# Feet are aching!



## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Heya, are they bruised on the underside? What sort of shoes are you wearing?

I can thoroughly recommend the "Blacksmith" brand steel-capped leather boots you can get from Big W (I think Australia-wide). They have a wonderful built-in cushioning system and are the most comfortable, long-wearing, water-resistant leather boots we have ever found, and not nearly as expensive as some of the common name brands, which they outclass. Here on the farm we all wear them, and so does my father on his farm.

Meanwhile: First aid for sore feet: Depending on why they are sore: We once had unbelievably sore feet after spending 7 hours walking a particularly rocky track on the Shadow Lake / Mt Rufus trails in central Tasmania. Yes we have good walking boots, but we had walked 200km in 2 weeks, so this was cumulative. It was a cold night when we got back to our accommodation; soaking in a bucket of warm water with eucalyptus oil is good in those sorts of circumstances. We also did foot massages after that to loosen everything up - use skin lotion or essential oil to make that comfortable, and obviously if you are too bruised you may want to skip this. Stretching the toes out is a really nice part of a foot massage if you've over-used your feet.

If your feet feel hot and swollen, then putting them in cold water may be the thing. This is usually what we do in summer after a long walk trail. Some people also like to soak a wash cloth in vinegar and apply it as a compress.

Nice thick woollen socks are good in work boots. Also we have just discovered (thick) bamboo socks, which are unbelievably comfortable on the skin, and cushioning.


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## TXhorseman (May 29, 2014)

Be careful you do not start walking funny because of the pain. I once had a horse step on my foot. Days later, my foot felt even worse. I thought the horse may have broken a bone in my foot. I saw an orthopedic surgeon who took X-rays and said nothing was broken. He sent me to a physical therapist. I had simply started walking funny due to the pain and made matters worse. I had do stretching and strength exercises with my feet and relearn how to walk properly.


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## horseNpony (Sep 27, 2013)

im wearing gumboots, I dont think they offer much support, but they are the only pair i own. I have to do a lot of walking through mud so i dont want to ruin my good riding boots. 

I soaked my foot in cold water for a while and decided to wear extra thick socks. Its better than yesterday, but still aching


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## Kristyjog (Nov 11, 2013)

Where is your foot aching. I went throigh major pain over the winter in my foot. One morning I woke up with what looked like a major bruise or infection on the top of my foot near my toes. I went to a podiatrist and was diagnosed with neuromas. Proper fitting shoes and a few weeks of taking it easy it hasn't came back. The foot Dr warned me that if I don't wear supportive shoes this can become a permanent problem.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## frlsgirl (Aug 6, 2013)

Did you founder from too much sugar in your diet


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

If you have to wear gum boots, you can get supportive insoles for them at good shoe shops or shoe repair places. I don't mean the ones they sell in the supermarkets; really solid, well-cushioned ones that last for a long time, around $20+ to buy but worth it. Also: If your gum boots are too snug then your feet will get sore more quickly, so make sure you have room to wiggle your toes. If you have to buy a bigger pair of gum boots to fit supportive insoles into and be able to wiggle your toes, go for it: Foot deformities happen quite fast in inappropriate footwear (pressure remodels bone, principle of dental braces), and are not only painful, but way more expensive to treat than getting good footwear to start with.

Some horse shops sell reasonably supportive, waterproof mucking-out boots (but usually pricey). All the best and hope you get something comfortable!


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## horseNpony (Sep 27, 2013)

I only have one day to go so i wont bother buying anything. I wore my riding boots for a while today and my feet felt so much better. The bruising starts on the pad of my foot and runs along the side of the groove to my heel. The soles near my toes are also red and sore, but not bruised. I wore extra thick socks today and made sure not to get anymore shavings in my shoes, really helped.

I probably did founder, i ate a whole packet of chocolates yesterday and today


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Well, given your pain, hopefully it was good chocolates! ;-) Like Lindt or Belgian Seashells or Ferrero Rocher.

Probably your feet got cold too in those gumboots, and that wouldn't have helped circulation, yadda yadda... cruel footwear...


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## horseNpony (Sep 27, 2013)

I have awful circulation in my feet, my feet are always cold, even if im wearing socks and im in front of a heater, still cold. My feet ended up feeling better after a day of rest


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

I'm glad you're feeling better. I used to have cold feet problems until I lived in a passive solar straw bale house... and prior to that, had to use other tricks like electric blankets, wheat bags, warm bath/foot bath before bed, or else I'd lie there awake with ice cold feet. A friend has similar problems and got diagnosed with Raynaud's, so that's her explanation (Raynaud's phenomenon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) but her hands and feet actually turned blue with cold...


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