3 Tips to Keep Your Feet and Ankles Safe this Hiking Season

Short answer: The three biggest hiking threats to your feet are moisture, downhill toe impact, and hidden trail hazards. Keep your feet dry with merino wool socks and gaiters, protect your toenails by trimming them short and locking your heel in place with proper lacing on descents, and guard against punctures and sprains with stiff-soled boots and trekking poles. Most hiking foot injuries are preventable with the right socks, the right footwear, and a little preparation before you reach the trailhead.

The mountain trails are calling, but before you grab your pack you need to think about what is happening at ground level. With a chaotic mix of leftover ice, deep mud, and loose rock uncovered by the spring thaw, you want to make sure your feet and ankles stay safe from sprains, blisters, punctures, and everything in between. Here is how to kick off hiking season the right way.

Stay dry

Moisture is the single biggest threat to your feet on the trail, and trails in Washington are notoriously soggy. When skin stays damp it gets soft and prune-like, which leaves it vulnerable to friction, the kind that raises a blister miles before the summit, and to fungal infections.

Strictly avoid cotton socks, which soak up water like a sponge and hold it against your skin. Choose high-quality merino wool socks that wick moisture away instead. If you know you are heading into high-water areas, waterproof gaiters keep mud and slush from sliding down into your boots.

Protect your toenails

Many hikers focus on the climb and forget about the way back down, which is where the toes take the most abuse. As you descend, your feet slide forward inside your boots, and if your shoes are too tight or your laces are loose, your toes slam repeatedly into the toe cap. That is how you end up with painful black-and-blue bruising under the nail.

Before you leave the car, trim your toenails short. At the top, before you start down, tighten your laces around the ankle and midfoot to lock your heel into the back of the boot so your foot cannot slide forward. Custom orthotics can also help wedge the foot back and add comfort on long descents.

Navigate hidden hazards

Spring terrain is deceptive. A pile of wet leaves can hide a slick patch of ice, and a deep puddle can mask a sharp, jagged rock. Ankle stability matters, but so does overall foot protection: a boot with a stiff rock plate in the sole keeps sharp debris from bruising the bottom of your feet. Trekking poles help too, acting like a second set of legs and giving you extra points of contact when the ground feels like it is shifting underneath you.

When to see a podiatrist

See a podiatrist if you roll an ankle and it stays swollen or unstable, if a blister looks infected, if a bruised toenail becomes very painful, or if foot pain lingers after a hike. As a sports medicine focus of the practice, trail and activity injuries are exactly what we handle. At CarePlus Foot and Ankle Specialists in Bellevue, we can get you back on the trail safely. Call (425) 455-0936 or schedule an appointment online.

Frequently Asked Questions

This article is for general education and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. If you injure your foot or ankle on the trail, see a qualified clinician for an evaluation.