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Do you have other shoes that you have been able to walk the same distance without pain? If so, take a look at both shoes side by side to see what the differences are. Length, width, firmness of the sole, etc.Hello all, I am new here. 60 year old artist getting ready to walk mid-September. I spent hours at REI finding shoes and ended up with Oboz. They felt great and the staff was behind the choice.
Today I walked 3.5 miles in these new shoes with Darn Tough Merino socks. I am in PAIN! The foot ball is the issue.
Can I solve this with inserts or time or some sort of mystical chant? I am very worried about how this is going to go now but was not before I bought these shoes. Keep trying? Buy new expensive shoes? Anyone been here before me?
Where and what type of pain? I sometimes have pain in the big joint on the ball of the foot, but it is helped by inserts which provide a stiff support under the arch. In the past I tried inner soles with more cushioning, but that didn't really help with the joint. Now I prefer the stiff sole with medium cushioning.The foot ball is the issue.
They are nearly the same, which is why I bought them. No discernible difference.Do you have other shoes that you have been able to walk the same distance without pain? If so, take a look at both shoes side by side to see what the differences are. Length, width, firmness of the sole, etc.
I have been walking long flat distances in Saconys for a while now with no pain, but there is not enough support for the Camino. .
Do they make a trail runner version of the Saucony's? If so, that might be a compromise.
Yes they do as it turns out and I will pick it up tomorrow. Thanks for the great idea!Do they make a trail runner version of the Saucony's? If so, that might be a compromise.
If you are an REI member you should still be able to return them.Sadly they fitted me at REI and then said they had a returned pair of exactly what I needed at a discount. Since they were sure these were the shoes for me, I bought them with a no return agreement. I have been walking long flat distances in Saconys for a while now with no pain, but there is not enough support for the Camino. Have orthotics but usually my issue is arch/heel. This is a new one. Maybe I will head back to REI and see about some inserts. I guess the worst that can happen is more shoes.
I have had Saucony running shoes before and liked them. I also have a pair of Oboz hiking shoes...love them. I have never had a pair of outdoor shoes with such a well fitting toe-box for my feet.Yes they do as it turns out and I will pick it up tomorrow. Thanks for the great idea!
This is a fabulous and thorough list and I thank you!How much distance walking have you done prior to this incident? Is this something that was a minor complaint before, or is it a new pain that has no previous history?
A common cause of foot pain in the ball of the foot has to do with the metatarsals; one or more of those bones can be a bit more 'protruding' than the others. This results in the same feelings as walking with a rock under the forefoot. It makes for a really sore foot when doing a lot of walking. Typically, once one gets off their feet for the night, by morning the foot will feel OK. The new shoes could have a structure which interacted with your foot in a new way which caused the metatarsal symptoms to leap to the forefront.
If that is the issue, metatarsal pads, attached to the underside of the insole, will slightly elevate that pressure point which goes a long way in relieving the pain.
Typically, separate metatarsal pads are a better solution than an insole with a metatarsal arch. The reason has to do with the hugggeeee variation in anatomy of each individual's foot, and even between a single individual's right and left foot. Metatarsal pads are able to be fine tuned to your foot, positioning them to their best possible advantage. If uncertain about placement, there are a number of good YouTube videos that will help. A visit to a podiatrist will also provide tremendous help with identifying this issue, and coaching you how to use the pads to the best effect.
As you go looking for shoe, here are some tips which I have posted before that may help you.
- When you go to the store, do so toward the end of the day.... you will have been up on your feet, so that will help with getting the correct fit. Additionally, you will need to wear the same backpack with the same gear you will be carrying... you want this additional weight on you as this will put the same downward pressure on the foot that you will be having while on Camino.
- Wear the exact same sock(s) you will be wearing while you are walking on the Camino. And if you have a special insole or orthotic, bring it with you.
- At the store, the measuring that will be done on your feet is only to get you in the ballpark for the correct shoe size.
- Start by standing up; never measure while sitting. You want the full weight of your body, with the pack on, to put the same pressure on your feet to spread them out as will happen while walking. That alone will increase the volume and size of your feet.
- Make sure those 'Camino' socks are on your feet; if you wear socks with liners while walking, do the same thing at the store.
- While standing, have someone near to you that you can use to steady yourself. With the measuring device on the ground, step onto the instrument and center all of your weight onto the foot being measured. Do the same for the other foot.
- Start with that size, but be aware that both the width and the length need to feel like there is adequate room for your feet. Ideally, like Goldilocks, everything will be just right. But, don't count on it. Be picky.
- If you have special insoles or orthotics, put them into any shoe you try on as they will take up space inside the shoe.
- When you find what you think will fit you well, you will need to see if your toes have enough clearance. Toes should not be able to be forced to the front of the shoe and touch the shoe. Not even a little. If they do, long walking and downhill grades on the trail or path or road will traumatize the bed of the nail, and that is when toenails can blacken and fall off.
- With your shoes tied securely, but not too tight, walk around the store with your pack on. Go up stairs and down stairs, scuff the shoes to the floor so that your feet are forced to do any movement they will do and see if your toes so much as butterfly kiss the front of the shoe. Kick the front of the shoe into a post or stair or wall or someone's shin.... does that make any of your toes touch the front of the shoe? That goes for all the little piggies.
- Next, pay attention to the width of the shoe. It shouldn't feel snug on the sides and there should be no rubbing or pressure points at all. They will not go away with "break in". They will create soreness, pain, and blistering. Even if it seems to be tolerable, it is like water torture; as your feet are continually exposed to those pressure points your feet will break down against them bit by bit, and bruising, blisters, and soreness will follow.
- You may need to go up a size to a size and a half in length, and go with a wider width to avoid those things I mentioned above. The notion that one avoids blisters by wearing snug footwear has been shown to do just the opposite.
Honestly, I have never experienced that. I have always walked and hiked with my regular size footwear. Even in the military. No doubt there may be some swelling so to speak of feet after walking a long distance, but two entire foot sizes larger? Could that be a medical condition?You don't mention sizes. A September Camino should still be warm and feet can swell considerably walking distances day after day. My everyday Moab is a 12. On the Camino I use a size 14! Hence the wise words above about trying shoes at the end of the day when your feet will be larger.
Honestly, I have never experienced that. I have always walked and hiked with my regular size footwear. Even in the military. No doubt there may be some swelling so to speak of feet after walking a long distance, but two entire foot sizes larger? Could that be a medical condition?
Ah ok. I'm a single thin sock wearing walker.The well known "sokkitis maximus" It allows for a liner sock and medium merino second sock. I wear Moab ventilators so not too warm (though I prefer my TEVAs) Non Camino thin cotton socks suffice.
no pain, no blisters, no tendonitis either in the Cotswolds or a 60 mile walk in the rain. Walked again today in my Keens with no issue.
I just got back from walking the Portuguese route, Coimbra to Santiago in my beloved Oboz!! My socks were Darn Tough brand. I did by my shoes a 1/2 size bigger and I didn’t have any problems and I didn’t get one blister!Hello all, I am new here. 60 year old artist getting ready to walk mid-September. I spent hours at REI finding shoes and ended up with Oboz. They felt great and the staff was behind the choice.
Today I walked 3.5 miles in these new shoes with Darn Tough Merino socks. I am in PAIN! The foot ball is the issue.
Can I solve this with inserts or time or some sort of mystical chant? I am very worried about how this is going to go now but was not before I bought these shoes. Keep trying? Buy new expensive shoes? Anyone been here before me?
What makes you say that? I walked much of my Caminos in Saucony Echelon 5 running shoes. Sure, there are a few spots on the Frances where you might wish for a heavier shoe, but that just means slow down and be careful. For a Camino in the drier part of the year, running shoes are the preferred footwear in my opinion. Your shoe HAS to be comfortable on long days. Keep looking, or wear what you know works. Nobody at REI (or anyone else for that matter) can tell you what fits or is best for you; only you know what your foot needs. Experiment!
Also, socks are just as important as shoes. Merino is a good place to start. Some like light socks, others use doubles with liners, some like sandals with no socks at all. I prefer heavy socks, but that's just me. Experiment with socks as well.
Buen Camino
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