Currently reading the book.
I brought a full size toenail clipper and a cheap little diamond file. Aired my feet out for an hour most days at lunch time. Not the kind of thing to skimp on weight or time with. Take care of your feet.
I don't think I need a full-size toenail clipper; I just get a cheap fingernail clipper and expect to spend more time with the included file to smooth the nails. However, I do agree with giving your feet a rest at lunch. If you've got time enough to sit down, boil some water, and relax a bit, you've got time enough to scrub your feet with soap and water and let them breathe. Maybe massage some moisturizer into them before putting your socks back on.
Thanks for the link, I read a bunch of the posts. Good sense and easy to nip foot issues early rather than deal with neglected hygiene and maintenance.
Toenail talk
If you seem overly concerned with keeping your toenails trimmed -- it might just be that your shoes or boots are too small. At least, I recently discovered this was true in my case. The downhills used to be murder on my big toe on the right foot. Keeping the nail trimmed would help a little, for a while. I had gone from 11 to 11.5, and that helped -- but not enough. Went to a 12 in March, and no problems anymore. And I'm not always worried about trimming those toenails like I used to ve.
The article on nail care is a series of articles providing a wealth of foot care AND SHOE IMPACTING pieces well done by John Vonhof where examples are given related to not just running but hiking.
Following the links at the bottom and side column here is just one - HIGHLY APPLICABLE TO HIKING: http://www.fixingyourfeet.com/blog/2...ile-trail-run/ *EXCELLENT INFO with further links to explore.
"The downhills, or a shoe too short in either length or height of the toe box were all contributing factors. But the real cause, in my opinion, was the toenails that are too long and not trimmed short enough and then filed smooth.
How hard can it be to trim your toenails? I guess for a lot of folks, it’s a huge deal and something they never do. In all the years I have been patching feet, I have observed that untrimmed toenails are the number one cause of problems leading to toe blisters and black nails. Socks will catch on nails that are too long or that have rough edges. This puts pressure on the nail bed. Nails that are too long are also prone to pressure from a toe box that is too short or too low.
So what are some tips to keeping your toenails under control? Toenails should be trimmed straight across the nail—never rounded at the corners. Leave an extra bit of nail on the outside corner of the big toe to avoid an ingrown toenail. After trimming toenails, use a nail file to smooth the top of the nail down toward the front of the toe and remove any rough edges. If you draw your finger from the skin in front of the toe up across the nail and can feel a rough edge, the nail can be filed smoother or trimmed a bit shorter."
All issues I've had because I was ignorant and bone headed stubbornly egotistical assuming I knew enough; I knew it all about taking care of toe nails. This info really helped on my odd feet where the 2nd and middle(3rd toe) are longer than my big toe leading to nail problems based on shoe choice and improper nail trimming. One happy side benefit...I don't burn through as many $$ socks.
The book goes much further offering comprehensive info applicable for backpacking. We miss extremely useful techniques, tools, info, products, etc expecting short soundbite like condensed internet articles. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0899978304...tworkpubli-20/
Kinda depends on what you got in the middle - between your arms and your feet! ?Originally Posted by Dogwood
he he he so applicable for my Dad who has my Mom or a DR cut his nails for that reason
I usually cut my toenails prior to each of my week-long sections, and have had no trouble when I do. However, once I forgot to do so. Since I'm only out for a week, nail clippers aren't part of my kit.
Day 4 or 5, a 4 mile descent had my toes on one foot hurting. When i got to the bottom, I take off my boots and socks to discover that my toes had stacked inside the boots and one toenail had cut the underside of the neighboring toe. Bloody toes will get your attention!
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That's the only issue I've had in over 500 AT miles, but I haven't forgotten to trim my toenails before a trip since then.
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Me only issues have been ingrown corner from peeling toenail, socks too tight, and shoes too short. My toenails are thin and flexy and will tear off by themselves if more than 1/16"-1/8" , so they just stay trimmed well behind end of toe. Just be careful with the corners, leave them out so dont ingrown.
I would think 100 mile ultra runners would have mastered basics. But big diff between 25 or 50 mile training runs I suppose. The shorter being more forgiving.
I imagine feet might swell after 20 hrs of pounding. Might complicate shoe fitment.
Last edited by MuddyWaters; 07-09-2017 at 19:19.
Ingrown toes are the worst, especially when they have to be cut out. I had one cut out twice, the second time the doctor cut deep into the nail bed, so it doesnt grow all the way to the edge. No more ingrown toe on that side on the big toe.
I keep my nails trimmed before a hike, I lost the same nail on the same toe twice, and now it grows a bit funny. The downhills just kill my feet.
Please don't read my blog at theosus1.Wordpress.com
"I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. Thank God for Search and Rescue" - Robert Frost (first edit).
I carry a small bottle of rubbing alcohol for all sorts of purposes, including a lunchtime foot massage. Carrying along the masseuse isn't exactly UL, though.
I've had this done to both my great (big) toes. First one was around 1977.....OM......PAIN.....I put off the other one off for 15 years. By then, medical treatments had greatly improved. He numbed it, did something to like pinch off the blood flow, cut the nail back and then injected the bed with something, packed it off and I went home. It was totally healed in just a few weeks. The injection, kills the nail forming cells. So now my nail looks about 2/3 of what it should cover. But treating it ended 30 years of nail growing too wide into the side of the toe. Glad I got them both done!
And, it seems to be hereditary. One of our daughters had the same trouble. Treated when she was still young.
For a couple of bucks, get a weird haircut and waste your life away Bryan Adams....
Hammock hangs are where you go into the woods to meet men you've only known on the internet so you can sit around a campfire to swap sewing tips and recipes. - sargevining on HF
How timely, I just picked up the 6th addition of his book.
I learned about proper shoe size and nail maintenance after both of my big toe nails fell off. They've since grown back, but now I deal with blisters on occasion and am looking forward to preventing those.
This is good info. Both of my big toes grow the nail down into the sides. I've fought it for three decades. Sad to say, the usual course now is too man up when it starts getting into the lower corners and cut straight down from end of toe along skin edge and then using tweezers or hemostats pull the ingrown out. I usually end up ripping the whole nail out/off.
I'm going to look into this treatment.
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everything is bigger in Texas...including toenails?
one of those things, when done, you go "WHY did I not do this SOONER!!!". Ask around to find a decent podiatrist near you. My last one, took him about 10 minutes, from pulling my sock off to "you can go home now".
For a couple of bucks, get a weird haircut and waste your life away Bryan Adams....
Hammock hangs are where you go into the woods to meet men you've only known on the internet so you can sit around a campfire to swap sewing tips and recipes. - sargevining on HF
I have 3 black toenail from a hike I did 6 weeks ago. How long before my toenails return to normal? Nails seem to be normal except for the color now and the fact they are a little tender to any pressure on them. I have been wearing sandals mostly for the past 6 weeks.
Sounds like you might lose those nails. Are they loose? Do they lift away from the toes?
You can walk in another person's shoes, but only with your feet
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