5 Ways To Take Care Of Your Feet!
Last Updated on April 2, 2021 by Bruce
Feet! An undeniably crucial aspect of hiking, without them, we wouldn’t get anywhere, and it is therefore very important to treat them well.
So what are my methods of pampering the ever-important feet? How can you look after this valuable hiking commodity? After experiencing the effects of different boots, different types of hiking, and long-distance walking, I have come up with my favourite methods, that are sure to help you.
How to take care of feet while hiking
- Boots.
Wear boots that fit, stop the blisters occurring from one of the most common causes, ill-fitting boots. I have been the victim of ill-fitting boots before, severely, too horrific to show on the blog, treat your feet with respect and get them a nice pair of boots.
See my post on ‘How to pick the right hiking boots for you!!’ - Socks
An influential factor on if your feet survive a hike or not. Give them the attention they are due, make sure they do not rub or suffocate your legs too much. Can you fit your feet in your boots with the socks you wear? Everyone has a personal preference of socks, thick, thin, double-layered, two pairs, but can you fit in the boots with them on?
If they get wet, change them, leave your feet wet for too long, and nasty stuff starts happening. - Prep them before your walk.
Not so much needed in shorter hikes, with well-fitting boots, but if long-distance walking of up to 25 miles a day, your feet need a helping hand. Treat your feet properly and minimize or even avoid damage, neglect them and suffer almost debilitating agony. Using micropore tape is effective, but my personal favourite is zinc oxide tape, which should prevent a lot of pain providing it is tight to your skins, and not rubbing. - Training.
Train your legs! My feet have hard skin, they do not blister easily, while not as strong as they once were, they are still resistant a year or two after their peak.
Wear in your boots on light walks nothing more than 5 miles, see how your feet react. If they are hot in parts, and sore, you have hot spots, these can develop into blisters if not acted upon. Stop your walk, evaluate what is wrong, and act. Are your socks wet? change them. Feet rubbing? add more socks, tighten your boots or abort the walk.
Slowly improve the resistance of your feet with increasingly tough hikes. - Pamper.
At the end of the walking day, you get to rest those wonderful feet. Take your boots off, ah lovely, take your socks off, even better, take your tape off, WOW, an experience not to be underestimated. It gets better, for the best feeling, immediately rub cream such as E45 cream into your legs, massage it in for maximum bliss. Of course, reapply after cleaning. Follow these steps, and you should have no problems with your feet on hikes.