Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Feet and Knees

I would say these two body parts take the brunt of the beating while hiking. I know when I am done with my day hike these are typically the two areas that are sore. I have two questions for this forum:

1) I have finally found a good pair of shoes with enough lenght and width for my feet and I have broken them in. I still seem to have some heal movement and I know I will get blisters while hiking if this remains. Anyone have suggestions on how to eliminate heal movement in a pair of hiking shoes.... not boots?

2) My knees always take a beating on the way down and they start to slow my descent as I get closer to the bottom of the hill. I have thought about getting a pair of those elastic knee supports to wear on the way down. Does anyone else use these to help support his or her knees or am I going to be carrying the weight for nothing?

Any suggestions in these two areas would be helpful.

I'm still looking for the perfect foot cure, but I think I may have found the knee cure. I went overdid it once on a trail and suffered for months after with terrible knee pain. Only the right one for some reason. Every time I stepped down and took the weight off that knee it would kill me. I tried one of those knee straps...cho pat I think is the brand..and it worked. I've hiked with it ever since and have had no problems. Made it up and down whitney last year in 12 hours with absolutely no knee pain. I don't know how they work, but they do. I never hike without it.

Anyone have suggestions on how to eliminate heal movement in a pair of hiking shoes.... not boots?

What you need is called a volume reducer...Basically just a little padding under your heel to take up the amount of 'lift' that is causing your blisters. Don't know if Superfeet has a provision for this but a real boot fitter (not the kid at REI) or orthotic provider can do this easily.

Also in the meantime use moleskin or duct tape over the blister prone areas (only on skin that is in good condition).

Tim,

The knee sttaps work. Honest. Use the Pro-Tec ones, you can read a description here:

http://www.adventurehiking.com/Hiker%20Notes/KneeStraps.htm

I don't use trekking poles because I don't like the clickity-clack sound of them, plus I like to hold a water bottle in my hand. So the knee straps are a viable alternative. You will still have some ancillary knee soreness after doing a hike like Whitney, but with the straps it is *much diminished.* I've done Whitney without straps and with them and the difference in the downhill is huge, especially the rocky "staircase" section coming down between Trail Camp and Mirror Lake.

They're only $15 a pair, you can get them at REI, Big 5, anyplace, or order them from the link I provided.

The cho pat knee straps also work and work well, but they stretch out after only a few months and you have to buy another pair. The Pro Tec straps last for the whole hiking season before you need to replace them. They really do work!

Like Candace, I am not fond of the clicking sound of trekking poles; in fact, in the past, I made disparaging commments to hiking buddies every time we passed someone using them. Then I got a bit older and got some when I heard someone say it eliminated their knee pain on long hikes. It worked for me! I use them on long hikes, but I have the telescoping kind so I can put them on my pack when I don't need them. I have heard of people who hate the telescoping kind because they always close up on them. Mine never have. I love them, because my knees don't hurt the day after.

Hi Trekking Tim, here is a copy of a post I posted months ago about my opinion of trekking poles, fwiw.

OK, now we'll try that again, this time adding the text:

I hiked for years without using poles, then a friend turned me onto them and now I won't go without them.

My last time up Whitney (end of May) I bought a pair at the Whitney Portal Store and can report they were of great quality and cost less than 40 bucks for the pair. I leave tomorrow to go again and will use the same pair.

Truth is, I don't know why someone would say don't bother with poles, unless if that person didn't know how to use them, and therefore got no benefit. If you just swing them around like little sticks you're not using them right. They want to help push you up the mountain and control you while descending, taking the pressure off your legs (who speaks for the knees?). Plus, they will help your balance as you exert in the high altitude.

Two thumbs up for trekking poles from AdiosRich!

Those plastic water bags with the tube that comes out like a flexible, three foot straw is another thing I won't do without. If it is easier to drink you will drink more, and if you drink more you will be a happier hiker.

Two thumbs up for those plastic water bags with the long straw thing from AdiosRich!

I'm a fan of trekking poles -- two of them. Single pole hiking just doesn't balance somehow; it doesn't work with my more-or-less symmetric body. I got poles for my knees. I used to carry them uphill and use them going downhill, but I've come to love them on the uphill walking as well. I can get a great cardio workout and build my triceps. I've saved myself from face plants several times when I've tripped. I've heard about the knee straps but never tried them.

I have narrow, low volume feet. I use stuff called five iron to take up volume in my boots. I try on zillions of pairs every time I buy boots. I also use orthotics and/or good quality ($$) inserts. Superfeet inserts don't work for me because they lack metatarsal pads. Without metatarsal pads I experience toe pain and numbness.

I always carry Second Skin blister sheets and tape in my first aid kit. When the product is carefully applied to a blister or hot spot, I can walk without knowing it's there. During uphill walking I prefer to let my heel slide; I get a blister if I tighten my boots too much. Tightening my boots only increases the friction. On downhill hiking I use what I'm told is a Sherpa knot to keep my foot from sliding forward too far.

Comfortable feet are essential, so check into all the options. If you have an REI or a good quality outdoors shop in your town, they will carry these products. A specialty shoe store that makes orthotics typically has other inserts as well. Good walking.

Thanks to everyone for their advise. I use trekking poles and I wouldn't hike without them after using them and seeing what kind of a difference they make both up hill and down hill. The first time I attempted Whitney I did not have hiking poles but the second time I used hiking poles and it made a world of difference to my success. It sounds like getting some elastic knee supports will help me and I will look into some of the products mentioned to eliminate the heal movement that I have with my shoes.

Thanks again and happy trekking.

I'm also a big fan of trekking poles, but even more so once I learned the proper way to use the straps. See <a href="http://www.trekpoles.com/howtouse.htm">here </a>. I find this technique much more comfortable and controlling - it allows me to keep my hands completely relaxed while placing more weight on the poles.

As for boots, a friend of mine recommended <a href="http://www.yoursole.com/home.htm">Sole footbeds</a>. They're heat moldable, so they act more like custom orthotics at a fraction of the price. I just got mine so I can't provide much personal experience, but I enjoyed them on a short hike this past weekend and my friend swears by them.