Lieutenant Dan’s advice to Forrest Gump when he first arrived in Vietnam was “take good care of your feet” (and also, “don’t get yourself killed”).
Over the past month, I have had to learn the hard way how important our feet are. After a couple of doctor appointments, x-rays and much lamenting, I was diagnosed with a neuroma with the disappointing requirement to “take it easy”.
It has been challenging to be off of the trails for over a month, but thankfully this ailment has not been a permanent sentence. Also,I have learned more about feet and shoe wear than I ever thought I would need to know.
As you know, this is not an affiliate website, I do not make any money from ads or links to vendor sites, etc. I started this Blog to have somewhere to share my hiking experiences and help create community for those that are interested.
However, I do want to share what I have learned. First of all, do not take what I say as something that will apply to everyone in all situations. I am just sharing my experience and hopefully it may lead others to a solution.
My pain was specific to my left foot and it was concentrated between my 3rd and 4th toes, near the base. At times it would feel sharp, like something in my shoe. The intensity of this sensation was gradual. In fact, at first, it was difficult for me to isolate the exact location. Over time, however, it got to be so painful, I knew something must be wrong. Eventually, going barefooted was excruciating. Before I was able to isolate the exact location I went to a specialist, had it x-rayed – thinking that it had to be a stress fracture and I had probably caused the issue with one of my hikes where I had worn a water sandal for many miles due to the river crossings.
It took weeks later and a 2nd doctor visit (this time a Podiatrist) to determine that I was dealing with a neuroma. Sometimes it may be difficult to pinpoint a specific cause for a neuroma, but the culprit for a high percentage of cases is poor fitting shoes.
They say hindsight is always 20-20 and as I thought back over the history of my foot pain, I could pinpoint some foot issues much earlier than the hiking instance with the water sandals. I could point to the fact that my work shoes were well past their prime and I had over used these to the point that the soles and insoles were worn well past their use. I had used these for lunch walks (of 1 to 1.5 miles daily) and I remembered a time coming home feeling like I had a blister on my left foot, but I never could find it. I was also informed that the neuroma is caused by not having a wide enough toe box. I knew that my current hiking shoes were tight on the sides of the feet.
During this time, through research and friends, I became aware of the Hoka shoe. I had heard about them in the past and had heard people say how great they had been for their feet. I guess I had just put it off as being an orthopedic shoe (with unwarranted negative connotations). However, now I was desperate and I would wear a ski boot if it would get me back on the trails. I tried to bypass all of the paid websites and ads and find real testimonials. I was surprised at how many hikers, runners, walker, etc had switched to Hoka and to other brands offering similar support.
The first thing I did was try on and purchase a pair of Hoka Bondi 7. I tried on as many pairs as I could with sizes all around what I thought my foot size actually was. I did discover that I was first wearing too small a shoe. It was immediate relief for me and my neuroma (please note, this may not be true for everyone, but it was for me!). This became my everywhere shoe. Day to day, work, everywhere. I was already starting to get some relief.
The second part of this story is that my Podiatrist warned me about going barefoot. This was an obvious one because it was so painful. It was hard to hear and it made me feel old because I am sure I spent the majority of my childhood going barefooted – outside. So, with some more research I discovered the Hoka Recovery sandal. If I am not wearing the Bondi 7, I slip on the Hoka Recovery. All around the house, beach, lake or pool.
Finally, I asked my Podiatrist the most important question: “When can I hike?” He understood my angst and he warned me that I needed to take it easy first, but he recommended that I look at what Hoka and Altra had to offer. Again, I started my research. I went to REI (which by the way, they offer an excellent return policy) and tried on Hokas and Altras. Both of these seemed to be great trail shoes. However, I had grown accustomed to the feel of the Hoka after wearing them solely (pun intended) for several weeks. I settled on the Hoka Speedgoat 4. This trail runner has been recently designed with a wider toe box. It is a much different feel than I was used to with my previous traditional trail shoes, but they were extremely comfortable and with my positive Hoka experience, I had the confidence to try hiking again.
The rest is a wonderful story. I am so thankful for these shoes. You can read my most recent posts: Riverbend Park and Cherry Cove Overlook to Pigeon Gap. These hikes were my inaugural trips with the Speedgoat 4’s. So far, I cannot be happier. No pain from the neuroma during my hikes and my feet actually feel less sore overall compared to my previous hiking shoes.
If you are having any foot issues, I urge you to never ignore them. Seek professional help first and quickly. The outdoor community is so large right now, therefore a great amount of attention is given to our concerns in the marketplace. There are some great products out there. Also, be your own advocate for your healthcare. If you do not feel comfortable with the advice you are given, continue to seek other professionals. It’s also an advantage if you can find a healthcare professional that shares the same interests as you so they can understand more fully what you are dealing with.
I hope this helps!