Interview with a Physio Therapist: A Biophysical Perspective on Backpacking Footwear

[Emylene VanderVelden]

Companion forum thread to: Interview with a Physio Therapist: A Biophysical Perspective on Backpacking Footwear

My interview with a physio-therapist, as well as my personal history with foot injuries, is making me think more carefully about backpacking footwear.

[Greg Mihalik]

The backstory –

“My reasoning on my footwear is pretty simple, I have nerve damage and without a full support boot I lose the ability to hike long distances due to nerve pain.”

[jscott]

I was born with a club foot and corrective surgery played havoc with my foot anatomy. “Normal” footwear doesn’t work for me either. I would guess there are lots of folks whose feet aren’t anatomically optimal and that require something other than ultra light footwear.

[Geoff Caplan]

Refreshing to see sensible and balanced advice on footwear. Far too many people seem to become partisan on one side or the other of the lightweight/full-support debate.

It clearly depends on you (your injuries, weight, level of transitioning, financial priorities etc), and on the project (the terrain, temperature and distance). In the end it’s a personal choice.

If you have the opportunity, please do a follow-up and ask Liz for her advice on ankle stability training and foot-strength training. These are fast developing fields and it would be interesting to hear her informed views.

[Emylene VanderVelden]

Thanks all, after years of personal experiments I thought it was time to do some research and get better answers than one size fits all shoe 😉.

[Rex Sanders]

According to my mom, I was born “knock-kneed and bow legged,” required hip-to-toe casts as an infant, developed flat feet in grade school, chondromalacia patella in my 20s, plantar fascitis in my 30s, and still walk/waddle like a duck. I’ve worn various kinds of orthotics since childhood and hiked in everything from zoris to monstrous leather waffle-stompers.

Now my feet and legs are the least of my problems for hiking up to 25 mile days while carrying a pack weighing up to 35 pounds.

Basic advice: keep trying different footwear, socks, supports, trekking poles, exercises, hiking techniques — and “experts” — until you find a combination that works for you. Don’t give up and accept pain, blisters, or other limits.

And expect your feet to change.

— Rex

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