insoles?

[daveO]

I've been getting some foot pain after walking long distances and I'm wondering if anyone can recommend any particular insoles that might help out. My heels start to get tender and my arches feel like they're stretched. Cheapo boots don't help I know but money is tight sadly.

 

[Ph34r]

Never buy insoles.

Go to your Gp and he will refer you to a pediatrist, who will find the insoles right for your feet. You should not buy the insoles, as they are not taylored for your feet, most are just made by outdoor shops to turn in a quick profit.

Bought insoles can cause blistering or even sprains if used for more than a hour or so in the wrong conditions.

It may just be that your hamstrings are very tight, you should still go and see a Gp, but some stretches will soon tell you whether that is the case. Often Tight hamstrings can lead to flat feet or high arches, so that is why you should still go and see a GP.

Hope this helped,
Ph34r

 

[big_swede]

I've been getting some foot pain after walking long distances and I'm wondering if anyone can recommend any particular insoles that might help out. My heels start to get tender and my arches feel like they're stretched. Cheapo boots don't help I know but money is tight sadly.

Replace the cheapo boots with trail running shoes. Feet are made to be flexible, they aren't in boots. (Says the guy who spends most of his outdoor time in a pair of lundhags).

 

[Celt_Ginger]

I replaced the insoles in my Brasher Supalites with Sorbothane insoles and it transformed them. Now very comfortable all day.

 

[marcusleftthesite]

I used the Boots Sorbothane ones,totally stopped all my heel pain and ball of foot pain.Before these I tried Superfeet and found them to be the most uncomfortable things I'd ever tried and made my overpronation problem worse.I saw a chiropdist who also specialised in body alignment and the insoles that I was given were absolute crap.

 

[Stuart69]

I got a pair of Sorbothane Double Strikes for my Lowa Combats and they've been great. They're still really comfy after a lot of miles in them and I've never had sore feet.

 

[Paul_B]

My sorbothane double strikes gave no improvement over the inner soles my fell shoes came with. I seriously doubt if they really give any benefit over the soles a good pair of shoes or boots come with. Cheapo boots might be different though,

Superfeet have very little cushioning. They are meant to support your foot so that the foot itself can do what it should do namely shock absorbing and load bearing. Your arch is a kind of shock absorber and the flesh on your foot also helps.

You have to be very careful with your podiatrist even if through the GP. Most charge you then all they basically say is you need an orthotic insole which is made in America by some special process then charge to a wedge to get something that is probably no better than a superfeet inner sole. I know several people who have had problems gone to a specialist through a gp and on their own bat only to come out with an expensive inner sole that actually crippled them, One case the guy was in so much pain that he threw them out and put his superfeet back in his shoes only for the pain to stop straight away.

I'm not saying all podiatrists are dodgy rip off merchants but I have heard enough tales of bad advice and bad "cures" to believe there are enough out there to not bother with them. Although I do think if someone is in pain in some way they should visit a doctor for it. Pain is nature's way of saying something is not right there.

BTW my solution is fell shoes. I think they are the best solution to walking, running and backpacking in the hills. If you know what you are doing they are good for all year round. They are more stable than boots, they actually support your feet and ankles more than boots and generally are better than boots.

 

[johnboy]

I've been getting some foot pain after walking long distances and I'm wondering if anyone can recommend any particular insoles that might help out. My heels start to get tender and my arches feel like they're stretched. Cheapo boots don't help I know but money is tight sadly.

Hi Dave,

I'd agree that sorbothane insoles are very good I've used these and superfeet insoles and I've found both to be good in lightweight boots. I'd also say that if you're walking a 'long distance' in less than ideal footwear then some foot pain is pretty much to be expected... I guess you're the only one who can weigh up how much pain is acceptable and how often you walk a long way.

You may find that any pain you're getting goes away with a better pair of boots for example..

I'd also agree that if you're getting foot related pain on a regular basis then a visit to the GP and possible refferal onto a Podiatrist is a good idea. Talk it through with your GP. If you're walking 50K in a weekend once a year and your feet hurt but the rest of the time are ok is it worth going to the Podiatrist??

I run about 5-10k a day and found that I was getting a some lower back pain which the podiatrist was able to sort out with a tailored insole ( not made in the US and very effective) but that's me, my experience with Podiatrists is that they are: professional, skilled and helpful.

Hope you get sorted out..

Cheers

John

 

[rik_uk3]

Do you need to be wearing boots? IMHO they are worn out of habit a lot of the time when in fact a pair a trainers would fit the bill and be a lot more comfortable.

 

[EdS]

Superfeet - custom mande ones if possible.

 

[ged]

I've been getting some foot pain after walking long distances and I'm wondering if anyone can recommend any particular insoles that might help out. My heels start to get tender and my arches feel like they're stretched. Cheapo boots don't help I know but money is tight sadly.

Unfortunately with nothing else to go on I don't know what you call cheapo boots. I've bought boots from Alt-Berg for many years and they aren't what I'd call expensive for decent boots. However the service you get from them is outstanding. They'll tailor a pair of boots for you for not much more money than off the shelf boots in some other places. My police boots (Alt-Berg told me that they made that style for the police, I'm not in the force) have some heavy duty insoles which they fitted for me at my request, and although they're not exactly lightweight boots I can hike twenty or thirty miles in them at no notice and my feet are ready to go straight back out again at the end of it. The soles are very tough but I've had them a few years and they're now starting to show signs of stress. The uppers are still OK so Alt-Berg will refurbish them for relatively little money, and then I'll effectively have a new pair of boots.

There are so many things to go wrong with feet, legs, lower back etc. I really don't think it makes sense to pinch pennies on footwear. I can understand if you don't want to wear something like trainers when you're hiking, I feel the same. After several nasty ankle sprains in my youth I've become accustomed to the support you get from ankle boots, and for serious walking, especially over rough terrain, I'll wear nothing else.

Have you tried just an extra pair of thick socks? When I wear boots I always wear two pairs of socks, a thin one and a thick one. I carry spares so I can change them too, to air them out. It makes a huge difference to me, but I suppose I do sweat quite a bit.

 

[Mikey P]

Another recommendation for Superfeet.

They 'cup' the heel and support the foot arch so your foot tends not to move around so much in the shoe/boot. I used to find that my heel slopped about a bit on one foot (slightly shorter than my other one) and Superfeet sorted that out. They do feel a bit weird at first as your foot is held quite firmly.

Unfortunately, they are not cheap and may well be out of your price range.

 

[Ph34r]

Another recommendation for Superfeet.

They 'cup' the heel and support the foot arch so your foot tends not to move around so much in the shoe/boot. I used to find that my heel slopped about a bit on one foot (slightly shorter than my other one) and Superfeet sorted that out. They do feel a bit weird at first as your foot is held quite firmly.

Unfortunately, they are not cheap and may well be out of your price range.

yeha, superfeet are good, i use them. get some.

 

[daveO]

Thanks for all the suggestions and help everyone. I'll try a few things out and let you know how I get on.

 

[MrEd]

I used the Boots Sorbothane ones,totally stopped all my heel pain and ball of foot pain.

yep i have these in my work boots and my casual boots, they are good and cheap, more just a cushioning layer than a proper custom fitted insole which i have also tried and didnt get on with at all

 

[Intertidal]

Go see a podiatrist.
My wife is a podiatrist - they are trained to examine the biomechanics of the foot and lower leg and can make specialised 'insoles' (called orthoses) to correct or minimise the problems you experience.

 

[Muddy Boots]

Go see a podiatrist.
My wife is a podiatrist - they are trained to examine the biomechanics of the foot and lower leg and can make specialised 'insoles' (called orthoses) to correct or minimise the problems you experience.

I'd second that.

 

[Andy2112]

Would they be ok for relieving the pain in heels ? I seem to be getting discomfort in my heels lately, i think this is partially due to my heels on my work shoes wearing down, would this cause the pain i wonder ?

 

[para106]

Sounds like you might have a touch of Plantar Fasciitis, mate. If this is the case then you want to sort this out first before faffing about with insoles. A simple way of easing it is to get a golf ball, sit down, then gently roll the golf ball up & down the soles of your feet. Just use enough pressure to feel soles of your feet stretching - you won't put too much on cos, initially, it'll hurt like a barsteward!! If it's too sore for a golf ball do the same with a tin of beans or something to stretch the ligaments of your sole - then golf ball. PM me if you want more detail - I'm a Sports Massage Therapist on the side.

 

[Andy2112]

Sounds like you might have a touch of Plantar Fasciitis, mate. If this is the case then you want to sort this out first before faffing about with insoles. A simple way of easing it is to get a golf ball, sit down, then gently roll the golf ball up & down the soles of your feet. Just use enough pressure to feel soles of your feet stretching - you won't put too much on cos, initially, it'll hurt like a barsteward!! If it's too sore for a golf ball do the same with a tin of beans or something to stretch the ligaments of your sole - then golf ball. PM me if you want more detail - I'm a Sports Massage Therapist on the side.

Cheers Para, thanks for the advice mate, i'll give that a go, it's up to the point of being painful now. I blame it on a pair of Karrimor shoes i had, never had the problem before those shoes, binned em now though.