Devices To Correct Foot Problems

[DayTrip]

I've been doing quite a bit of research on boots of late and have come across a lot of footwear products I was previously unaware of, like toe socks, metatarsal supports, toe spacers, etc. A lot of the reading I have done also suggests many of the common foot bed inserts are actually not correcting proper foot posture and that this improper foot position can lead to many other ailments beyond the foot (like knee problems, etc). I've noticed on my past few hikes since I switched to my horribly fitting Winter boots that I am starting to have some minor lower back issues.

Has anyone here ever used any of these products or other products to address foot problems (not Super Feet and standard insole products but the more unusual ones previously noted)? Has anyone here ever been prescribed any sort of device from a foot doctor to address a specific issue? Curious to get feedback on these devices and possibly try some.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I had green SuperFeet recommended to me by a PT for knee pain.

Tim

 

[Tom Rankin]

Oh, here we go again, free medical advice on the internet!

 

[Stan]

Oh, here we go again, free medical advice on the internet!

Anyone's welcome to send me a co-pay.

For many years I've been wearing an orthopedic insert made by my podiatrist for a metatarsal problem on my right foot. It required a plain insert on the other just to keep the hips level and certainly has stabilized the condition.

Funny thing is, I only wear it in street shoes and never need it in hiking boots. That's probably thanks to the strength of the shank in the hiking boots but I also like to think there is something beneficial psychologically when hiking.

Thus, I've concluded that it is good to reinforce the duties of a shank whenever possible by 1) not keeping shoes beyond their useful life (good luck with that when you've got "favorite" shoes), and 2) often replacing the insert that comes with shoes with a heavier duty one. Except for sneakers and topsiders, I like to use a shearling insert for warmth and comfort.

My suggestion is if you're having foot or footwear problems, see a podiatrist or an orthopedist. They can evaulate your feet, maybe through an xray, and quite possibly offer advice or an orthodpedic that might help keep you afoot and atrail for a lifetime. And those "horribly fitting winter boots" ... exchange them for something better.

... now, about the co-pay ...

 

[DayTrip]

Oh, here we go again, free medical advice on the internet!

More curious about the products than trying to fit them to any particular ailment I have. A lot of the foot position articles discuss the splaying of the toes and how many insole products don't properly support the arch function but prop it up as more of a crutch, which has long term consequences. Just wondering if these products have in fact increased the comfort level for anyone here. While I value everyone's opinions greatly on this forum, if I were having a legitimate issue (beyond the general soreness of a bad fitting boot) I'd go to a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment. Looking at it from more of a preventative angle.

 

[sierra]

This is timely for me and I hope people chime in. I walk on the road with my sidekick Bud, we average 25 miles a week, and we hike up North. The bottom of my right foot is killing me. Granted, I've been using standard low cut Merrills with the crappy stock insert. I have since replaced the foot bed with a CVS brand insert that is supposed to relieve foot pain, where I have it. I've used Green Superfeet in my hiking boots for years, guess I never thought about my civilian shoes. Anywho, I need to fix this because my dog needs to walk and I'm his go to guy.

 

[Tom_Murphy]

I had serious pain in my arches. Tried green superfeet which seemed to make it worst, then I tried blue superfeet which was an immediate inprovement. Like before even walking out the of the store.

Over time, the pain went away.

I use blue superfeet in all of my footwear. I avoid anything that will not accomodate them.

A doctor's visit was my next step but fortunately it wasn't required

 

[erugs]

This is timely for me and I hope people chime in. I walk on the road with my sidekick Bud, we average 25 miles a week, and we hike up North. The bottom of my right foot is killing me. Granted, I've been using standard low cut Merrills with the crappy stock insert. I have since replaced the foot bed with a CVS brand insert that is supposed to relieve foot pain, where I have it. I've used Green Superfeet in my hiking boots for years, guess I never thought about my civilian shoes. Anywho, I need to fix this because my dog needs to walk and I'm his go to guy.

For those walking roadsides, remember that the road slopes which causes uneven walking.

 

[erugs]

I have metatarsal pain sometimes and sometimes with some footwear while always with other. I added a pad (suggested by a foot doctor) to my ski boots and that helped a little.

 

[DougPaul]

Feet and their associated problems vary and something that helped someone else may or may not help you. Also the insoles that come with boots are generally not very good--I bring my own insoles with me when fitting boots.

Many years ago I was having lower leg problems and went a doctor and then to a runner's clinic. The clinic analyzed my foot problems and made a set of custom insoles which helped cure my leg problem. I learned what kind of support I needed from these insoles and after they wore out, I was able to buy manufactured insoles that met my needs and have worn them in all my shoes (civilian as well as hiking) since.

Street (or sidewalk) walking is often harder on one's feet than trail hiking (or walking). Street (sidewalk) surfaces are generally smooth and hard so there may be more impact force and the impacts are usually very similar thus stressing the same structures on each step. In contrast, trail surfaces are often softer and uneven. The unevenness causes the impacts to vary which spreads the stresses out. A tilted surface (eg a traverse or road-side) will tend to increase certain stresses on each side, so walking on a consistent tilt (as in always walking on the left side of a road) could contribute to an injury. Tilts on trails are more likely to average out over the long haul.

IMO, the insoles that can be found at a hiking store (eg REI or EMS) are much better than those that are typically found at a drug store.

Doug

 

[richard]

I`ve been using "INJINJI" liner socks, (toe socks)because I had a problem with blisters on my toes, I don`t get blisters anymore.

 

[DayTrip]

I`ve been using "INJINJI" liner socks, (toe socks)because I had a problem with blisters on my toes, I don`t get blisters anymore.

This is actually one of the things I was looking at. With my wider feet my toes are generally crushed together and I do get issues with rubbing between the toes, especially the little toe and inside of big toe. When and if I find a boot that fits right I'd like to give these a try and figure out if helps with toe splay and comfort.

 

[jniehof]

I'm a fan of the Barefoot Science insoles. It sounds a bit woo-woo but it's worked pretty well at strengthening my feet and restoring my arch. That lives in my day-to-day shoes, including office. Going a prolonged time without them and the arch does start to fall again without having that regular stimulation.

Targeted strength work can also help; sometimes the feet get stuck taking up slack from elsewhere. Hips seem to be the latest "source of all your problems" fad and MYRTL (video) is the one all the cool kids are using. Jason Fitzgerald's IT Band routine is another good one that's hip and quad focused; it's a bit abductor heavy so I add in some cross leg-lifts (on the right side, left knee up and out of the way, lift the right leg) to get some adductor work.

 

[sierra]

Has anyone tried Superfeet in their everyday shoes? I've worn in my hiking boots for years, maybe I can use them everyday. I know they help with the arch, but they don't seem to have a lot of cushion.

 

[DougPaul]

Has anyone tried Superfeet in their everyday shoes? I've worn in my hiking boots for years, maybe I can use them everyday. I know they help with the arch, but they don't seem to have a lot of cushion.

Yes--I use green Superfeet in all my shoes--everyday as well as hiking. (See my previous post for my history. I over-pronate with arch collapse and need good arch support. In my case, this over-pronation has been a causative factor for achilles tendonitis, shin splints, chondromalacia patella, and mild plantar fasciitis.) I also have blue Superfeet which I use in boots that don't have enough volume for the greens.

Think about the pressure under your feet (particularly at heel strike). Anything that is soft between your fingers will crush to nothing. Furthermore, anything that deforms under foot pressure, while it may lessen shock loading slightly, will decrease support. Superfeet are relatively hard so they give good support. They also have a good heel cup which both stabilizes the heel and spreads the pressure out so the heel itself can absorb the shock better. (As one ages, the fat pad in the heel tends to thin.)

In extreme cases, hard (ie completely hard plastic) insoles can be prescribed.

Sof Sole used silicone rubber (or something similar...) which deformed slightly, but still gave me adequate support. However, they did not last as long as my Superfeet and became unavailable locally for a while. (This is based upon several pairs similar to green Superfeet bought 15-20 years ago. They appear to be available again in newer models: for instance REI carries them. I have no experience with the newer models.) It may be worth considering this general class of insole, but the softer the material, the less the support.

I'd be careful about any insole that is made of different materials for different parts with a vertical separation. (Vertical in relation to the normal use position parallel to the floor.) If the different materials deform differently, it may be the equivalent to having a vertical edge under your foot and may become painful. (I have experimented with shims under an insole--it was very important to taper the height gradually to prevent this edge effect.)

And don't forget to bring your favorite insoles (and, of course, socks) to the store when trying on shoes and boots.

Doug

 

[sierra]

Yes--I use green Superfeet in all my shoes--everyday as well as hiking. (See my previous post for my history. I over-pronate with arch collapse and need good arch support. In my case, this over-pronation has been a causative factor for achilles tendonitis, shin splints, chondromalacia patella, and mild plantar fasciitis.) I also have blue Superfeet which I use in boots that don't have enough volume for the greens.

Think about the pressure under your feet (particularly at heel strike). Anything that is soft between your fingers will crush to nothing. Furthermore, anything that deforms under foot pressure, while it may lessen shock loading slightly, will decrease support. Superfeet are relatively hard so they give good support. They also have a good heel cup which both stabilizes the heel and spreads the pressure out so the heel itself can absorb the shock better. (As one ages, the fat pad in the heel tends to thin.)

In extreme cases, hard (ie completely hard plastic) insoles can be prescribed.

Sof Sole used silicone rubber (or something similar...) which deformed slightly, but still gave me adequate support. However, they did not last as long as my Superfeet and became unavailable locally for a while. (This is based upon several pairs similar to green Superfeet bought 15-20 years ago. They appear to be available again in newer models: for instance REI carries them. I have no experience with the newer models.) It may be worth considering this general class of insole, but the softer the material, the less the support.

I'd be careful about any insole that is made of different materials for different parts with a vertical separation. (Vertical in relation to the normal use position parallel to the floor.) If the different materials deform differently, it may be the equivalent to having a vertical edge under your foot and may become painful. (I have experimented with shims under an insole--it was very important to taper the height gradually to prevent this edge effect.)

And don't forget to bring your favorite insoles (and, of course, socks) to the store when trying on shoes and boots.

Doug

Doug,
Thanks for the great response. I will try my green Superfeet right away. My issue seems to be planter fasciitis, just in one foot. Hopefully this will help. My dog is counting on it.

 

[peakbagger]

I will make my normal plug for the montrail heat moldable inserts., I learned about them on VFTT a few years back and have been using them since. I have two pairs that I alternate between my hiking and street shoes. The only time I don't use them is with my steel toes boots which are sized one sized larger as my wide feet dont fit under the steel to cap. I use a large volume superfeet green in the steel toes.

I hike with trail runners and rarely use gaiters and inevitably get grit in my shoes and the insoles appear to be holding up. They do eat up some volume compared to the stock New Balance inserts which these days is just a thin sheet of foam with zero arch support. When I first started using these, the arches felt too prominent but after a few hikes they were far more comfortable.

A general comment from fairly local podiatrist in the north country who does a lot of custom inserts for special foot issues is that many people just plain wear shoes that aren't wide enough. If someone is rubbing toes, its time to consider going up a size. Unfortunately the vast majority of European boots are built on narrow lasts so getting wide technical boots is just about impossible

 

[richard]

This is actually one of the things I was looking at. With my wider feet my toes are generally crushed together and I do get issues with rubbing between the toes, especially the little toe and inside of big toe. When and if I find a boot that fits right I'd like to give these a try and figure out if helps with toe splay and comfort.

I had the same problem with blisters between my toes. These solved the problem. I bought them from "AMAZON"

 

[Raven]

Doug,
Thanks for the great response. I will try my green Superfeet right away. My issue seems to be planter fasciitis, just in one foot. Hopefully this will help. My dog is counting on it.

Sierra,

I have had plantar fasciitis show up periodically throughout the last few years, most recently this past spring. I found I got a lot of relief from the metatarsal support ball on these inserts:

http://www.footwearetc.com/insoles/mens-insoles/_/lynco-l405-men-lynco-sprt-met-mens/#sthash.bEzDt0k1.dpbs

These are for med/high arches, but they make others. I have used them for probably 5 years and buy a new pair once a year or so. I use them in all my shoes except for Keens and Oboz which both seem to have a good enough stock insert for me as they are.

As you know, all feet are different, but these may be worth a look. It made a big difference for me.

To address the OP somewhat, the metatarsal support in these inserts is a feature not seen in all inserts. It really supports the arch and ball of the foot.

 

[DougPaul]

Doug,
Thanks for the great response. I will try my green Superfeet right away. My issue seems to be planter fasciitis, just in one foot. Hopefully this will help. My dog is counting on it.

Most of us spend more time in our street shoes than in our hiking boot--hope they help.

Plantar fasciitis can be nasty stuff and slow to heal.

I have flirted with mild plantar fasciitis and have had some professional advice. It is basically an inflammation of the ligament running along the bottom of the foot between the heel bone and the forefoot. The key is taking it easy and stretching of it and the achilles tendon/calf muscles. (If mild, just stretching may be enough.)

Some basic methods of stretching:
* Wall pushups (or equivalent) to stretch the achilles tendon and plantar ligament
* Rolling the bottom of the foot on a ~1.25 inch roller or tennis ball to stretch the plantar ligament. (I just use a ~6 inch section of wooden dowel.)

Anti-inflammatories (eg ibuprofen) can also be helpful.

Excessive pronation and/or arch collapse can also stress the ligament and thus insoles with arch support can help if this is a contributing factor.

There is good info at https://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/conditions/ailments-of-the-heel/Pages/Plantar-Fasciitis.aspx and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantar_fasciitis

Doug