feet care

[marica]

hello to all of you!
this is very important for all pilgrims: how to take a proper care for feet, meaning: shoes,socks, lotions, gels, powders..and what to take from home?
tnx for help, in advance.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hola Marica and welcome.
There are whole threads devoted to this subject which you will find as you get accustomed to this forum. Shoes/boots; socks; blister care etc.

To help you start this is our way of caring for our feet.

Start the day with dry feet. Terry powders his with 'Fungusol' sold in Spanish farmacias and recommended to him. I don't powder mine in the morning but do so at night. Wash and dry your feet well each night. Check for any rubbed places and use a plaster next day if necessary. We do not use Compeed!! Others love it.

We wear 3 pairs of socks to prevent blisters - the middle pair take all the friction. All should fit without being overtight or wrinkling.
Very thin inner pair next to the skin. Make sure thay are a good fit and smooth them before adding a mid weight second pair. Again smooth them out before adding the final thickest pair. Again smooth them out and put on your chosen boots/shoes. The inner liner socks are washed each night. We have 3 pairs each. The middle and outer socks we have 2 pairs each as they do not need washing much due to their make. (This all includes the ones we are wearing)

We like lightweight leather boots which come just over our ankles for good support. They must be bought wearing a full set of socks for a good fit. It is best to try boots later in the day when your feet are warm and have 'spread'. Leather is breathable and can be waterproofed. You should have wriggle room for your toes. A good shop will help you with fit.

If you feel a 'hot spot' while walking stop right then, not half a km later. It is a blister starting. Take off your socks, check out if anything has wrinkled and put a plaster over any red place. Check both feet. Replace all footwear carefully and carry on.
(I had to do this right at the end of our Camino.)

You are so right to ask questions about foot care as 'happy feet' are so important.

Then comes the importance of a good fitting pack........

Buen Camino

 

[marica]

tnx, tia valeria, i'm planing to wear sneakers, and since it's very warm during the summer, i think that three pairs of socks is too much. but, i'll remember other advices.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

i'm planing to wear sneakers

Only you can judge what is right for your walk, but "sneakers" are often a poor choice. Make sure you test them as hiking wear by taking 10 mile walks with your pack on subsequent days. That will show you any problems. The middle of the Camino is not the right place to discover that you have chosen the wrong footwear. You may have blisters, and you probably will be buying new shoes that need to be worn in. That may mean more blisters! Remember that you are committing to walk a half-marathon per day for over a month, and with a 15# backpack. Your footwear may be wet on a regular basis. That is a lot different than walking around your house or town with regular stops in an easy chair.

Buen camino!

 

[Tia Valeria]

While I prefer my boots whatever time of year the 3 sock system need not be a problem if you use thinner layers. If it was really hot I would simply change the thickness to 1 thin 2 medium, or even 3 all thin. It is more about the principal of the friction going on the middle pair.

The only socks we have had to replace are those middle ones.

However as Falcon says the most important thing is to experiment before you leave home and I would add that your footwear should breathe and not be sweaty, whatever style you choose.
Buen Camino

 

[marica]

thank you all for advices. i'll wear sneackers but hor hiking and tracking, and for summer ( salomon or mckeenly), and i have good experience with those. i'm not wearing them for walk in town, but for mountain and they never caused me any problem. i will take a few pairs of socks and i think i'll be ok. maybe it's better than take the shoes that inever had in my life. and yes, i'm going to do some trainig extra before my camino. :wink:

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Hi,
Here is a link to an article about what shoes to wear when trekking (and about the myth of the ankle support), which I think is good.
Hope you find it interesting too

http://www.fjaderlatt.se/2009/05/interv ... r.html?m=0

 

[marica]

susanna, i agree with that article, and i'll stick to my plan. tnx

 

[Xandrae]

Good tips. We should all be taking care of our feet before causing problems soon. Everyday we should like look at our bare feet for cuts, blisters, red spots, and swelling. It is good also to use a mirror to check the bottoms of our feet or ask a family member for help if you have trouble seeing.