Lacing technique for inflamed and swollen feet

[David Tallan]

I wasn't sure whether to pist this in Equipment (lacing technique) or here (inflamed and swollen foot). Here is what I ended up with.

As people who have been following my "Live from the Camino Torres" thread know, I've been having some foot problems, particularly with my left foot. At first I thought it might be gout, because it started with my big toe and my father had gout in  his big toe, making me susceptible. But, bad as it was, apparently it wasn't gout, firstly because I could walk (albeit with a lot of pain), and secondly because the pain started to move to other parts of the foot, which I'm sure gout doesn't do.

I started taking ibuprofen for it, and the medication certainly helped. But I began to notice that it hurt a lot more and I limped a lot more after putting on my shoes. I realized that whatever was happening with my foot had caused the front part of the foot to swell, and my shoes were too tight there. I though to myself "I bet I can improve this with different lacing." After re-lacing my shoe, it was a real game changer. It made all the difference. I no longer limp at all.

I'm putting below a photo of my two shoes. The right shoe is as usually laced (giving a little more room over the arch. The left is how I relaced it to accommodate my swollen foot.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Thanks David. I hope I never end up with the same problem but useful to have this resource.
Hopefully your feet will improve.

 

[David Tallan]

The feet are definitely improving. Now it is the GI tract I am trying to work on.

 

[CTLawGal]

Yes, good to know. Just wondering, not feeling any imbalance from having the two shoes laced differently?

 

[CTLawGal]

If it's not one thing, it's another! Hope you feel better!

 

[J Willhaus]

Just from interest, are these your "regular" Camino shoes or are you trying a new model/size/brand, @David Tallan? Do you think you need a bigger size? I have been wearing the same model/size/brand since 2018 now, but I know our feet continue to change as we age.

 

[MikeJS]

I use lazy laces or similar in my hiking (and golf) shoes. The stretch gives some give for comfort, you can easily slip them on or off and once set the tension is always the same.

 

[David Tallan]

Yes, good to know. Just wondering, not feeling any imbalance from having the two shoes laced differently?

No imbalance. The different lacing just compensates for my feet being (hopefully temporarily) different sizes.

 

[David Tallan]

Just from interest, are these your "regular" Camino shoes or are you trying a new model/size/brand, @David Tallan? Do you think you need a bigger size? I have been wearing the same model/size/brand since 2018 now, but I know our feet continue to change as we age.

These are the same ones I wore in May, and the same kind I wore last year. They both fit fine until one foot got inflamed and started to swell. I am just adjusting for that. I suppose I could get new shoes to match my left foot, but then they would be too big for my right foot. And for both feet if the swelling went down (which hopefully it eventually will). And that would require finding a shoe store in rural Portuguese villages where it is tough enough to find a bar or grocery store.

 

[CWBuff]

...and secondly because the pain started to move to other parts of the foot, which I'm sure gout doesn't do.

I do sincerely hope that yours us not the case but I can ABSOLUTELY assure you that gout does move to other parts. Yes the big toe is the most likely culprit but I had it on the side as well...

 

[JerryStroebele]

You can also lace them as normal but very loose at the bottom (front), then knot them higher up (midwayor higher) and from there tighter is ok. Works for a bunion on my right foot. (Which requires a boot one size larger than the left foot.) Buen Camino

 

[Beeman]

I wasn't sure whether to pist this in Equipment (lacing technique) or here (inflamed and swollen foot). Here is what I ended up with.

As people who have been following my "Live from the Camino Torres" thread know, I've been having some foot problems, particularly with my left foot. At first I thought it might be gout, because it started with my big toe and my father had gout in  his big toe, making me susceptible. But, bad as it was, apparently it wasn't gout, firstly because I could walk (albeit with a lot of pain), and secondly because the pain started to move to other parts of the foot, which I'm sure gout doesn't do.

I started taking ibuprofen for it, and the medication certainly helped. But I began to notice that it hurt a lot more and I limped a lot more after putting on my shoes. I realized that whatever was happening with my foot had caused the front part of the foot to swell, and my shoes were too tight there. I though to myself "I bet I can improve this with different lacing." After re-lacing my shoe, it was a real game changer. It made all the difference. I no longer limp at all.

I'm putting below a photo of my two shoes. The right shoe is as usually laced (giving a little more room over the arch. The left is how I relaced it to accommodate my swollen foot.
View attachment 180543

I had gout in my left big toe. My dad had gout for years. I started to drink celery seed tea each morning,and the pain went away. Celery seed gets rid of puyrines. My blood tests last week,showed that my uric acid levels were in the normal middle of the range. Check out celery seeds in herbal books for yourself. It is cheap and really works.

 

[Beeman]

I had gout in my left big toe. My dad had gout for years. I started to drink celery seed tea each morning,and the pain went away. Celery seed gets rid of puyrines. My blood tests last week,showed that my uric acid levels were in the normal middle of the range. Check out celery seeds in herbal books for yourself. It is cheap and really works.

Also Gout can flare up in other places. A friend of mine has it in his fingers.

 

[Ivan_Prada]

Hello David:
Sorry for what happened to foot. I found this photo in my photo gallery and thought that it was worth to save as could became handy someday.
Hope this helps to ease the pain.

Buen Camino,
Iván

 

[Anellis01]

I wasn't sure whether to pist this in Equipment (lacing technique) or here (inflamed and swollen foot). Here is what I ended up with.

As people who have been following my "Live from the Camino Torres" thread know, I've been having some foot problems, particularly with my left foot. At first I thought it might be gout, because it started with my big toe and my father had gout in  his big toe, making me susceptible. But, bad as it was, apparently it wasn't gout, firstly because I could walk (albeit with a lot of pain), and secondly because the pain started to move to other parts of the foot, which I'm sure gout doesn't do.

I started taking ibuprofen for it, and the medication certainly helped. But I began to notice that it hurt a lot more and I limped a lot more after putting on my shoes. I realized that whatever was happening with my foot had caused the front part of the foot to swell, and my shoes were too tight there. I though to myself "I bet I can improve this with different lacing." After re-lacing my shoe, it was a real game changer. It made all the difference. I no longer limp at all.

I'm putting below a photo of my two shoes. The right shoe is as usually laced (giving a little more room over the arch. The left is how I relaced it to accommodate my swollen foot.
View attachment 180543

Thank David, I will definitely keep this in mind when I finally start my journey. My right foot is my biggest concern so any tips will be a blessing.

 

[David Tallan]

Hello David:
Sorry for what happened to foot. I found this photo in my photo gallery and thought that it was worth to save as could became handy someday.
Hope this helps to ease the pain.

Buen Camino,
Iván


View attachment 180685

I had been doing like the high arches, but added the wide forefoot and basically just opened it all up until the top (where I always do a heel lock).

 

[dougfitz]

Here is a link to Ian's Lacing Site, a wonderful resource for lacing techniques and shoelace knots. Lots of how to and  why there to help, and lots of fun stuff as well.

 

[60LifeChange]

The feet are definitely improving. Now it is the GI tract I am trying to work on.

Your lacing style brought up an old system I used to use in my running days. almost identical i believe. but the reminder helped me get my heels set in better with a set of Hoka Trail runners. bought a size larger than i normally wear for the thicker socks and the ability to stretch. Great tips!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Here is a link to Ian's Lacing Site, a wonderful resource for lacing techniques and shoelace knots. Lots of how to and  why there to help, and lots of fun stuff as well.

Thanks, Doug, I am bookmarking the link in case I need some lacing help in the future.

 

[caminka]

These are the same ones I wore in May, and the same kind I wore last year. They both fit fine until one foot got inflamed and started to swell. I am just adjusting for that. I suppose I could get new shoes to match my left foot, but then they would be too big for my right foot. And for both feet if the swelling went down (which hopefully it eventually will). And that would require finding a shoe store in rural Portuguese villages where it is tough enough to find a bar or grocery store.

If you need it, there is actually a Decathlon on the outskirts of Braga and both the Torres and the Geira pass within a kilometer of it.

 

[CA_Pilgrim]

This has probably already been posted, but here it is again. I've been struggling with a bony prominence on the outer right foot for about a year. This in combination with weak and falling arches. A new custom orthotic has alleviated the falling arch problem, but the protruding bone on the right foot still bothers me. I purchased a pair of extra wide hiking boots and that does alleviate the problem (compared to my wide cut Merrell's) but they are a bit loose in the heal.

Anyway, in my quest to find a solution before an upcoming multi-day hiking adventure in New Zealand in February, I went back to my Merrell's a few days ago and tried some different lacing strategies. See the attached photo I downloaded from somewhere on the internet. I've settles on a hybrid of the "Wide Forefoot" and "Wide Midfoot" lacing patterns as the best pattern for my feet. My Merrell hiking shoes only have 5 hole compared to the 6 pictured, so that's what I mean by hybrid approach.

So, anyway, here's the photo of the lacing patterns. Hope it helps you or someone else. I'm heading out tomorrow for a long hike to test it out.