight or Six
Lessons Learned the Hard Way
January 2002 -- Moisture, Cold and Trenchfoot and Loyalty Means
Shoes Might Not Fit
2001 Articles
December 2001 -- Great Gifts and Don't Get Cold Feet
October 2001 -- New and Improved and Triumph Over Turf Toe
September 2001 -- Healthy and Happy Feet and Two Keys to Healthy Feet
Have an opinion on this article? Share your views at
mailto:johnvonhof@comcast.net
---------------------------------
2. FIXING YOUR FEET - 3rd Edition
---------------------------------
"IMHO, John Vonhof is a god. I own his 2nd edition, and just
ordered the 3rd. I thought that I knew everything about my feet too -
but I think that his book is better than anything else out there for
new & tested ideas." - Christine "Ceanothus" Kudija - PCT
Hiker
"I have your latest book Fixing Your Feet. You should see it now,
full of turned corners and yellow highlighter." - J?rgen
Ankenbrand, the Ultra Kraut
The 3rd edition of Fixing Your Feet: Prevention and Treatments for
Athletes is completely revised and updated with black and white
photos, a general index and a product index, an easier to read
interior layout with lots of new information, and all product
information set apart in product boxes. It's 6 x 9 and 342 pages.
The book can be ordered through your bookstore, sports store, or
visit my website for autographed and personalized copies at
http://www.footworkpub.com. I offer the book at 20% off, autograph
it, and mail it either by Priority Mail or Media Mail (to save a few
dollars). It can also be purchased from Amazon at
http://snipurl.com/FixingYourFeet
---------------------------------
SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER
---------------------------------
This newsletter has 1674 subscribers. Please take a moment and
forward this issue to a friend or two and encourage them to
subscribe. We grew with more than 44 new subscribers since the last
issue in July!
---------------------------------
3. FEATURED FOOT CARE PRODUCTS
---------------------------------
** All Terrain's products have been mentioned in this e-zine in
the past. Now I'd like to introduce you to their Foot Bar. This
is an all-natural, hard milled, soap made especially for your feet.
It contains eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, Neem Oil, Plantain
Extract, and oat extract for thrir cleansing power and ability to
support the skin's healing process. The addition of pumice is
used to exfoliate tough and callused skin. Each bar comes with a
resealable bag for travel. Many drug stores are carrying this fine
line of skin care products. They can also be found at
http://www.allterrainco.com.
** Yankz makes the Sure Lace System for shoes. This is a omfortable,
stretchy lace cord that conforms to your foot in comparison to
regular laces that have no give. Initially, you lace the shoe from
the top down towards the toe, attach the toe clip, and then secure
the loop. Once laced, the shoes are easily adjusted. The laces are
available in a variety of colors including a reflective cord. Check
them out at http://www.yankz.com.
---------------------------------
4. FOOT CARE TIPS
---------------------------------
** Lighten up. That may sound very simplistic, but it's true. If
you are into walking, hiking, trail running or any other sport, you
can benefit from lightening your load. Change from boots to light
hikers, Change from light hikers to trail shoes. Change from old
walking shoes to newer lightweight models. Get a lighter fannypack,
hydration pack, or backpack. If carrying a pack, lighten its load.
Go from a tent to a new ultralight tent or a tarp. Change to one of
the lightweight stoves and take advantage of lighter walking or
hiking poles. Eliminate gear that you never seem to use but just had
to pack. Your feet will feel all these weight savings. A weight loss
of a few pounds will feel like heaven. You'll travel farther and
your feet will be more comfortable.
---------------------------------
5. FEATURE ARTICLE: Blisters, Black Toenails and Sodium
by Karl King
---------------------------------
The layman thinks it is hard to run an ultra because of the great
distances involved - "I get tired just driving that far."
Yet foot problems and stomach woes are more threatening to the ultra
runner than covering a lot of miles.
Effective digestion requires a sufficient supply of sodium
ions. The biochemistry of that is beyond the scope of this forum, so
let's focus on the connection between foot problems and sodium.
Consider the typical ultra runner standing at the starting
line. The feet are fine, the stomach is fine and the amount of
sodium ion in the runner's blood plasma is fine. If those stayed
the same during the run, the only factor in finishing would be the
runner's ability to overcome muscle fatigue in the last part of
the run.
As the runner proceeds down the course, the body sweats for
cooling effect (running generates a lot of un-needed heat that has
to be removed from the body). Sweat normally contains the
electrolyte ions found in blood plasma. The primary ion in sweat is
sodium. Potassium amounts in sweat are considerably lower. Other
ions such as calcium, magnesium and iron are present but in very
small amounts.
As sodium is lost in sweat, more and more of it is pulled from
the blood plasma. There is a normal level of sodium in plasma, and
body must maintain the plasma sodium concentration within a
tolerable range. If the sodium concentration falls too far outside
the range, it can cause death.
As you might suspect, the body has regulation mechanisms to
avoid such a catastrophe. If you have too much sodium, thirst
increases to prompt drinking water that can dilute or flush away any
extra sodium. If you have too little sodium, the body must get more
sodium or remove water from the blood plasma. This will lead to an
increased desire for salty foods. If sodium in not ingested, then an
alternative mechanism must be used. Your body can move water from
your blood plasma and put it into extra-cellular spaces between
tissue cells. That lowers the amount of water in the blood plasma
and returns the ratio of sodium to water to an acceptable level.
That's good for your blood stream, but what about that water
sitting out there between the cells? The cells that were compact
now have water around them and that means the mechanical strength of
the cellular structure is compromised.
What is unfortunate for ultra runners is that the water will
collect in the hands and feet because of gravity. It may be alarming
to see your hands swell up, but it usually won't knock you out of
an ultra. The big problem is found in the tissues of the feet. As
you know from this forum, your feet are complex structures that bear
strong and repetitive insult from the hours of running. Life is hard
enough for them even when they are not compromised with extra fluid.
When the fluid in extra-cellular spaces gets to be significant,
mechanical strength is reduced.
The feet swell inside the running shoes, putting extra pressure
on the tissues, and those tissues can be rubbed to the point of
physical damage. We see blisters form as layers of skin separate,
and we see toenails move more, damaging the weakened tissues that
normally anchor them.
If one is not aware of the part electrolyte status plays in
tissue strength, it is tempting to blame the socks and/or running
shoes. Now, if these give you problems on short runs, the blame is
well founded. If you run four consecutive runs that total 40 miles,
and the shoe/sock combination works fine, but a single run of 40
miles produces problems, maybe something else is going on. Another
tip-off is related to temperature while running.
If your feet do just fine in cold weather, but have problems in
hot weather, it could well be a symptom of poor electrolyte status.
Runners sweat less in the cold, and sodium is not quickly lost. When
the temperatures climb, sweat rate increases and the loss of too
much sodium causes problems at a shorter distance than in the cold.
Runners in cold northern climates rarely have blister problems
during cold long runs, but can have blisters arrive during longs
runs when the first hot days of Spring arrive.
In my personal experience, electrolyte status made a big
difference in the frequency of black toenails. Before I made my own
electrolyte supplement, I had six to eight black toenails on a
regular basis, just like many of my ultra-running friends. When I
got the hang of how to use the supplements, my black toenails
gradually healed and I ran ultras for five years with no more
toenail problems. I made no significant change in shoe or sock type.
In terms of terrain, I actually ran more difficult terrain over
those five years.
Sodium intake can be on a hit-or-miss basis, taking whatever
might be salty from the aid tables, or it can be controlled by
taking a supplement. I developed SUCCEED! Buffered Electrolyte Caps
( S! Caps ), with 341 mg of sodium per capsule so I would know
exactly how much sodium I was getting throughout a run. While
individual results vary, low-sodium problems can be avoided by
taking one capsule per hour, with water. Since I've used them,
blisters and black toenails problems are a thing of the past.
S! Caps are available at either www.ultrafit-endurance.com or
www.zombierunner.com
Karl King, is a Principal Scientist, Hach Homeland Security
Technologies, Loveland Colorado; the President of SUCCEED!
Sportsdrink LLC, the developer of S! Caps and other sports
nutritionals, holds seven patents relating to water quality
measurement technology, is an ultra runner, and former Race Director
of the Ice Age Trail 50 Mile Run.
If you have an opinion on this article, please share your views at
mailto:johnvonhof@comcast.net
---------------------------------
GOT A STORY TO SHARE?
---------------------------------
I am always on the look out for stories to share about their
adventures with some type of connection to feet. If you have
something to share, please send an email to me at
mailto:johnvonhof@comcast.net.
---------------------------------
6. QUESTION OF THE MONTH - Compression Socks
---------------------------------
William Sichel wrote: "I always enjoy your monthly offerings
through your newsletter. One point I'd like to raise. I have never
known you to raise the topic of compression stockings and their
value in foot and leg health/care? They seem excellent before,
during and after ultra runs and feel they maybe deserve a
mention?" If you use or have used, compression socks, please give
us your opinions. Thanks.
---------------------------------
7. BAD FEET CONTEST!
---------------------------------
Lisa Bliss submits a great photo of Ferg Hawke's foot right after
finishing 2nd place at the Badwater Ultramarathon July 12, 2005. See
the photos at http://www.footworkpub.com/badfeet05.html
Just think; your feet could be featured in this e-zine for everyone
to see! Submit your photo or short story by email or snail mail.
Stories should be no longer than 250 words. Send them to
mailto:johnvonhof@comcast.net or by snail mail to Footwork
Publications, 352 Fragrance Court, Manteca, CA 95337.
---------------------------------
8. NON-FEET GOOD STUFF
---------------------------------
** Atsko/Sno-Seal, Inc. makes products to increase water repellency
of clothes and footwear and a line of soaps and shampoos. Athletes
can benefit from many of their products. U-V-Block Sun Protection
turns ordinary clothes into serious UVA and UVB protection. As an
example, one spray application to a white cotton T-shirt increases
the UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) from 5 dry to 50+ wet or
dry. Their Pro-Tech Skin provides protection from friction while
helping to retain natural moisture. Their Sno-Seal has been used on
skin but is made for footwear. Pro-Tech is made for skin with some
of the same components. Finally, their Sports-Wash laundry detergent
is made for high-tech fabrics, which many of us are wearing. Sports-
Wash scored higher than any other detergent in comparison on a
variety of high-tech fabrics. Check out their product line at
http://www.atsko.com.
---------------------------------
9. READER FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS
---------------------------------
Lisa, the photographer of last month's bad feet photo winner,
shares what she and the bad fore-foot photo guy, Pablo Casado, had
emailed her: "His first email to me: `Once upon a time I read
your foot care article, having never ever suffered from serious
blisters I promptly forgot about it. Now I have bought the stuff in
your recommended foot care kit and the ingredients for the skin
toughening recipe.'
"In the next email... his response to me scolding him for
negligence and asking how his foot was doing (it is healing
well): `I started the hike removing sand and changing socks quite
often, but the never ending sand, wet and cold never stopped, the
more tired I became the less I emptied the shoe. What I should have
done was treat the blisters, removing the fluid and patching. I
recall having read somewhere that I shouldn't remove the fluid in
the blister. Also my teammates suggested taping the blister with
duct tape, I can fully not recommend this. The duct tape prevents
the skin from breathing exacerbating the problem.'." In case
you missed the photos, check them out here: at
http://www.footworkpub.com/badfeet05.html
Tom Judd, one of the Two Toms founders (http://www.2Toms.Com)
wrote: "If you had more people using BlisterShield or SportShield
you would have even less work to do on runners and walkers.
Prevention is much better than repairing. Thanks."
Eric Fraser wrote: "Thanks for keeping up the good work John. I
have been reading your work for over 5 years now."
Reader feedback to this E-zine and its articles is welcome and
encouraged. Please email any foot care ideas or tips that you have
tried and would like to share with others, or ideas for an article
for the e-zine to mailto:johnvonhof@comcast.net.
---------------------------------
PRIVACY INFORMATION
---------------------------------
You are subscribed to the Fixing Your Feet E-zine because you
subscribed to it. If you wish to be removed from this mailing list,
you can find instructions at the end of this email.
We respect the privacy of all subscribers and will not disclose your
email address or any information about you to any third party.
---------------------------------
SHARE THIS ISSUE
---------------------------------
If you like this E-zine, please pass it along to others whom you
think will benefit from its contents and encourage them to
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subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
---------------------------------
ARCHIVED BACK ISSUES
---------------------------------
Back issues of this E-zine are archived at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FixingYourFeetEzine/.
---------------------------------
TO UNSUBSCRIBE
---------------------------------
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---------------------------------
CONTACT INFORMATION
---------------------------------
You are welcome to contact John Vonhof at
mailto:johnvonhof@comcast.net about this E-zine or the book Fixing
Your Feet. Snail mail is welcome at 352 Fragrance Court, Manteca, CA
95337.
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