Am new to walking and recently walked 15 miles in walking boots (which i've used along while!). This resulted in blisters on my heels. Why is this? Boots not done up properly or not thick enough socks?? Can anyone advise? 
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 Generally its nearly always the fitting of the boots - I'm guessing you've just got a little bit too much lift in your heels, in which case they may well be just a little bit too big. This could posibly be sorted by:
A - performance footbeds to hold your heel in place.
B - a volume adjustor to sit underneath your existing footbed of 2 - 5mm to decrease that space
C - different lacing techniques
D - slightly thicker socks (maybe - this isn't ideal especially as the weatherss warming up)
Any of that help?
Sam
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 All of Sam's will work to some degree or another. A - expensive but will not stop heel lift B - will not necessarily prevent heel lift C - excellent. will probably stop heel lift and experimenting with different lacing is the easiest way to see if your boot is ill-fitting in any way. and it's free. it is a rare person whose boot fits them perfectly. look here and experiment - lacing techniques - the heel lock is particularly effective. D - hot feet as Sam says. Aother type of insert is a heel lift pad which will raise your heel by about 2mm inside the boot. often this is just enough to change the angle of the heel to prevent it rubbing.
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i can't emphasise enough to master lacing first to get a custom fit for your foot. it will ususally cure all problems as you can have different lace tensions on every part of the boot. also, it is important that you re-tie your laces when out. after the inital lace up, the boots and laces will stretch/ equalise tension tension due to your foot moving. readjust this by re-tying. if the lacing doesn't cure it then i would suggest new boots that fit better as inserts are expensive and are only worth the money if you can move them from shoe to shoe.
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Yes that has helped Sam and Parky. I have just got my orthoptic inserts for my cross trainers, so it maybe an idea to put them in my walking boots and see if that helps ( and they were free, from the NHS!!!) Thanks Parky for info on tying up laces... i will give that ago. Maybe its an excuse for buying a new pair
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 "B - a volume adjustor to sit underneath your existing footbed of 2 - 5mm to decrease that space" This can tend to lift your heel out of the heel cup enough to exacerbate heel lift. Good socks, maybe with a thin liner and as Parky says play close attention to your lacing. If you have flat laces ditch them, if there is a lot of give in your laces ditch them and buy a good quality round lace. Orthoses are usually prescribed for everyday shoes and are not always the answer for walking boots. You should enquire about orthoses specifically designed to be worn in your boots. I tried wearing my normal orthoses in my boots on a 10K walk, I was crippled after 4K.
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 Were you paying attention to your feet? You should not get blisters as they should be stopped before they start; treat any symptoms as soon as they appear. Hot spot, discomfort. Stop. Put on some zinc oxide tape.
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Dynddinas (unusual name?),
Guess i need new laces then, as mine are flat! And will get back to the NHS for 'an insert' for boots, tho health person said i could wear them in any shoes, will enquire, thanks.
Ok Ed, will do.
Cheers.
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Dynddinas (unusual name?), Guess i need new laces then, as mine are flat! And will get back to the NHS for 'an insert' for boots, tho health person said i could wear them in any shoes, will enquire, thanks. Ok Ed, will do. Cheers. Yeah, well mine recommended using my orthoses on top of my normal footbeds and she is supposed to be really good.
I use a form of lock lacing too and it has improved support generally and minimised movement of my heel. Dyn Ddinas = man from Dinas (city) Just call me Mal. (Mal Evans). In fact.............
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| Edited: 09/03/08 10:03 |
Now then, no confusion.
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 To add to the excellent advice above, I swear by Gehwoll Footcream which makes the skin feel slightly firmer and 'slippier' to reduce actual friction. I was always a bit pathetic, getting blisters all the time before I got hold of this stuff.
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another vote for the footcream.
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 If you're going for the footcream (which is very good), I'd recommend also getting the refreshing foot balm for happy post-walk feet
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 ...and ALWAYS take some of the big compeed blister plasters along. At the very first sign of rubbing (important, that!) stop and treat yer feet. It might take a few minutes, but it'll save your walk and the enjoyment of it, honestly it will.
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 I am hoping to try out those thousand mile socks brand, as they are advertised to stop one getting blisters associated with longer periods of walking aren't they? 
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 Compeeds!! Just walked over 15 miles each day for the last week and usually suffer blisters. None this time however because of the following reasons... 1) Took my time walking, didn't rush, took breaks taking off boots to refresh feet. 2) First sign of a sensitive area put on Compeed blister plasters. 3) Carried less weight on my back. 4) Used lightweight yet still tough boots ( Brasher Superlite GTX ). 5) Used merino wool socks which kept my feet fresh all week. Beware of putting cream or vaseline on your feet, this works for people with tougher feet but if you have soft skin then adding moisture will simple weaken your skin!
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Well have just bought new laces and also bought 1000 mile socks! Wanted the purple ones but they were £6 more than the blue ones..... re to cream and foot balm .. thanks. Now i can go n spend the rest of Sunday afternoon, tying my laces!!!!
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Hope that indeed does the treat for your feet there Nicki! If you need to go for a cheapish pair of shock reducing footbeds at all, then try the grey ones in the hanging packs at Blacks or Millets stores-as they too are made by Sorbothane and are under a fiver a pair only. I can vouch for them being fairly good inners myself! They also retail some good value cheap Brasher volume adjuster footbeds in there as well; to be found in that hanging packs section too, on the same shop displays as are to be found the Sorbothane greys I speak of. They though are a lighter-weight thinner non-shock-absorbing liner insole, and are dark green in colour and branded as Brasher on the distinct cardboard packaging; and meant simply to fill up loose space in the walking boot or shoe, below your normal inner/or Sorbothane replacement inner, to prevent any movement of the foot laterally on walking in the footwear.
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| Edited: 10/03/08 02:37 |
