Sural Nerve Inflamation and Boot thoughts?

[Heavypack]

I have a boot fitting/ankle pain question.

I have been to the podiatrist and diagnosed with inflammation of the Sural Nerve (at the outside ankle protuberance). In short, my Asolo TPS leather boots have rubbed and inflamed the nerve.
Dr’s recommendation, get rid of the boots! and apply an NSAID cream for a couple of months.

Hiking in short Gore-Tex North Face shoes this fall has been ok, but as the wetter season approaches I need to purchase a new set of boots for late fall and early snowshoeing.

Has anyone experienced this type of Nerve irritation and any recommendations on a boot replacement. This is my second set of identical Asolo TPS boots and have never had this problem.

Thanks in advance!

RMS

 

[erugs]

Will plush pack boots work for you? Or, can you create a "donut" bandage around where the nerve is to help out? I've seen people make them out of closed-cell sleeping pads.

 

[Heavypack]

I have tried the "donut" to some degree last winter. Works in a "pinch" but looking for a more stable solution. Thanks.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

What about using boot gaiters over your low cut North Face shoes. http://www.djbennett.com/outdoor-re...LLtWJr2nZ1o3YZdj4t8JpDvu9NLaB1EjXQhoCnX7w_wcB

 

[TCD]

Or NEOS overshoes; or 40 Below overboots.

Also, there are lots of soft winter boots out there; depends on your specific needs - do you need a double boot; do you need to attach rigid crampons or skis...some of those considerations may limit the choices.

 

[Heavypack]

What about using boot gaiters over your low cut North Face shoes. http://www.djbennett.com/outdoor-re...LLtWJr2nZ1o3YZdj4t8JpDvu9NLaB1EjXQhoCnX7w_wcB

That is my current plan. I generally use those gaiters pretty much year round. My worry is the warm of the 3 season North Face and overall waterproofing of the Gore-Tex. Great idea, thanks for the reply.

 

[Heavypack]

Or NEOS overshoes; or 40 Below overboots.

Also, there are lots of soft winter boots out there; depends on your specific needs - do you need a double boot; do you need to attach rigid crampons or skis...some of those considerations may limit the choices.

Double boot is not necessary now. I think staying away from the plastic shell is best this year. Yes, Kahtoola microspikes at a minimum and ability to use crampons if necesarry.

 

[Heavypack]

Or NEOS overshoes; or 40 Below overboots.

The Neos look interesting. Anyone out there with any experience with using them in the Adirondacks or New England winters?

 

[alexmtn]

Or NEOS overshoes; or 40 Below overboots.

The Neos look interesting. Anyone out there with any experience with using them in the Adirondacks or New England winters?

The NEOS are a great product and would stand a great chance of not further aggravating your ankle, but they're not suitable for winter mountain hiking. They provide all the benefits of a full extra boot layer, but they cannot accommodate any traction devices because they're so enormous and pretty shapeless -- except possibly stabilicers. There may be some snowshoes that could take them, but not my MSR's. I've used the NEOS to great benefit when out for extended periods on level terrain, e.g., clearing snow in very cold conditions.

If I were in your situation, I would totally lay off anything that even remotely affects the ankle, including the low-top shoes if there's any sort of interaction with the ankle whatsoever, and focus 100% on nursing the condition back to health. Practically speaking, this could mean laying off winter hiking for now, as a short term play for regaining the ankle's original condition. And once back to normal, making sure I understand what happened to cause the problem in the first place (was it a sock fold? a lint ball in the sock's nap? a stone? boot over-tightening?), and being confident I can avoid it going forward. Unless the injury has made your ankles more prone to this than they were originally, I think the doctor's 'get rid of those boots' recommendation should have ended with '...until you're fully healed'.

In the winter boot department, if you're still considering going out before fully healing (well, and also even if you are planning on healing first), consider Garmont Momentums. These are nicely insulated, very plush boots that at the same time have a pretty close, hiking-oriented fit. You would definitely find them to be easier on your ankles than the TPS's, and also drastically more suitable for winter from a warmth perspective. And for 'soft' boots (i.e., not full fledged mountaineering boots), the Momentums do very well with traction devices, including MicroSpikes and many strap-on crampons. I have yet to meet a hiker on my AMC trips who doesn't love them. If you want to check them out, SierraTradingPost is offering them now for a great price -- they'll sell out quickly.

Alex

 

[Heavypack]

Alexmtn,

Great advice! That is most likely my path to healing. The doctor said 4 to 8 weeks to heal. I am about 4 into that timeline. I will look at the Garmont Momentums. Thanks again.

RMS