Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board foot pain

I'm training for the High Sierra Trail, July/August. I develop intense pain across the ball of my feet after about an hour and a half. Before I go to a podiatrist, is this a common problem with a common fix? I'm afraid that I won't be able to do the hike, the pain is simply debilitating. I'm otherwise feeling pretty good on these training hikes.

I have a similar problem and couldn't figure it out until I did go to a podiatrist. The above is correct info, and I was fitted for a custom orthodic that I wear in my hiking shoes and running shoes. This helps considerably. However, sometimes it still bothers me, then I need to check my laces and make sure they aren't too tight or loose. I am constantly adjusting laces on the trail as needs change. Ask for recommendations for a podiatrist - not all are good. Good luck!

JTL,

Heed california-trailwalker's advice about surgery as a last resort. My wife was out of hiking/backpacking for two years after having her Morton's Neuroma removed. The doc was right when he said that the foot takes years to recover from that procedure.

At first her inserts worked like a charm, but then the neuroma (bundle of nerves) grew so large that the insert couldn't prevent the metatarsals (toe bones) from pinching it.

If you do have a neuroma (and it does sound like you may), have professional ortho inserts made, take Motrin (painkiller/anti-inflammatoy) anything to put off the surgery as long as possible.

Jonathan, before spending $500 - $750 on a doctor and orthodics, check your gear...what kinda boot do you have?

~Swifty

Jonathon,
I had surgery on a Mortons many years ago and recovered quickly and never have had any problems with it since. I did Have the doc deaden the nerve while he was in there and I have a bit of numbness, but not a problem. My problem is that a few months ago I thought I had the same thing in the other foot so went to doc to have fixed and found that it was a totally different problem, though it "felt" the same to me. This was osteo-arithitis and my backpacing days are now over. But with custom orthos I can day hike quite a few miles.

Thanks for all the info, I was pretty much convinced that I had at least the beginning of a neuroma, though I was really hoping that someone was going to say that it's pack adjustment or shoes. Oh well, I guess there's no denying it any more. I'm too close to my leave date to get in to see a podiatrist (leave here July 23) for eval and maybe orthotics, so I'm just going to try to rig some cushioning in my boots myself and see what I can come up with. I'm pretty much determined to do this hike, I've scheduled a few extra days so that it won't be a painful death march, I can rest an extra day here or there.

Check your boots first. Is the toe box big enough for your feet? Try on a new pair of boots to see if your get a better fit.
Check out the footwear center at backpacker.com.
Your feet may have grown...

I'm going on the theory that's it's (hopefully) just metatarsalgia, my shoes are Lowa Scout II's, pretty big toe box. I'm going to try thicker gel inserts and lacing the front very loose. I'm in the medical field and I have a good chance to see a podiatrist as a courtesy visit, so I'm going to try and arrange that tonight at work. That left foot's pretty bad though and I fear the worst for it.