Foot Care Tips for Hikers
Your feet may be your most important piece of equipment so it’s important to treat them right.
Among hikers, the most common foot complaints tend to be:
Athlete’s foot fungus is natural. In fact, in the right amount it’s useful. By helping to rid the feet of excess callus the fungus is beneficial. But too much fungus can consume too much callus, leaving the hiker (or rider) without any thick rough skin for protection against abrasion and blistering.
If you notice that all the calluses are gone off our toes (especially your big toe) and heels, you might have athlete’s foot (or too much fungus). Other symptoms are itching, blistering of surface skin layers, and oozing pustules.
Treating athlete’s foot is a multi-step process.
First, allow your feet to breathe. Whenever possible wear shoes that are ventilated, or remove your shoes during rest breaks.
Second, apply an over-the-counter antifungal medication. Such medications are available in liquid, liquid spray, powder, and powder sprays forms.
Because athlete’s foot fungus is contagious and can be found in shower stalls, bathtubs and similar places, you may want to wear a pair of beach thongs in the shower etc.
Blisters are probably hikers’ most common foot complaints – ranging from tiny irritants to potentially trip-ending, painful, pus-filled disasters. But if there’s one thing good about blisters it’s that, often, they’re avoidable and easily treated.
The first step is prevention -- so break in those shoes! Whether you’re planning on trekking in boots or sneakers, it’s a good idea to wear your hiking shoes as much as possible before you hit the trail. Experts recommend logging at least 50 miles in your shoes before taking them on a long journey.
If you’re blister prone, consider wearing two layers of moisture-wicking socks. A thin, wicking poly-pro liner next to your skin and then a more padded wool, wool-blend, or synthetic sock on top. Make sure your socks will wick the sweat away from your feet and dry quickly, this will help keep your feet comfortable and prevent blisters. Do not wear cotton socks as they absorb moisture and can lead to blistering.
Pre-treat problem areas, for instance, if you always get blisters on your heels, pad them with moleskin prior to hiking. If you have a tendency to “sweat off” your band-aids, try taping everything on with silver duct tape. Duct tape may also be used directly on the skin to ward off blisters and “hot spots.”
Take periodic breaks from hiking to shake sand, dirt, and rocks out of your socks and shoes. Such debris can cause chafing.
If your boots are too tight or if there’s one spot that’s giving you trouble. Knead the inside of the shoe with something smooth and hard, like the back of your spoon or the end of a baseball bat, this way you can stretch that part of the shoe out and hopefully put an end to painful pressure and rubbing.
Don’t be afraid to trim your shoes’ insoles and even the shoes themselves to give you more room or to relieve troublesome sore spots.
If you feel a blister coming on, stop and take care of it. If it’s not a full-fledged blister yet, a bandage, moleskin, or piece of duct tape may do the trick.
For inflamed blisters, use 2nd Skin. 2nd Skin is a cool gel-like material that soothes the pain and prevents any further rubbing. Keep the 2nd Skin in place with athletic tape or duct tape.
If you have a blister that is fluid-filled and you must walk on it, draining can be helpful. Done properly, draining a blister can help it to heal faster and make it less painful. To drain a blister, first apply an antiseptic, and then lance the blister with a flame-sterilized needle. Clean up the drained fluid with a fresh tissue, apply antiseptic again, and then apply a layer of 2nd Skin. The main risk with draining a blister is infection so be sure to use a sterilized needle and to keep the area clean.
Avoid applying anything adhesive directly on blistered skin because when it comes time to remove that adhesive you may end up removing your skin with it!
At the end of the day, remove all of your foot bandages, clean your feet, and allow them to air out over night.
Here's what can happen if you don't take care of your feet:
Because a callus is dead skin, when it cracks or bleeds it can’t heal. Cracked calluses can be very painful because the cracks pull on not only the dead callused skin, but also on all the live skin next to it.
Some people recommend superglue for painful callus cracks. Superglue is said to relieve the pain and help prevent the cracks from getting deeper.
Before applying superglue, clean the crack and the surrounding skin thoroughly, then apply a bead of superglue over the crack. Pinch the cracked skin together and hold it until the glue is dry.
Please note that superglue is a temporary solution to cracked calluses. To prevent further drying and cracking you need to add moisture to your feet. If you’re hiking in a dry climate or in sandals, try adding another sock layer to hold in more moisture.
If you’re very lucky, you may avoid the travails of fungus, blisters and cracked calluses, but you still need to look after your feet.
- Whenever possible rest, ventilate and dry out your feet. Ideally, during your rest stops you should remove your shoes and socks, shake out dirt and gravel and even pull out the insoles from your shoes so they can dry out too.
- Elevating your feet and legs will encourage good circulation and reduce swelling.
- If it’s hot out, dunk your feet in a stream or cool them on a shaded rock.
- When putting on your socks, make sure they are free of debris and wrinkles, which can lead to blisters.
- If possible, change into a dry pair of socks after your rest break and dry your sweaty pair by hanging them off your pack.
- Foot massage and appropriate preventative treatment with moleskin, bandages and duct tape for “hot spots” will also go a long way towards keeping your most important equipment healthy and pain free.
The above foot care tips are based upon information found in the following books; Ray Jardine’s Beyond Backpacking; Ray Jardine’s Guide to Lightweight Hiking and Karen Berger’s Advanced Backpacking.
