Foot pain while hiking

[Sobek]

I am getting desperate for some help regarding a persistent problem I have been experiencing with my feet while hiking. Here is the background:

I consider myself a moderately experienced hiker and an avid marathoner and trail runner. I have never hiked in hiking boots, but have always used neutral trail running shoes instead, which is the shoe style I have been running in for years without any problems. I have done several 2-day and 3-day hikes wearing shoes from La Sportiva (Bushido) and Inov8 (x-Talon and RocLite) and every single time after 8 miles or so, my feet begin to really hurt. No sharp pains but an overall dull ache that becomes bad enough that it takes away from my enjoyment of the hike.

I cannot imagine what is the cause of this. I have a loaded backpack on, so I expect some degree of fatigue related pain towards the end of the hike, but this is concentrated only in the feet and the onset of pain is too early (in my opinion) to be due to tired and/weak feet. Do I need arch support? Or perhaps switch to a foot ware that is more boot-like?

If anyone can relate and found a solution, I am all ears. Thanks in advance!

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

That could be a tough one and you might just have to start tweaking the system until you find something that works for you...but that does sound a bit odd as I've always found running to be pretty good training for backpacking that's not actual backpacking with my running shoes working well for both. How heavy is your loaded pack? Is the pain specific to any part of your feet?

[Sobek]

Hi Aaron. The pain is worse the heavier my backpack is. This past long weekend I hiked the Grafton Trail Loop in Maine over 3 days, so my backpack was fairly loaded. The pain is basically all over my feet...no specific area. I should add that my trail running shoes do not have any insole inserts, which I have learned that a lot of hikers use. Perhaps I need more arch support as the weight of my back pack increases. When I trail run, I am not carrying anything so my shoes--as they are--are fine for that (I guess). Zero pain trail running.

I am looking into Hoka One shoes right now. They are starting to make high and low cut hiking shoes and I have heard good things about them in terms of support and a snug heel cup. They are some what pricey but if this is a way towards pain-free hiking, it would be worth it.

[two pints]

I have found that I need a stiff sole when I am backpacking (25-30 pound pack).  If I don't have a stiff sole, by day 3 I have debilitating pain in my arch and underfoot area.  And since I have fairly large feet (14 4E) I don't have a whole lot of options in trail shoes.  Yeah, New Balance makes a whole slew of trial shoes in wide sizes, but every time I try on something of theirs with a stiff sole, I find that it is more like a 2E.  Currently I use Keen Targhee II's in 14W.  I have tried sandals, trail runners, running shoes, full grain leather boots, etc.  For now, the Targhee's work OK until I find that perfect shoe...

All that said, I cannot help you with your specific problem because everybody has different feet.  Trail runners work for lots of people, but maybe your specific feet will have problems without some of the additional support provided by a stiffer sole and more supportive uppers.  Maybe your problem requires a custom footbed to take care of the problem (high arch not being supported, low arch not being supported, pronation issues, etc)  You said you were using neutral shoes, so you probably have had your gait and arch analyzed to determine that you should be wearing that type of shoe.  But maybe go to a different shoe store and have them give you a second opinion.

Possibly take a look at superfeet or other aftermarket insoles.  Many people swear by these, but I have never found them to work for me because my feet are so wide and take up so much volume that adding any additional stack height just gives me blisters.  And my arch is somewhat irregular, so I rarely find insoles that really work well.

Maybe look for the most reputable outdoor store in your area and ask for their best shoe fitter.  Make an appointment and talk through these issues with him/her and see if they have any recommendations.

Just the additional load of your pack (no matter what the weight is) may be enough to start causing these foot pains you are having.  The Hoka's may be a great thing to try with their added cushioning  (I would love to try Hokas but they don't make my size).

If all else fails, maybe try some lightweight boots like Merril Moab Mids.

[Sobek]

Two pints, all good points and suggestions. There is an REI not too far from me where I could see a person to be fitted with a shoe/boot is that best suited for me. The fact that I can trail run without any problems using a neutral shoe, leads me to think that this is a problem of inadequate arch support and weight bearing only when hiking with a loaded pack. I'll try using inserts, but I have a hunch that I will be needing whole new hiking shoes, rather than modifying (using inserts) the shoes I currently use. Thanks for your input.

[wspscott]

Since you are a trail runner, it seems weird that this is a shoe issue. My guess is it is a weight issue. Was there anything different about the trail you were hiking vs. the trails you normally run on? Something like really rocky or uneven?
 

I hike in the same shoes I trail run in without any inserts, but my pack is rarely above 20 pounds. I would suggest you weigh your pack to get an idea if it is the weight or the shoe. You could also try carrying something like 10 pounds and seeing if that causes the same foot pain. With a little bit of experimentation, you may find a "threshold" weight where the pain starts. Good luck

[Sobek]

Wspscott, I am puzzled too. The hikes I do are nothing like the trails I run on. Trail running is usually over smoother terrain. My pack on this last hike was about 20 lbs or so. Nothing "over the top" in terms of weight. I have hiked with less weight and had the same onset of pain, although the pain came on later and was less intense. So again, I think this is a weight + footware issue for me. I had hoped that my trail running shoes could also be my hiking shoes, but maybe not. Thanks for your input!

[wspscott]

Since the trail running is usually "smoother" than the hiking, it does sound like you need a little bit more support in your hiking shoe. I would not automatically assume that you need boots though. Have you tried hiking in your regular trail runners? Or do you normally run in the La Sportiva?

The Hoka shoes would scare me for hiking since it seems like you would be really disconnected from the ground, easy to twist an ankle.

I would be really skeptical of shoe advice from REI, they will probably automatically reach for a boot.  I think you would have better luck finding a good running store and seeing what they think.

[Sobek]

I wouldn't wear boots, at least not in the spring-summer-fall months. [My winter boots from North Face though are fine...I am happy to say.] I have tried La Sportiva Bushidos for hiking, which gave me horrible blisters in addition to the foot pain. Now I am using (or trying to use) Inov8 Roclite 280s for trail running and hiking. 

I have read nearly all good reviews about the Hoka Tor Ultras for hiking. Some of the reviewers had similar problems as me and claimed these were the solution. I am not 100% sold on this, but I am giving them a hard look.

For running shoes, I am experienced enough to never need to go to a running store to be fitted. I order my shoes online from the running warehouse, but I get what you're saying.

If I do go with the Hokas and this is all behind me, I will definitely share that with the community here!

[lonerock]

I would suggest a trip to the podiatrist. I once broke 4 metatarsal bones in my right foot while hiking. I went through the basic process for healing the fractures and when completed I thought all was okay but shortly afterwards I  started having pretty bad pains in my foot when hiking. I went to a podiatrist and he said the bones had healed but not the surrounding ligaments, muscles, etc. He put me on some simple exercises and soon the pain was gone. 

The point is that you may need to have a podiatrist accurately determine what's going on with your feet that's causing the pain. This would be far beyond the expertise of some shoe salesman.

One interesting note about my visit to the podiatrist. I too have always hiked and backpacked in low cut trail or running shoes. When I  broke the bones in my foot I  was wearing such a shoe. When I explained this to the podiatrist an asked if this contributed to the fractures he said NO. As it turned out he hiked in the same type shoes I  wore. His explanation was interesting. He said that people who wear high boots rely on them for support which can result in some careless movements. Those who wear low to hiking or running shoes consciously and subconsciously  learn to protect their feet in response to uneven or difficult terrain. This learning process provides better protection than reliance on supportive boots. I still hike and backpack in trail shoes except when I  need to protect myself from a lot of debris when bushwhacking.