Insoles or not?

[marcy]

I'll be hiking the Camino in September/October this year. I'm trying to decide if I should buy my shoes with enough room to replace the insoles with a better quality one. I've had some issues with plantar fasciitis in the past, and sometimes insoles cause more aggravation than without them. Anyone else with plantar issues able to weigh in on whether you used a higher grade insole or the one that comes in the shoe??

thanks!

 

[mspath]

I'll be hiking the Camino in September/October this year. I'm trying to decide if I should buy my shoes with enough room to replace the insoles with a better quality one. I've had some issues with plantar fasciitis in the past, and sometimes insoles cause more aggravation than without them. Anyone else with plantar issues able to weigh in on whether you used a higher grade insole or the one that comes in the shoe??

thanks!

marcy,

Check out this earlier Forum thread for pilgrims with plantar fasciitis.

MM

 

[Cathy Simpson]

I'll be hiking the Camino in September/October this year. I'm trying to decide if I should buy my shoes with enough room to replace the insoles with a better quality one. I've had some issues with plantar fasciitis in the past, and sometimes insoles cause more aggravation than without them. Anyone else with plantar issues able to weigh in on whether you used a higher grade insole or the one that comes in the shoe??

thanks!

Hola Marcy, I also have feet problems and had special orthotics made. I found it necessary to wear a larger shoe to accommodate the orthotics. The combination worked well. Also, took plenty of time to break in my boots.
Hope that helps. Buen Camino.
Cathy way walker

 

[marcy]

marcy,

Check out this earlier Forum thread for pilgrims with plantar fasciitis.

MM

thanks for the thread!

 

[CISSA69]

I'll be hiking the Camino in September/October this year. I'm trying to decide if I should buy my shoes with enough room to replace the insoles with a better quality one. I've had some issues with plantar fasciitis in the past, and sometimes insoles cause more aggravation than without them. Anyone else with plantar issues able to weigh in on whether you used a higher grade insole or the one that comes in the shoe??

thanks!

I was advised to get custom made orthotics years ago which I did. I ended up ditching them as they were not fit for purpose, caused more problems than they solved. They were made from a very hard material and as a heavy set person did not provide any give. I compared them with those worn by some German friends and found that their custom made orthotics were made from a softer material and ideal for say running. So my advice would be to make sure that if you choose to buy othotics, then get ones that are fit for purpose. That said I had to replace the insoles of my Merrills with the insoles from my old Salmons as the Merrill insoles did not provide enough support for my feet. So I suppose we all have different needs and as such need to work out what will work best for you. Not an issue if you are an experienced walker/hiker as you are likely to know what is best for you. Might be an issue if your are new to walking or not very experienced. At least you have until September to test a number of options. Join a walking club/group, test a number of options and seek the advice of fellow walkers. I have in the past brought two pairs of insoles so that I could wash the insoles every few days, remove the sweat and dirt. You could also bring different insoles that balanced each other our and which would allow you to swop them around depending on their performance and your needs. They weigh little or nothing

 

[Carol06]

When I bought my boots I bought seperate insoles that were heated and then moulded to fit my feet. They were fantastic and gave excellent cushioning. I had almost worn them through by the end of my camino but my boots looked brand new.

 

[backpack45]

Everyone's feet are different--so I also recommend walking with what you plan to wear on the trail. One important consideration is the day-after-day walking of the Camino, which is quite different from going on a long walk today and then a long one a week from now. I have plantar fasciitis, which I manage well with my custom orthotics. I walk on softer surfaces when possible. I also wear Dr. Scholls (or similar) foam inserts under my orthotics (I have more than one pair) that aren't full length. I have walked thousands of miles with this system and have not been incapacitated since my initial plantar problem. Massage when ice or roll a can of oj, soda, etc. under the arch.

 

[MaxfromMO]

A lot of shoes you purchase these days have removable insoles so that you can put in your own, so check that first. No need to purchase them larger than you need to for that reason.

Also, my husband had a very bad bout of plantar faciitis seven months before we were to leave last year to do the Camino. We tried all the usual routes for recovery. But they can all take 8 months to two years to resolve. He was begging me to find "something" new we hadn't tried. I found a thread on this forum with a post by a runner who had walked the Camino. She had written an article about using Cold Laser Therapy for her plantar faciitis. I read that, told my husband, found a Dr. in our area who did it. (There were many Dr.'s who offered it, I chose the one who was a runner herself and very active.) My husband said it sounded like hocus pocus, but he was desparate. He had much the same progress as the runner wrote about in her article. Within days he had gone from not being able to walk much at all, to being back out on the road. He kept it up, just for maintenance, until we left, and had no problems at all. She also used what is called the Graston Technique, plus he had the heatable moldable inserts for support. He walked from SJPDP to Santiago and didn't have a problem.

 

[marcy]

A lot of shoes you purchase these days have removable insoles so that you can put in your own, so check that first. No need to purchase them larger than you need to for that reason.

Also, my husband had a very bad bout of plantar faciitis seven months before we were to leave last year to do the Camino. We tried all the usual routes for recovery. But they can all take 8 months to two years to resolve. He was begging me to find "something" new we hadn't tried. I found a thread on this forum with a post by a runner who had walked the Camino. She had written an article about using Cold Laser Therapy for her plantar faciitis. I read that, told my husband, found a Dr. in our area who did it. (There were many Dr.'s who offered it, I chose the one who was a runner herself and very active.) My husband said it sounded like hocus pocus, but he was desparate. He had much the same progress as the runner wrote about in her article. Within days he had gone from not being able to walk much at all, to being back out on the road. He kept it up, just for maintenance, until we left, and had no problems at all. She also used what is called the Graston Technique, plus he had the heatable moldable inserts for support. He walked from SJPDP to Santiago and didn't have a problem.

Yes, I know the frustration. I actually did shock wave treatments, which ended up being really painful. I'm not in pain now, but I'm concerned that if I start walking a lot, it will kick up. since I'm hearing a lot about the cold laser, I'll keep that in mind if my pf gets aggravated. Thanks for the post!!

 

[Anniesantiago]

I use New Balance trail runners and I replace the insole with New Balance "Motion Control" insoles.
I love those things.
It's like walking on a cloud!

 

[t2andreo]

I read all the above posts with great interest. Last year I walked the Camino Frances and had no blisters at all. I attribute this to wise advice at my local REI shop where I was fitted for my Keen Targhee II mid-height hiking boots by a fellow who was an experienced thru-hiker. The combination of oversized hiking boots, two pair of socks and proper foot hygiene did the trick, IMHO.

On the other hand, my life-long struggle with heel calluses almost ended my Camino early. While I trained for my Camino at home, I wore green Superfeet insoles with my boots. The different Superfeet models and stiffnesses are indicated by the insoles color. It turns out that the relatively rigid molded plastic heel cup on this (green) insole rubs against my heels and causes the calluses to grown. I eventually found proper medical attention from a podiatrist at Burgos.

This experience taught my several things with regard to insoles:

1. If you prefer after-market insoles to what came with your shoes or boots, make sure the heel cup does not rub your foot as it rides up and down in your shoe - boot. There are other Superfeet insoles (orange, or berry colored) that are designed differently and while they have good support, do not have the same rigid heel cup as the green model. Check the stiffness of the heel "cup" out before you buy something.

2. If you have odd feet, or foot issues that make you different than the mass of people, do see a podiatrist BEFORE you depart. As I prepare to walk the same Camino again this year (to ensure that I walk EVERY kilometer that I skipped last year due to the foot issue), I placed seeing my local podiatrist high on the pre-Camino "to-do" list. That was done in early February. The podiatrist recommended a foot ointment that uses enzyme action to remove calluses and soften feet. It actually seems to be working. The product is named "Callex" and is available commercially or online here in the U.S.

3. My podiatrist also made custom orthotics that fit in my huge - size 47 / US 13 - hiking boots. Having worn orthotics before in street shoes (sized 45/11), I knew to specifically ask for the sports-style orthotic that can be immersed in water without damage. The new insoles are what a runner would use. Hence, while my "street" orthotics are fabricated from leather, felt, and cork; my Camino insoles are totally synthetic. Given my experience slogging through mud and paths that become streams in the rain, I think this was wise. They were not cheap, but certainly cost less than an interrupted trip.

3. I know there is a slight weight penalty, but I plan to carry my original Keen insoles with me at the bottom of my pack. This is so I can either give my prescription orthotics a rest occasionally, or switch them out if the prescription insoles do not dry completely for the next day.

No matter what kind of feet you have you must have at least the insoles that came with your shoes or boots. The "naked" boot usually does not provide enough padding or shielding against the stones you walk over every day on the Camino. I experienced this last year. I had to walk a day without an insole and felt literally EVERY stone and pebble. It was not fun.

I hope I have added value and this, all together, helps someone.

 

[fernandezr]

I read all the above posts with great interest. Last year I walked the Camino Frances and had no blisters at all. I attribute this to wise advice at my local REI shop where I was fitted for my Keen Targhee II mid-height hiking boots by a fellow who was an experienced thru-hiker. The combination of oversized hiking boots, two pair of socks and proper foot hygiene did the trick, IMHO.

On the other hand, my life-long struggle with heel calluses almost ended my Camino early. While I trained for my Camino at home, I wore green Superfeet insoles with my boots. The different Superfeet models and stiffnesses are indicated by the insoles color. It turns out that the relatively rigid molded plastic heel cup on this (green) insole rubs against my heels and causes the calluses to grown. I eventually found proper medical attention from a podiatrist at Burgos.

This experience taught my several things with regard to insoles:

1. If you prefer after-market insoles to what came with your shoes or boots, make sure the heel cup does not rub your foot as it rides up and down in your shoe - boot. There are other Superfeet insoles (orange, or berry colored) that are designed differently and while they have good support, do not have the same rigid heel cup as the green model. Check the stiffness of the heel "cup" out before you buy something.

2. If you have odd feet, or foot issues that make you different than the mass of people, do see a podiatrist BEFORE you depart. As I prepare to walk the same Camino again this year (to ensure that I walk EVERY kilometer that I skipped last year due to the foot issue), I placed seeing my local podiatrist high on the pre-Camino "to-do" list. That was done in early February. The podiatrist recommended a foot ointment that uses enzyme action to remove calluses and soften feet. It actually seems to be working. The product is named "Callex" and is available commercially or online here in the U.S.

3. My podiatrist also made custom orthotics that fit in my huge - size 47 / US 13 - hiking boots. Having worn orthotics before in street shoes (sized 45/11), I knew to specifically ask for the sports-style orthotic that can be immersed in water without damage. The new insoles are what a runner would use. Hence, while my "street" orthotics are fabricated from leather, felt, and cork; my Camino insoles are totally synthetic. Given my experience slogging through mud and paths that become streams in the rain, I think this was wise. They were not cheap, but certainly cost less than an interrupted trip.

3. I know there is a slight weight penalty, but I plan to carry my original Keen insoles with me at the bottom of my pack. This is so I can either give my prescription orthotics a rest occasionally, or switch them out if the prescription insoles do not dry completely for the next day.

No matter what kind of feet you have you must have at least the insoles that came with your shoes or boots. The "naked" boot usually does not provide enough padding or shielding against the stones you walk over every day on the Camino. I experienced this last year. I had to walk a day without an insole and felt literally EVERY stone and pebble. It was not fun.

I hope I have added value and this, all together, helps someone.

That was an excellent message, t2andreo;I also used Superfeet and found them to be good although, as noted, everybody's feet are different, and the arches were a little high for me. It helped that my companion on the Camino happened to be a podiatrist and he commented that one can heat them up and suppress the arch a little to be more comfortable, if one has the problem I had.

 

[peregrina2000]

I have a foot deformity that has resulted in my wearing orthotics all the time for the last 25 years or so. I learned the hard way that hard plastic orthotics may be fine for daily activities and the occasional long day hike, but they are likely to cause damage to your feet if worn on the Camino, especially on those caminos with lots of asphalt.

In 2009 I had silicone orthotics custom-made and, knock on wood, I haven't had a problem with heel pain since. Molded to your feet and cut to your hiking boot/shoe, they work like a charm for me.

 

[pep7702]

I have a foot deformity that has resulted in my wearing orthotics all the time for the last 25 years or so. I learned the hard way that hard plastic orthotics may be fine for daily activities and the occasional long day hike, but they are likely to cause damage to your feet if worn on the Camino, especially on those caminos with lots of asphalt.

In 2009 I had silicone orthotics custom-made and, knock on wood, I haven't had a problem with heel pain since. Molded to your feet and cut to your hiking boot/shoe, they work like a charm for me.

My experience is similar to Peregrina2000's. I have a foot deformity (high arch, Morton's toe) that didn't cause problems until the Camino. On the Camino I wore relatively hard custom orthotics. I injured my feet and now nine months later I'm still not 100%.

The best medicine for people with foot problems is a good custom orthotic and based on my experience I'd advise a custom silicone (relatively soft) orthotic, which I use now and are wonderful.

Every Peregrino is different. Your feet are so important that you should figure out what works for you before you go on your Camino. If you have a foot problem try a silicone orthotic.