8 Tips For Healthy Feet on the Trail

My office is located within one mile of the Appalachian Trail. Each summer, I observe the wave of through hikers making the 2,168 mile trek from Georgia to Maine and then later in the summer, those heading south from Maine to Georgia. Many end up with a visit to my office for ankle sprains, stress fractures, infected blisters and various other hiking related conditions.

Recently, I received a call from a friend that is through hiking for her second time in the past 10 years. She was in North Carolina at the time and was experiencing unrelenting pain in her foot. Having a telephone consultation and attempting to determine her diagnosis without examination was interesting and challenging. It made me think about the new trend in Internet or telephone doctor “visits”. But, that is a subject for another post on another day. I want to share with you these tips to keep your feet happy on the trail:

Train For The Hike:
If you are considering a long trip such as through hiking the Appalachian Trail, I strongly suggest that you start out training early with short day hikes. Marathon runners must train and condition for a marathon and hikers are no different. Those that are not adequately conditioned are more likely to develop overuse injuries.

Pack A Foot-Care Kit:
A small foot-care kit carried in a small Ziploc bag weighs only a few ounces. It should contain foot powder, alcohol wipes, a few tinctures of benzoin wipes to help the patch stick to your skin, several blister patches of your choice, a least a yard of duct tape wrapped around a small pencil, and a safety pin to drain blisters.

Invest In Good Footwear:
You should have a fingers width between the longest toe and the front of your boot. Be sure to also check the fit on an incline (both up and down). Any slippage of the boot will cause friction and blisters on a long hike. Try your boots on with the socks that you will be wearing while hiking.

Break In Those Boots:
Wear your boots around the house for a few days to be sure they feel OK. Then venture outside while shopping and on walks and short hikes so they mold to your feet. Leather boots are usually stiff until broken in. If a little snug, you can bring your boots to a shoe repair to have them stretched or purchase a leather expander and stretch the boots at home.

Wear Good Socks:
Wear moisture-wicking wool or synthetic socks rather than cotton socks. Consider wearing a sock liner but be sure that your boots will be big enough for two pair of socks.

Manage Your Toenails:
Toenails should be trimmed straight across the nail—never rounded at the corners. Leave an extra bit of nail on the outside corner of the big toe to avoid an ingrown toenail. Black toenails are a common hikers condition which is caused by blood being trapped under the nail.

Manage Your Skin:
Treat hot spots early! Use moleskin or duct tape to prevent blisters before they happen. Many hikers think tough callused skin helps prevent blisters but too much is never a good thing. Blisters deep under calluses are difficult to drain and treat. Use a pumice stone or callus file and apply Vaseline to manage callused areas. Blasters can be drained if painful but be sure to leave the roof intact to protect the sensitive skin underneath.

Rest Your Feet:
Take your boots and socks off when resting and eating lunch, elevating your feet to reduce swelling. In camp wear sandals or flip-flops. Your feet need the air and will appreciate the sunlight.

Long distance hiking is an incredibly rewarding experience. May these tips keep your feet healthy on the trail!

Dr. Jennifer Feeny
Happy Trails,

Fleet Feet Foot Clinic

We hope everyone learned a lot at our most recent foot clinic at Fleet Feet in Roanoke!Dr. Kate received a TON of questions, which is what we were hoping for!!
Here are a few of the questions asked at the clinic, make sure to keep up with our events, so you can have the opportunity to learn more about your feet and ankles!!

Participant: How do you prevent plantar fasciitis?
Dr. Kate: Stretching, orthotics, night splints or Strausburg socks, Ice.

Strasburg Sock, purchase in our office today!

Participant: How long does a custom orthotic last?
Dr. Kate:  5-7 years or longer if you're finished growing.

Participant: Why do corns keep coming back?
Dr. Kate: There are pressure points, or cushion (fat in your feet) is gone or you're genetically inclined to get them more often.

Participant: How do I know when to see a Podiatrist vs a Physical Therapist?
Dr. Kate: Start with your podiatrist. If your podiatrist feels the need for physical therapy, he or she will refer you

Got Feet? Your Guide to Sports & Running Injuries

Shenandoah Podiatry offers two free books, "Got Feet? Your Guide to Sports and Running Injuries" and "Got Feet? A User's Guide to Foot and Ankle Health." Today I'd like to take an excerpt out of our running book, as more and more people are slipping on their running shoes to hit the Huckleberry trail in this beautiful Blacksburg weather!

"Chapter 10: How Do I know if I Need Orthotics? Foot pain is not normal and should not be ignored. It can lead to complex problems that can affect the functioning of other parts of the body, including the hips, knees and back. Foot-related problems are often treated very successfully with functional orthotic shoe inserts.

Orthotics are prescribed to:

• Reduce pain
• Provide support
• Prevent or slow down the development of a foot deformity
• Provide better positioning of the foot, knee and hips
• Improve the overall biomechanical function of the body"

As you can see, Shenandoah Podiatry is here to help. We want you to be an informed patient, knowing what we can do to help and how. To receive your free book, head to our website and request either one or both!

Ankle Injuries: More than just an annoyance

Though ankle injuries are painful when they first occur, the long term damage that is caused can be even more detrimental. Ankles that have suffered an injury are seven times more likely to become arthritic that ones that have seen no trauma. Injuries can very in severity and still have the same long term affects. From inconspicuous reoccurring ankle sprains to more seemingly detrimental ankle fractures or broken bones, the damage that is caused is irreversible. Ankle cartilage is quite strong and can usually withstand a life time of movement but when the cartilage gets damaged its cells are unable to be repaired. Cartilage is made to glide smoothly to create movement but when it becomes worn or frayed the movement is not fluid. This leads to swelling, inflammation, and pain in the ankle joints. If proper treatment is not attained after the injury, post-traumatic ankle arthritis could very well occur in the future.

A study taken from 1991-2004 at the University of Iowa, studying 639 patients with grade 3 or 4 arthritis concluded that ankle injury is the most common cause of ankle arthritis. Trauma was the primary cause of arthritis in 445 patients out of the 639 patients surveyed. That is about 70%. The other 30% was caused by rheumatoid disease and primary osteoarthritis.

Symptoms of ankle arthritis include: pain or tenderness, stiffness or reduced motion, swelling, difficulty walking, bone spurs, and instability. No matter what stage of arthritis is present, or if arthritis is just a possible threat in the future, professional care should be sought. Podiatrists everywhere have many surgical and non-surgical options to help cope with the pain, prevent arthritis from over running everyday life, and catch arthritis before it become a problem.

Remember your feet when sledding!

Are you tired of the cold and snow yet? If so, then that makes at least two of us. I can't wait to drive my car without having to clear the windshield and to be able to comfortably walk around without being bundled up. Unfortunately, springtime is still a couple months away and there's more snow in the forecast.
There is, however, one thing I enjoy about snow season. Whether it's the first snow of the year or the 20th, a fresh snow always seems to awaken us from our indoor hibernation. I always see the young and the young at heart out enjoying snow right after it's fallen. In my neighborhood, that usually means that most of us are sledding. I've often seen sledders and thought to myself how unsafe they're being. I must admit that I too have done some risky sledding. The problem with this is that we see far too many preventable, snow-related injuries. If you plan on sledding in the predicted snow, please follow these tips:

1. Choose proper equipment. I've seen people use anything from laundry baskets to pizza boxes. These devices can send you down the hill going backwards which can be dangerous for everyone. Instead of using whatever you have laying around, always use a store-bought sled designed for the snow because these are less likely to spin around. Also, be sure to read and adhere to the capacity guidelines of the sled. Putting more people on it than it can hold is unsafe.
2. Dress for success. When bundling up, be sure to protect your feet. Wear moisture-wicking, wool socks and insulated, weather-proof shoes to shield your feet from the elements.
3. Use hills! We're in the mountains which means mother nature has provided us with tons of natural sledding ground - take advantage of it. The use of ATVs or even golf carts when sledding is dangerous because it makes you more likely to be thrown off of the sled. Chances are that you'll land wrong and injury your ankle.
4. Clear the area. Find a place that is both free of dangers such as trees, fences, and roads and that gives you plenty of space to stop. It is a natural instinct to stop ourselves with our feet if we're about to sled into something. Clearing the area prevents this and any foot injuries that it may cause.

I know that fresh snow is exciting and that even those who know the precautions just get caught up in the fun of it all. With that being said, I can't stress to you enough how important it is to sled carefully or not at all. Please enjoy the snow but do so safely.

Inspired by http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Lifestyle/Family-Fun/Winter-Sledding-Safety-Tips.html

Ankle Injuries: More than just an annoyance.

Though ankle injuries are painful when they first occur, the long term damage that is caused can be even more detrimental. Ankles that have suffered an injury are seven times more likely to become arthritic that ones that have seen no trauma. Injuries can very in severity and still have the same long term affects. From inconspicuous reoccurring ankle sprains to more seemingly detrimental ankle fractures or broken bones, the damage that is caused is irreversible. Ankle cartilage is quite strong and can usually withstand a life time of movement but when the cartilage gets damaged its cells are unable to be repaired. Cartilage is made to glide smoothly to create movement but when it becomes worn or frayed the movement is not fluid. This leads to swelling, inflammation, and pain in the ankle joints. If proper treatment is not attained after the injury, post-traumatic ankle arthritis could very well occur in the future.

A study taken from 1991-2004 at the University of Iowa, studying 639 patients with grade 3 or 4 arthritis concluded that ankle injury is the most common cause of ankle arthritis. Trauma was the primary cause of arthritis in 445 patients out of the 639 patients surveyed. That is about 70%. The other 30% was caused by rheumatoid disease and primary osteoarthritis.

Symptoms of ankle arthritis include: pain or tenderness, stiffness or reduced motion, swelling, difficulty walking, bone spurs, and instability. No matter what stage of arthritis is present, or if arthritis is just a possible threat in the future, professional care should be sought. Podiatrists everywhere have many surgical and non-surgical options to help cope with the pain, prevent arthritis from over running everyday life, and catch arthritis before it become a problem.



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