Let's talk about feet.

What a title.

I was in the Navy for Eleven years.

I have gotten use to various types of footwear.

Dress, low and top boots, tenny and running, sandels, flip flops etc.

I have never truely had any problems with my feet until I played seriously in Tourneys for Disc Golf.

History. 

I am use to steel toed boots.  This is what I use to play in.

They provided me with support (ankles), protected my feet from hazards of the woods, and helps me concentrate on my footwork for drives.  The other footwear I use (I use about 30% of the time while Disc Golfing) is the straped sandels with and with out socks.

 

Problems..................

Last year I developed "Plantar Fasciitis" on my right foot.

I stretch prior to competing, and sleep with a special brace.  I even bought a shoe insert for my boots.  When really bad, I roll on a tennis ball.

After playing Sarasota, I now have problems with my right Achilles Tendon.

Also, The pressure points (heels, ball of feet) have really harden or calyst up and are even painfull.  I have used sanding stones to wear away the dry, dead calysts but now that makes them tender to the touch.

 

This is where you input your experiences and solutions.............

[AK Discer]

Are you right or left handed?  I was showing signs of gaining this in my left foot and I'm RHBH.  I took some time off and it went away.  I found that I gained this affliction by having poor shoes and playing too much (read as overtraining).  Taking a prescription strength anti-inflammatory will assist in getting better sooner.

[Daddy_Dragon]

I throw right handed.  Back and Forehanded.

Yes, Motrin and Advil have become a daily routine for me.

And as far as taking time off.  I routinely play on Sunday and Mondays.  i have stopped practicing on a regular basis.  So I average two times a week (for the same reason of resting my feet).  The tournys come in and there goes the flare ups again.

[mr ed]

Hey Vic,all serious concerns should really involve a foot doc.describe your pain,situation and heed the advice.it'll get worse before better.home remidies are nice,but professional care is needed.Try soaking your foot in Epsom salt until then.

[Austin "two putts"]

I say listen to Mr. Ed and go see a podiatrist and get yourself a shoe prescription that a board certified pedorthist can use to find you a shoe that should decrease/eliminate your symptoms.

[Rescue]

What they've said ^^^ Now as far as shoes go. I've bought plenty! As a former public servent I found that GREAT shoes are a must!

Now as of late I've been sporting these Five-Ten Impacts (high tops). Kinda bulky at 1st, but the support, traction and crazy durability is the best I've enjoyed for a "disc golf" shoe. They also make "base/approach" hiking shoes. These are VERY rigid, but the traction and support are great. I've never tried them on rubber teepads though, so that might be an issue?

Not a doc, but I've played one in a movie and I also stayed at a Holiday Inn Express. I'd ditch the sandals if your tendons are pulling away from your heel.

 

P.S. you can check out 5-10's at Zappo's.com.....other greats.....Montrail, Garmont, and Salomon (so so)

 

 

 

[Veach Glines]

I was in the Army for 20 years.  In the 80s we were required to perform all training, including daily formation-running, in our boots.  I 'developed' plantar fasciitis.  You don't need to see a doctor, unless you are the type of person who needs to pay someone with an MD after their name to tell you this:

 

You've injured yourself.  Different (but yet similar) to shin splints or tearing a tendon.  You want it to heal?  Stay off it for a minimum of six weeks.  If you are going to have trouble forcing yourself to stop walking on it, get a velcro-strap-attachable temporary boot splint and wear it every day for a month and a half outside of bed and shower.

 

It will heal.  Then you need to re-educate yourself (and you've got some time to do that) on what is best for your feet (and boots ain't...no matter how much you like them/are used to them)  You are aging.  What you could do to your feet in the 1990s you can't do anymore (obviously).

 

I wear Vibram Fivefingers when I discgolf and hike.  They may look strange.  But, now, my foot contacts the ground completely different than how it did when I wore hiking shoes or other foot protection.  Are you familiar with shoe-turn?  It's when you're wearing a comfortable running shoe, for instance, and (while climbing or descending uneven terrain) the sole/bottom of the shoe goes one way while (gravity or stepping) causes your foot to turn inside the shoe...so your foot 'steps' off the sole?  That's impossible with these glove-shoes.

 

We wrongfully believe (assisted by shoe marketers) and have been convinced (brainwashed?) into thinking the more shoe padding/arch support/protection the better.  Actually--walking in bare feet is best; the body naturally protects and balances itself without shoes.  These shoes (worn skin-tight like a glove) offer the bare foot experience with the traction and protection that hiking through woods or on gravel require.  The only drawback I've found while wearing them discgolfing: after walking through a meadow, I have to pickout the weeds and flowers that get caught between my toes.

 

Sorry to hear you've injured yourself at the beginning of Summer.

 

-veach glines 

[Ryan Rios]

Ill agree. I'm using the vibram bikila 5 finger trail running model. Love it!

[Daddy_Dragon]

The concept of the Vibram shoes makes sense.

But I have a question.

How durable are they?

Besides the protection, and support of my steel toe boots, they are very durable and take a beating.

I play mostly on concrete tee pads.  The approach, stop, twist etc of teeing off can put a lot of wear and tear on shoes.

Those Vibrams do not look like they will last long with concrete etc of Disc Golf.

[Veach Glines]

I, also, play concrete tee pads as well as hike forest gravel roads and walk the beach (with no sand inside...a rare quality).   I can't vouch for how many years or miles they'll last because I've only had them 4 months.  No damage yet.   I like mine, the KSO Trek (kangaroo leather) because of the way they feel/balance/grip.

 

They aren't for everyone; some have said they could never wear them because they look strange.  Others claim they must have extra padding and arch support and could never enjoy hiking outdoors felling like they were barefoot. 

[Ryan Rios]

While work boots are great for forward and centered movement, their design doesn't offer a piviot heel, flexble ball of foot area, or much side support.

One of the best sandals available is ecco's yucatan. Its a 3 strap sandal with great support base. Their entire receptor line is great and the ones with a bridge shank help fight pf.

I use merrell's chameleon sandal. While it loses points as a sandal for its lack of water use, its one of the most shoe like sandals available- many of merrells flagship models are offered in goretex, leather, mesh, and sandal.

Plain and simple, there's a reason that shoes cost alot- you can buy look-a-likes but in the outdoor market brand name doesn't mean much if its not backed up by performance.
Since you now have foot problems you must now really look at construction of shoes. Get professional help to itentify your special need areas, but a pediatrist doesn't study every shoe available- they will recomend a few brands and maye sell you some exspensive inserts- truley look at which models give better heel, arch, or vamp support. Things like lace setups and the pieceing of materials can be key.

Good luck.

[Colin]

Steel toes are fine with a nice flat flight deck or engine room or admin building but not for tromping around the woods. There is a reason the navy wears steel toe to work and the Army does not. And anyone using sandals with the high speed pivoting usually required with disc golf is just asking for trouble. I think you might have picked the two worst shoe choices possible without breaking in to the flip flops.

It is definitely worth spending the bucks on a decent sport/hiking shoe hybrid type. If you think you might require some orthotics, its time to seek a pro to help you out. There is no shame to doing it right the first time. Like Veach said, take some time off and figure out what you should be wearing now that you know what you should not be wearing.

[Jamie 'gr8rocshot' Ruane]

http://www.spikesfootwear.com/