How to Care For Your Feet While Hiking

Hiking is a great way to get a workout while beating the monotony of the gym. Not only does a regular hiking regimen help you to loose weight and improve your bone density, but it can also help to relieve back pain and decrease your blood pressure. Best of all, it doesn’t cost much. But whether your idea of hiking is walking along a neighborhood footpath that runs beside a babbling brook or navigating a more adventurous trail to a mountain ridge, one thing all hikers must do is make sure to take care of their feet. After all, it is your feet that are carrying the load.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Soap and water
• Towel
• Foot powder
• Clean socks, with no holes
• Properly fitting, broken-in hiking boots or shoes
• Backpack or fanny pack
• Adhesive bandages
• Needle
• Matches or lighter
• Canteen with water

How to Care For Your Feet While Hiking

1. Wash your feet with hot, soapy water prior to starting a hike. Pat your feet dry with a towel. Inspect your feet to insure there are no blisters or sore places. Lightly dust each foot with foot powder. Put on fresh, clean socks, ensuring there are no holes or knotty darns that would make walking uncomfortable or provide a pressure spot. Put on a pair of comfortable, properly fitting, broken-in hiking boots or shoes.
2. Pack extra socks, foot powder, adhesive bandages, needle, matches or lighter, and soap in a lightweight backpack or fanny pack. Fill a canteen with water and pack it in your backpack or attach it to your belt, where it will be more accessible.
3. Keep your feet as dry as possible while hiking. When you notice your socks getting damp from perspiration, or wet from crossing a creek or other body of water, stop at your first opportunity and change them for dry socks.
4. Take your hiking boots off during rest periods, and elevate your feet to reduce congestion and swelling. Inspect your feet for tender pressure spots and blisters. Pressure spots can be treated by applying an adhesive bandage over the spot and adjusting your socks. Blisters are more serious. Wash the blister and surrounding area with soap and water from your canteen. Sterilize a needle by heating it in a flame from a match or lighter until it turns red. Cool the needle by pouring water over it. Open the blister by sticking the needle into it at the lower edge. Apply an adhesive bandage over the blister. Apply another dusting of foot powder before putting on a fresh pair of socks. Put your boots back on and continue your hike.

Tips & Warnings

• Never wear new footwear on a hike.
• Always let someone know the route you will be taking, and when you expect to return.
• Hiking can be as easy or as difficult as you want to make it. Be sure you are healthy enough for the length of hike you intend to take. If you have any question about whether you are healthy enough for hiking, consult your doctor.