Reasons Military Boots Hurt Your Feet (with fixes)


There are lots of reasons as to why your boots may be causing friction against your feet. Because of this, it is important to take care of your feet and prevent blisters and rubbing from happening.

Feet will get blisters because friction against the soft, inner skin causes heat to release from boots that consistently rub against constricted skin. Some simple ways of fixing this problem are to wear thicker socks, toe caps, insoles, or runners tape.

With such a common problem, there are many ways to fix it and help to alleviate the pain, which makes walking and running in boots much easier.

Wear Thicker Socks

Sometimes the worst part about getting blisters is that the boots are either too close to the skin or too big, which causes more friction than normal. It can save your feet in the long run, pun intended, if you use thicker socks to protect your skin against the rough material of the boot.

It may seem like an unnecessary expense to purchase thicker socks, but they will last longer than just regular, department store socks. Thicker socks also help to prevent excess moisture from settling into your boots, which causes more heat and blisters to form over an extended period of time.

Long tube socks will also decrease the chances of getting burns around your ankles and lower calves, which won’t cause problems or complications when running.

No Arch Support

Most shoes and boots are incredibly flat for your feet, which can cause some pain in your arches. An easy way to fix this is to put insoles into your shoes. In the military, you will do lots of running, and breaking in new boots running is never fun. Insoles will help to form to your feet and add cushion to each footstep.

Gel insoles are the best option for your boots because they stay cooler than regular insoles while also forming to your feet for compression against the ground. If your boots are a little too big for your feet, the insoles will also help to fill up that space so your boots have less of a chance of rubbing against your feet to make blisters.

Boots that are too large will cause more problems around your feet and also ankles. Make sure that there isn’t any space to create blisters around your feet or ankles.

Toe Protection

When boots are too large on your feet, there are more complications than you would think. This includes getting problems with your toes. Your toes can get large blisters, ingrown toenails, or even fallen arches from no support. You will be enduring a lot of running and exercising, so your feet will experience extensive damage if not properly looked out for.

A great solution to limiting blisters and ingrown toenails is purchasing a toe cap. The less friction against the toes, the less likely for problems. Toe caps don’t come in a variety of sizes, so they fit most shoes and toes. The length of the cap can be cut down to fit smaller shoes, however, which can be beneficial for tighter boots.

Toe caps are designed to eliminate stress to the toes and prevent friction. When running, the toes tend to scrunch and move around a lot when being pushed to the limits. They can be purchased on Amazon and are a fairly cheap investment.

Condition Leather

Leather will harden and become stiff over time, which can continue to cause blisters. By conditioning the leather, the boot will stay smooth and form to the shape of your foot. Stiff boots pinch the skin with the roughness that comes with being hardened.

Leather oils and greases can be purchased at any shoe store. You can choose to condition your leather once, or you can do it every once in a while; it is entirely up to you and how stiff your boots become. Leather can be conditioned for a minimum of three to six months, depending on constant use and amount of dirt. Boots do become hard over time and will cause discomfort.

Break in New Boots

If you happen to have the time to break them in, do so every hour. If it can be avoided, don’t run in them at first. Walk around in them, stretch them around so that they fit comfortably to your feet. Wear thick socks, put insoles in, and break the boots in to fit your feet so that there isn’t too much moisture being locked in to cause blisters.

Get up and down on the balls of your feet. The toe area and the ankles of the boots are the most likely to cause trouble, so flex around those areas to prevent the likelihood of blisters. Scuff up the heels to develop a softened pocket so you are less likely to slip around, which also causes blisters. You can either scrape your boots around in the dirt or use sand paper to speed up the process.

Use a Shoe Stretcher

Shoe stretchers help to stretch and soften the stalk of the shoe. Basically, what you do is stick the shoe stretcher down into the soul and pull the stalk out and around. You can put the stretcher in for anywhere from six to eight hours to soften it and open it up. While also simultaneously using a shoe conditioner, you can soften the shoe and stretch it so that it has a smoother fit for your foot.

A stretcher can be used on boots or any other shoe, which can be purchased anywhere.

Soak Your Boots in a Bath

Another great option to help stretch out your shoe and provide you better comfort is by giving it a bath. What you’ll want to do is fill a bath tub so that the water completely covers the boots. Once they’ve been completely soaked, take them out and empty the water out of them. Put on socks and then put the boots on.

Though it may feel completely gross, wear them for a full day. By getting them wet and wearing them, they will dry and mold to your feet and lower calves. Once they’ve been worn, take out the insoles of both shoes. Put your boots outside or in front of a fan to fully dry.

This is an excellent, quick method that immediately gives your boots the necessary room for your feet to fit comfortably and without rubbing against your ankles over time. It may be uncomfortable for a day, but it won’t take as long to form comfortably to your feet.

Wear Moleskin

This option, of course, comes when there are already blisters formed, but this will make it more comfortable to continue to run in. Moleskin is like a band-aid and fits over the blister to protect it from popping and rubbing against your boot.

When a blister becomes an open wound, there comes a higher risk of infection and complications. It is better to avoid getting blisters or open sores by using the methods listed above, but having moleskin on hand is important to have on hand so that the blister doesn’t become an exposed wound.

Rearrange the Laces

If you are experiencing more tightness around your ankles and lower calves, consider redoing the laces in a different pattern and loosen them so that they cause less friction. Tighter laces means the boots are tighter against your skin, which will cause blisters or irritation. By redoing the laces along with adding long tube socks, it will decrease the chances of large blisters.

Which Brand is Most Comfortable

There is a wide variety of boots available to purchase for the military. Surprising enough, there are boots that are best for flat feet, cold weather, hot weather, and so forth. The best boots for comfort are the Merrell MQC Tactical Boot. These boots are known to be tear-resistant and able to endure for an extended period of time.

Another great pair of boots are the Altama Foxhound SR. These boots are also considered great for long endurance missions. The insole of these boots are actually made to mold to the shape of your feet. As stated earlier, the worst long-lasting affect on feet is having no arch support.

When arches fall, it usually requires more surgery and can be permanent. They are specifically designed to bring comfort to your feet when running or standing for extended periods of time.

Durability

Both of these boots are designed to be durable for extended periods of time. Military boots are designed for long missions and can cause extreme problems if not made for comfort. There is no compromise when it comes to durability and comfort.

Through the challenging demands of military work, both of these boots are perfect if you are looking for something to give support to the arch while also not being too constricting or loose that they give lots of blisters.

Price

Both of these boots are not necessarily pricey but also not cheap. They can be purchased from a myriad of places, but especially at any military outlet store. They usually cost more than $100, which is relatively good, considering they’re designed to endure any tactical maneuvers through most weather conditions.

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