Flat feet

[Tanika]

I'm doing my first walk in 2015 and my 16 yr old son wants to join me. He has flat feet and wears special insoles. I'm wondering if this will make the walk harder for him. Does anyone on the site have similar problem? I would love to share this experience with my son... Yet I don't want to have to end my journey earlier due to problems he may have. Selfish, I know, but it is what it is.

 

[Dutch]

I have flat feet. Lots of people do. We are not alone

First camino i walked in boots with special insoles. AWFULL awfull awfull. Never again boots.
Second camino i walked in lightweight flexible (nike) trailrunners with the insole that comes with the shoe. GREAT!

He just has to walk in something that is comfortable for him. A type of shoe or boot that he is used to. Then i think he'll be just fine.

 

[Tanika]

Good information, thank you.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The foot and ankle specialist said, "Those are the flattest feet I have ever seen." They are not a deterrent to walking, but I have to walk through a certain level of pain. Your son may have to do so as well, so he may need a bit of commitment to stick with it. The Camino might not be the best place to first discover if he has grit. Try some local long walks with a pack before you spend a lot of money getting to Spain. If the trek is not his idea, he may not want to keep going when the going gets tough. There is a thread that has just started on sore feet. Read it, and others, so get a sense of what he might expect.

Buen camino.

 

[Charliemag]

Can anybody share their experience with arch supports / insoles. I am a flat footed person and want to get a good fix before I tackle the camino again. I favour light type running shoes to walk in.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I use Spenco Total Support insoles for flat feet. I have had custom orthotic insoles, but did not like them.

https://www.spenco.com/category.aspx?catid=17&cid=

 

[Tanika]

Yes, we were going to do a few trial walks at home before the " big walk".Good advice, thanks for the input, I will read the posts you recommended.

 

[Kitsambler]

Contrary to Falcon's experience, I love my prescription orthotic inserts, and would swear by them. After trying some new foam-type inserts that did not stand up to the weeks of heavy pounding involved in these type of walks, I'll never go back.

Here's the technical issue: foam will compress. Once it compresses, it loses resilience. It will not spring back after you step on it. That leaves your foot flat and unsupported. So make sure to get a quite rigid arch support - one that fits your particular foot (in three dimensions). You might be lucky and get a great fit with the manufacturer's insole, or with a commercially available insole such as Superfeet (a US brand). Otherwise, you'll need a custom orthotic from a foot specialist. The best way to determine your needs is to be conscious of your feet during the lengthy training process, and take action accordingly.

 

[s. brown]

Can anybody share their experience with arch supports / insoles. I am a flat footed person and want to get a good fix before I tackle the camino again. I favour light type running shoes to walk in.

This is beside the point, but I love those dogs!

 

[cher99840]

I am fortunate that Superfeet work for me. I'd like to add that good insoles are not just for flat feet, but also for minor alignment assistance which helps maintain comfort too.

 

[Charliemag]

This is beside the point, but I love those dogs!

For a moment there I hadn't a clue what you were on about!

 

[Luminaria]

I use Spenco Total Support insoles for flat feet. I have had custom orthotic insoles, but did not like them.

https://www.spenco.com/category.aspx?catid=17&cid=

Falcon, I keep reading "size up" for walking shoes to account for foot swelling. How much are you sizing up to make additional room for these insoles?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Falcon, I keep reading "size up" for walking shoes to account for foot swelling. How much are you sizing up to make additional room for these insoles?

I buy boots that fit. They usually are my normal size, but occasionally 1/2 size larger for some manufacturers. I buy size 11 insoles for size 11 1/2 boots.

I think that a lot of blisters on soles come from buying boots that are too large. One's foot slides back and forth. Blisters along the sides may be from boots that are too narrow. Black toenails often are from boots that are too short; on downhill stretches, the nails hit the end of the boot repeatedly. If the boot is the right fit, then loose laces may allow the toes to impact the end of the boot.

Blisters under toes may have a lot of causes. I concentrate lubrication on the top and bottom of my toes, and it prevents the heat of friction on toes. Blisters between toes are a curiosity to me. They may come from angling a foot sideways in response to fatigue or pain; that is, changed body mechanics. They may also come from boots that are too wide, so that the toes develop a mind of their own!

I counsel against automatically buying boots that are larger than normal. Boots should fit, and that requires trying them on, not adding a digit to the normal size.

 

[Luminaria]

I buy boots that fit. They usually are my normal size, but occasionally 1/2 size larger for some manufacturers. I buy size 11 insoles for size 11 1/2 boots.

I think that a lot of blisters on soles come from buying boots that are too large. One's foot slides back and forth. Blisters along the sides may be from boots that are too narrow. Black toenails often are from boots that are too short; on downhill stretches, the nails hit the end of the boot repeatedly. If the boot is the right fit, then loose laces may allow the toes to impact the end of the boot.

Blisters under toes may have a lot of causes. I concentrate lubrication on the top and bottom of my toes, and it prevents the heat of friction on toes. Blisters between toes are a curiosity to me. They may come from angling a foot sideways in response to fatigue or pain; that is, changed body mechanics. They may also come from boots that are too wide, so that the toes develop a mind of their own!

I counsel against automatically buying boots that are larger than normal. Boots should fit, and that requires trying them on, not adding a digit to the normal size.

Ok, thanks!

 

[dougfitz]

Falcon, I keep reading "size up" for walking shoes to account for foot swelling. How much are you sizing up to make additional room for these insoles?

@falcon269 is right, there is no magic number here. My tips on buying the right size walking footwear are:

• leave it to the end of the day to get fitted, and spend as much of the day on your feet as you can. If you cannot do that, try and walk for 30 minutes or so before you get fitted.
• make sure that the retailer has both a fitting slope - a ramp that allows you to see how the heels lock in and whether the toes will touch the the front of the toe box when going downhill.
• also check to see whether the fitting staff are checking these things - watch them deal with other customers and see whether they are doing these check, offering lacing advice, making sure customers are wearing a walking sock when trying footwear on, and their general helpfulness.
• most good stores will have a collection of walking socks that can be used. I prefer to wear or carry in the sock combination that I will be walking with. Normally that is a thin liner and a mid-weight trekking outer sock.
• (edit) also bring in any orthotic devices you plan to use.
  
• If in doubt about the length of the boot, remove the inner footbed, place it on the floor, place your foot on it with the heel at the place it would have been in the boot or shoe, and see how much longer the footbed is than your foot. I have found about 1.5 cm about right. Less than a centimetre is too little. If the sales person still tries to convince you that the fit is right with less than a centimetre, leave - they don't know how to fit long distance walkers, and just there for the sale.

When you have done all that, then don't be surprised if the footwear is a size or so bigger than your normal street shoes.

 

[Mark Lee]

www.tenseconds.com

Make a great set of insoles for flat feet. Very firm, durable rubber and last forever. Take up a lot of room in the shoe, so you have to keep that in mind when buying shoes. Half to full size bigger and maybe even a wider fit, bigger box toe.

 

[Luminaria]

www.tenseconds.com

Make a great set of insoles for flat feet. Very firm, durable rubber and last forever. Take up a lot of room in the shoe, so you have to keep that in mind when buying shoes. Half to full size bigger and maybe even a wider fit, bigger box toe.

Thank you! I checked them out. They sound great.

 

[Luminaria]

@falcon269 is right, there is no magic number here. My tips on buying the right size walking footwear are:

• leave it to the end of the day to get fitted, and spend as much of the day on your feet as you can. If you cannot do that, try and walk for 30 minutes or so before you get fitted.
• make sure that the retailer has both a fitting slope - a ramp that allows you to see how the heels lock in and whether the toes will touch the the front of the toe box when going downhill.
• also check to see whether the fitting staff are checking these things - watch them deal with other customers and see whether they are doing these check, offering lacing advice, making sure customers are wearing a walking sock when trying footwear on, and their general helpfulness.
• most good stores will have a collection of walking socks that can be used. I prefer to wear or carry in the sock combination that I will be walking with. Normally that is a thin liner and a mid-weight trekking outer sock.
• (edit) also bring in any orthotic devices you plan to use.
  
• If in doubt about the length of the boot, remove the inner footbed, place it on the floor, place your foot on it with the heel at the place it would have been in the boot or shoe, and see how much longer the footbed is than your foot. I have found about 1.5 cm about right. Less than a centimetre is too little. If the sales person still tries to convince you that the fit is right with less than a centimetre, leave - they don't know how to fit long distance walkers, and just there for the sale.

When you have done all that, then don't be surprised if the footwear is a size or so bigger than your normal street shoes.

Thanks, Doug. I think I ran across a similar post of yours on another thread. Great considerations. I have big feet and it's always been a chore to size them up right, even without the Camino.

 

[Xandrae]

See a foot doctor to get fitted with custom inserts for your shoes. They can be pricey, but they can really help.


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