One of the most important and usually overlooked things in trekking is proper foot care. From experience I can say that neglect of this area can give a lot of annoyance as the trek progresses if not outright difficulties. And in a climate such as India’s with monsoon seasons the dampness can affect the feet at any time of the year so much of this advice is suitable for monsoon times as well.
Before the trek:
-Choose a good pair of boots. They should have ankle support and be roomy enough for heavy socks if necessary. Waterproof them if possible. Vibram soles are the best for rough terrain. Break the boots in by wearing them for local walking for at least a month. Some people recommend you do 150 kms to get them broken in properly but I doubt if most people would do that.
-Check that the insoles of your boots are in good shape if you are using well-worn boots. If not get new ones and break them in.
-Walk with your pack so your posture has a chance to become accustomed to whatever load you decide to carry. Some people carry a day pack and put their heavier items in a duffle for a mule to haul or have a porter carry the heavier pack. Don’t try to be an Olympic weight lifter on trek as altitude will have a serious influence on how much you can carry comfortably. And if you take a heavy pack yourself and you are not an experienced trekker you may find mid-trek that you can’t carry it and without the extra porter or space on the mule it can cause difficulty for everyone. Too often I have seen people try to be superheroes only to be near collapse on the second or third day as the altitude takes it’s toll.
-Have a pedicure. This is for both women and men. Getting the feet in healthy condition before leaving is important. A lot of callouses and the like can lead to an increased risk for fungal infections.
-Do some exercise to loosen and strengthen the hip, knee and ankle joints. Yoga is pretty good for this but a skiing exercises, ballet moves, lunges or step work can also be used. What you want is something that will increase the range of motion of these joints. Walking in the mountains and on rocky paths is a lot different than walking around the city and the uphill downhill terrain does strain the joints.
During the trek:
-Change socks often particularly if you are in wet conditions.
-Wash you feet and apply foot powder before putting your boots on.
-Once you reach the day’s destination remove your boots, wash your feet and put on some other warm footwear such as trekking sandals with socks. (eeeooowww sandals with socks how stylish!) Socks are recommended for warmth to help alleviate the possibility of foot cramps for those unused to long periods of walking. Leg warmers or a blanket or shawl over the legs can help alleviate leg cramps if that becomes a problem. And sandals allow the feet to breathe after sweating all day.
-Drink a lot of water or rehydration solution daily. This helps alleviate calf and thigh cramps as well. And it helps offset some of the effects of mild altitude sickness adjustment such as headache. Leg and foot cramps can be a problem if you are carrying a pack for distances more than you are accustomed to.
-Keep a tube of anti-fungal cream (such as miconazole, clotrimazole or tinidazole) with you and if you begin to notice any itching of the feet apply it at least twice daily. This can also be applied to the folds of the skin (armpits, groin area) as well if any itchy rash (heat rash or fungal rash) appears. There are anti-fungal powders available that are suitable for a foot and body powder. One Indian brand is Clocip but the local chemist will likely have a selection. For anti-fungal look at the label for one of the above-mentioned ingredients. And check the expiry date of the package if purchasing in India.
-If you are with a friend (or if you want to make friends in a hurry-a debatable point with what I am suggesting) exchange a foot and calf massage at the end of the day. This gets the muscles to relax after a lot of stress and works out the lactic acid buildup that helps cause the cramps and feeling of muscle fatigue.
After the trek
-Clean your boots. This can just mean brushing them off or using a damp cloth to get dirt off. Take the insoles out and wash them in an antiseptic solution such as with Dettol. Every year I wash my boots completely in antiseptic solution. Probably the manufacturers wouldn’t recommend this but I do it anyways.
-Dry your boots thoroughly in the hot hot sun. Take the laces out and open up the inside to the sun as much as possible. The heat and UV will kill a lot of the bacteria and fungi. This is also something that can be done with sleeping bags. Do this a couple of times a year to keep the boots free of fungus especially with leather.
-Pack your boots with newspaper before putting them away to help keep shape and absorb any moisture that may still need to evaporate. Change the newspaper once in a while. Store them with the insoles out.
Trekking can be hard on the feet and legs. Care needs to be taken to insure your trek is as problem free as possible.
0 Responses to “Trekking Advice:Foot Care”