Happy Feet

How Far Could Your Go on Two Feet?

ow far could you go on your two feet? Across America? I would like to introduce you to two men, Charlie Engle and Marshall Ulrich, who are doing just that. Their adventure is called “Running America” and the web site is www.RunningAmerica08.com.

     Charlie and Marshall are running separately, each having crews and support vehicles. Check out the web site to see some great photos, read their blogs, and track their progress. Right now, they are in  Nebraska. They started in San Francisco and will end in New York. Their goal is to finish on October 27^th. That’s 45 days!

     Along the way, local runners and walkers are turning out to accompany the two runners as they cross America. The photo shows Charlie in the middle of a pack of runners. What an experience.

     Both runners have experienced foot problems, something that is expected to some degree when one runs and walks so many miles in such a short time. I commend Charlie and Marshall for their efforts. I know them both and am proud of their accomplishments.

     May they run strong and safe.

INTELLIGENT SHOE SURVEY NEEDS YOUR INPUT

Erik Roby is with a group of engineers from the University of Washington working on a new type of intelligent shoe that will be capable of real-time gait analysis in an attempt to reduce injury and increase  performance for runners. After competing in the UW Business Plan Competition last spring they decided to move forward with their project and are currently developing a prototype. More information can be found at AMT Wellness. Gait analysis is a technique that measures joint motion and forces to diagnose movement pathologies, determine the severity of injury, select treatment options and monitor progress, and predict prognosis.

The team has created a survey to help direct the development of the prototype (what features do runners want, how the interface would work, etc.). Please take a moment to complete this important survey related to the development of an intelligent shoe capable of real-time gait analysis. Your responses are critical to us. This survey should take 10 minutes or less to complete. Thank you for your help.

Hapad Foot Pads

Last week I pulled my back out and so have since grown accustomed to ice and pain medications. Visits to a local chiropractor have been extremely helpful. In one visit he suggested a heel pad to help my right to left lean. I immediately thought about Hapad.

Hapad is a great company that I have not mentioned for a long time. They are highly respected as a provider of pads for our feet. Here is one quote, “Among orthopaedic foot & ankle specialists... ‘Hapad products are recognized as the most affordable and most effective method for treating patients' painful,  common foot complaints.’"

Hapad products are manufactured from only the highest quality materials. 100% natural wool felt provides a comfortable correction. Hapad felt is resilient and long lasting... yet very affordable. In fact, Hapad products are usually less expensive than the flimsy foam insoles found in most drug stores. Since these products are normally recommended by physicians, they are sometimes difficult to find in stores so Hapad sells directly to you. The pads shown here are metatarsal pads. The pads have an adhesive patch to hold them in place.

Metatarsal, neuroma, tougue, heel, arch and scaphoid pads; insoles, wedges, and more. These are great products that I highly recommend. Hapad products are inexpensive and they are comfortable in hot and cool weather. They can be used to cushion an area, provide padding and support, and can be used for injuries or normal wear.

Give them a call at 800-544-2723 or check them out at their website. Your feet will thank you.

Do You Have Unused Shoes?

Many of use have extra shoes in our closets. I do.  I hate throwing shoes out because I know they are still useful for someone. Recently I saw an ad for Soles4Souls and decided to share this with my readers. I have sent them shoes. It’s easy. I encourage you to look through your closet and send them any unused shoes.

Soles4Souls operates on a simple concept. They serve as a conduit to get shoes that people no longer need to those who can use them. They may send shoes to foreign countries or they may send them to places in the U.S.     

Soles4Souls has a simple mission: To impact as many lives as possible with the gift of shoes. They facilitate the donations of shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Shoe companies, retailers, and individuals can donate footwear (both new and used). Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS, and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.     

Soles4Souls has partnered with companies to be permanent donation locations. This makes it even easier for individuals like you to donate your shoes and help those in need around the world. To find drop-off locations in your state, click here.

Shoes can also be mailed to the following locations:

Alabama (Primary Warehouse Facility)
Soles4Souls, Inc.
315 Airport Road,
Roanoke, AL 36274

Tennessee
Soles4Souls, Inc.
619 Old Hickory Blvd., Old Hickory, TN  37138

Nevada
Soles4Souls, Inc.,
Foreign Trade Zone #89,
6620 Escondido Street,
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119 

Protect Your Feet

Today I leave for a two-day conference and I plan on taking a pair of flip-flops. I often mention this simple product in a negative sense because many people overuse them and wear them when they are worn out. Flip-flops do serve as a great foot protector when traveling.

Flip-flps are great at keeping your feet protected when going into common area such as swimming pools, locker rooms, bathrooms and showers in dorms, and even in bathrooms in a motel. Who knows what has been on the floors of these places. One can easily pick up a case of athlete’s foot or plantar warts from someone else’s germs. If you have any open cuts or healing blisters on your feet, the danger is even greater.

A simple, inexpensive pair of flip-flops can help protect your feet from all the gunk and stuff on other people’s feet.

Unsightly Feet

I have been on vacation the past two weeks. During our road trip, my wife and I golfed, did sightseeing, shopping, and the usual vacation stuff.

I was appalled by the number of people who wore flip-flops and sandals – with feet that looked like they  belonged in the garbage. Their feet were caked in dirt and grime. Their toes usually showed untrimmed toenails, and sometimes cases of toenail fungus. Most often their flip-flops were worn and past their shelf life. In reality, I found flip-flop wearers had the worst feet of the bunch.

It was painful. Maybe I just notice feet more than the average person. I have nothing against flip-flops or sandals, but I dislike dirty feet. 

It reminded me of the April post I wrote titled, "Embarrassed by Your Feet” It said that. “… many [people] are embarrassed by the appearance of their dry heels or discolored toenails, causing them to avoid activities such as … the cooling freedom of wearing sandals or flip-flops."

I would like to think most of us shower or bathe daily. If so, many are not washing their feet. The dirt gets caked on and is hard to remove. Take a few minutes and wash your feet, using a scrub brush if necessary. Then spend a minute and clean and trim your toenails. Really, it’s easy. Your feet will be happier.

Fissures – Cracks in the Skin

Years ago I developed a fissure on one of my heels. It really hurt and took a long time to heel. You may be asking, what’s a fissure? There are several definitions, depending on the use of the word. Here’s the one that refers to skin: a break or slit in tissue usually at the junction of skin and mucous membrane.

These irritating cracks or splits in the skin are typically caused by wearing sandals, flip-flops, or going barefoot. They are common in the summer because our feet not covered as much with socks. The skin hardens, maybe with callus, and as we walk, the skin at the edge of the heel is stressed and a small crack develops.

The fissure I saw yesterday on a friend’s foot was fairly small, less then ½ inch long. When I had mine, it was almost an inch long. Because the outer layers of skin crack, these have to heal from the inside out. 

Prevention is best done by making sure the skin on your heels is kept soft and pliable. The use of a moisturizing cream or callus softening cream is recommended. After you shower, use a callus file or pumice stone to remove hardened skin. Then apply your choice of creams. Use the cream again before bed.

The care of fissures is pretty basic. Apply an antibiotic ointment to the crack, and cover it with a Band-Aid. Watch for signs of infection: redness, swelling, pus, and/or red streaks going up the leg. Most fissures are several layers of skin deep. The fissure will hurt, often being quite painful.

Selecting the Right Footwear

When we wear footwear that is not meant for the activity we are doing, it can lead to our experiencing injury and poor performance. Let me give an example. You are a runner and decide to go backpacking. Off you go - in your running shoes. At the end of the day, you have turned an ankle several times, your gait is changed because the shoes do not give the necessary support - so your hip and back hurts, and you decide to shorten the four day trip and hike out the next morning.

 

Your problems are most likely related to the wrong shoes. Here are a few sport shoe shopping tips:

Walkers: Wear shoes specifically made for walking if you power walk. Power or fast walking creates a higher rate of foot/ankle mechanical action than running. Quality walking shoes have a lower heel thickness than running shoes, which aids the faster foot/ankle movement. Remember that a thick heel is not needed for walking due to less impact than running.

For cross training, wear cross training shoes that offer support for weight bearing exercises and activities such as weight lifting, lunges and squats. These shoes typically offer more lateral support (sideways) which gives weight bearing stability. Look for a cross training shoe that bends easily to prevent excessive foot pronation or supination. You want your heels on the ground rather than forcing your body weight on to the ball of our foot.

For running, select running shoes based on your weight, biomechanics, where you will run, and how much. Understanding arch and foot mechanics is always helpful. If you are unaware of your foot/ankle mechanics, ask a knowledgeable sport expert to help determine if your foot turns inward (pronate) or if your foot turns outward (supinate). Low arch runners tend to pronate while high arch runners tend to supinate. Knowing your foot mechanics will help identify a correct shoe match. Use knowledgeable running stores staff or a podiatrist to help determine if you need shoes made for motion control, cushioning, or a combination. If you have a history of unresolved foot or gait problems (lower leg, knee, back, etc.) you may benefit by being personally fitted for orthotics by a podiatrist or certified pedorthist.

 

Hiking and backpacking shoes and boots give the wearer much more foot and ankle support. These usually are offered in low, mid and high styles. Select one that matches well with the load you will carry and specifics of your feet. If you are prone to turned or sprained ankles, choose one that give added support.

 

Adventure racing is often done in lightweight hikers or trail running shoes. These athletes are often trained at a higher level of fitness because of their multi-sport involvement. For them, the fit of their footwear is of utmost importance. They want support, traction, protection, water draining capabilities, and lightweight shoes.

 

It is important to pick footwear based on what activity you will be going and then ensuring that the fit is perfect. I hope the tips above are helpful in understandings selecting footwear for your sport. Shoes are not created equal when it comes to athletic activities. Select your footwear based on function.

Socks that Work for You

Two weeks ago, I was in Death Valley to help as part of the medical team for the Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile run from Badwater, the lowest point in the continental U.S. to the Mt. Whitney Portal, at about 8600 feet. This race is always held in July to challenge the runners with extreme heat. The route is entirely on roads, however the runners often favor the rocky sides rather then the hot asphalt. As you might guess, this usually takes a toll on the runner’s feet.

In addition to the foot work done by the runners’ crews, three of us patched a lot of tired and hurting feet. Denise Jones, called the “Blister Queen of Badwater,” Gillian Robinson of Zombierunner.com, and I were all busy up and down the course.  By the way, I am running an interview with Denise in the next issue of my Fixing Your Feet Ezine.

 

I was wearing socks from Drymax and had two extra pair. I like these socks because they do a superb job of elimination moisture against your feet. While other socks have wicking capabilities, Drymax socks are made with an inner thread that hates water, making it pass through to the outer surface of the sock. With wicking socks, water adheres to the fiber’s surface. Once wicking fibers get wet, they stay wet. The fibers hold the moisture next to the skin ensuring the skin stays wet. Conversely, with Drymax socks, water drops actually bend around the Drymax fiber, rather than sticking to its surface. This happens because Drymax fibers do not carry surface charges, so the negative & positive charges of water are not attracted to Drymax fibers. Because sweat clings to wicking fibers, the foot remains wet when wearing socks made of wicking fibers. Also the process of wicking must rely on evaporation for the fibers to dry out. Evaporation is a relatively slow process, especially in humid environments such as inside a shoe, where evaporation takes place at a much slower rate than sweating.

 

When sweat droplets move through the Drymax water-hating fibers they stay together and move instantly through the fibers. Drymax stays dry and therefore needs no drying time to keep the skin dry. I have noticed this when I wear the socks. Others have too.

 

So, back to the Badwater story. Jon, the runner from a year ago whose horrible feet I patched (click here to read his story in the August 2007 Fixing Your Feet Ezine), came into Panamint Springs needing some minor foot patching. Once I finished, I looked at his socks and offered him a pair of my Drymax socks.  Denise Jones gave away two pair of Drymax socks. The runners were appreciative and finished the race successfully. Jon told me he loved the socks.

 

Trust me, these socks work for you. I wrote a lengthy review of the socks in the June Fixing Your Feet newsletter. If you are in the market for new socks, or if you want to see how they will reduce your likelihood of blisters, check them out. The website is DrymaxSocks.com and they can also be found at Zombierunner.com. Just click on Store and then Socks.

 

After all, we need to keep our feet happy.

Foot Odor and Wetness

Foot odor and wetness are caused by excessive perspiration mixed with bacteria. Our feet have approximately 250,000 sweat glands and produce as much as a pint of moisture a day. Good daily hygiene-washing and drying feet carefully-helps eliminate these discomforts. Apply an anti-odor powder or spray to your feet and in your shoes. There are three powders I consider the best: Zeasorb, Gold Bond, and Odor-Eater’s. Bunch up your socks and sprinkle some powder in the toes of the sock, then shake the socks to distribute the powder.

 

Remember to open up your shoes too and allow them to air out. A bit of baking soda will help control odor in the shoes. Remove the insoles, clean them and the inside of the shoes. If possible, alternate which shoes you wear – giving them time to dry and air.