Volume 5, Issue 10a, October 2005
John Vonhof, Footwork Publications
http://www.vonhof.typepad.com/fixingyourfeet
Copyright, October 2005, All rights reserved
THIS ISSUE IN SUMMARY
My editorial is on a subject close to many athletes’ heart—calluses. As a follow-up, I’ve added a number of comments from readers on their experiences with pedicures. There are two foot care tips, a piece from Outside magazine, and a pack for kids in the Non-Feet Good Stuff section. Then finally, the reader feedback is always worth reading.
PURPOSE
The Fixing Your Feet E-zine is published twice a month to inform and educate athletes and non-athletes about proper foot care skills and techniques, provide tips on foot care, review foot care products, and highlight problems people have with their feet.
EDITORIAL: Calluses, Good or Bad?
by John Vonhof
Calluses are one of the most controversial foot care subjects. For every athlete who bemoans their calluses are two or three others who love them. So what are these calluses and why do we care? …
Foot Care-4-U says about calluses: “They are created by Mother Nature, to insulate and protect 
the balls of the feet and other areas on the feet against abnormal bony pressure. They act as a defense mechanism against friction and abnormal pressure from the bones of the feet. Footwear is commonly blamed for the formation of calluses, but more often than not, the truth is calluses are most usually caused by inherent traits which affect how the bones in our forefoot are formed and how they bear our bodies’ weight. When one or more of these bones are misformed, other bones are forced to bear an excessive amount of weight. Mother Nature reacts by creating a shock absorber to protect the underpart of the bone. The buildup of this protective shock absorber is what we call callus.” (cartoon from Foot Care-4-U)
In Fixing Your Feet I define a callus as, “an abnormal amount of dead, thickened skin caused by recurring pressure and friction, called hyperkeratosis, usually on the sole of the foot, most often on the heels, the balls of the feet or the bottom of the to
es.”
So, are calluses good or bad? Many athletes have calluses as a natural outcome of their footwear and gait, as Foot Care-4-U says. But calluses can also develop when footwear fits incorrectly, or from going barefoot or wearing sandals. As you read the responses about pedicures, you’ll hear how many athletes want to keep these protective pads.
In many cases, there is nothing wrong or bad about calluses. They can protect against friction and act as a cushioning pad. They can also help protect against blisters. Again in Fixing Your Feet I say, “Calluses become a problem when they become thick enough to interfere with the normal elasticity of the skin or to act like a foreign body on the foot.” In this case, blisters often develop under the callus. I call these deep blisters—usually deep under the many layers of dead skin. It is hard for me or a podiatrist, or even you if you try on your own, to drain these blisters. We know there is fluid underneath the callus, but finding the right depth and location is almost impossible.
When I work at an event patching feet, I encourage athletes to rid their feet of calluses or at least reduce the size and thickness of their calluses. This will leave a smaller and thinner layer of callus, which will still protect but may not cause as many problems if blisters form underneath. I tell them that once you have a deep blister, that you can’t drain, you’ll understand my point.
In addition to callus files, there are many creams that can be purchased over-the-counter at your
drug store. Using these will help soften the callus, which can then be filed down. The best time to do this is after a shower. If your calluses are especially thick and large, apply cream in the evening before bed and wrap your feet in plastic wrap. This holds the cream on your skin.
Am I a stickler about calluses? You bet. I’ve seen the grimaces on the faces of athletes who have deep blisters that cannot be repaired without a lot of pain. I’ve seen them hobble off, knowing it won’t get any better.
You may love your calluses. In many ways I don’t blame you. They have their place. In most cases they won’t bother you. But run a marathon or an ultramarathon, do a long adventure race or a long hike, or take a vacation where you do a lot of walking, and you may find them bothersome.
Have an opinion on this article? Share your views at
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FIXING YOUR FEET – 3rd Edition
“IMHO, John Vonhof is a god. I own his 2nd edition, and just ordered the 3rd. I thought that I knew everything about my feet too – but I think that his book is better than anything else out there for new & tested ideas.” – Christine "Ceanothus" Kudija – PCT Hiker
“I have your latest copy of Fixing Your Feet. You should see it now, full of turned corners and yellow highlighter.” – Jürgen Ankenbrand, the Ultra Kraut
The 3rd edition of Fixing Your Feet: Prevention and Treatments for Athletes has been out for a year now and is still the book of choice for athletes. It can be ordered through your bookstore, sports store, or visit my website for autographed and personalized copies at http://www.footworkpub.com. I offer the book at 20% off, autograph it, and mail it either by Priority Mail or Media Mail (to save a few dollars). It can also be purchased from Amazon at http://snipurl.com/FixingYourFeet
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READER’S THOUGHTS ON PEDICURES
The last issue of this Ezine included a great article by Denise Jones about pedicures. Below are some comments on I received from several forums when asked for their thoughts on pedicures.
Mary wrote: “I’m a huge fan of the pedicure! It’s probably the only girly thing I do these days! My husband has had a couple. One after a marathon when he thought the foot/leg massage was the best thing ever. Another in Maui where he finally got to see what his feet should look like! I think they are great for guys and gals! Just make sure they don’t shave down your calluses.”
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Cathy wrote: “I won’t stop getting them. Once every 3-4 weeks I get my nails cut better/more uniform—less of a chance for ingrown nails. The ladies at my shop also trim down the calluses some (not all the way). I’ve not had as many toes blisters since I started getting them.”
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Karen shared her perspective: “I love my pedicures. I’m with the others in that regular upkeep of my nails makes them less prone to have issues, biggest issue for me is nails that get too long banging against the end of my shoes. They seem to be able to cut them short but not too short. Although I never let them touch the calluses on my toes they do a great job of bringing down the ones on the backs of my heels, which get quite painful when I run. I also like that they make me stick to a moisturizing regimen on my feet, which generally keeps the calluses down to a dull roar.”
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Michelle added: “I don’t let them touch my calluses at all… I use them too much.”
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Nanci wrote: “I didn’t know they shaved off all the calluses with a razor until I had it done. I didn’t like the effect-my feet felt bare! But I don’t get those huge thick calluses, mine are just right. Since then, I just ask them to skip that part.”
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Regina added: “I had a pedicure about a week before a triathlon. Bad decision! I didn’t realize how much my calluses protect my feet. After the race, I felt like I had a stone in my shoe under my big toe. When I took off my shoe, I had a bloody sock and realized what happened. I have not had a pedicure since. Instead I very carefully trim my toenails on a regular basis and never more than 3 or 4 days out from an event. I leave my calluses alone – they are my foot armor!”
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Jana wrote: “For me, they help me avoid ingrown toenails. Also, keeping my nails short helps me avoid black toenails from ultras. The aesthetician barely sands down my calluses, as we both know I need the protection.”
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Dave said: “I get one a month. They help cut away excess skin buildup and revive my cuticles.”
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Lisa wrote: “I do them myself. I find that doing regular pedicures makes me take better care of the feet that so faithfully carry me through every day. It gives me a chance to do something nice for my feet. It makes me pay attention to the needs of my foundation. I believe that chipped toenails are a sure-fire recipe for blisters and bruises. I’ve never had trouble with particularly thick calluses so I don’t use anything to remove them. Regular lotion is enough to keep my feet supple and I apply that after I bathe."
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Terri wrote: “I try and get regular pedicures for several reasons: 1) I have very tough feet, which isn’t necessarily a benefit for ultras as I get thick calluses, then blisters under them (very deep and painful) in 100 milers. The pedicure cuts away all thick areas and dead skin, nail pieces and things that might dig in and cause blisters or problems. Keeps your skin a healthy and even thickness. 2) My feet look and feel much healthier when I get pedicures regularly. Dead skin is scraped away allowing for a continual natural sluffing of skin. Also keeps the shoe smell down dramatically!"
FOOT CARE TIPS
** Fall is here. This is a good time to pull you socks out of the drawer and check them for wear. Put your hand inside and look for threadbare sections at the heels and balls of the foot. Check the toe area for holes, usually from sharp toenails or a too tight fit inside the shoes. If a sock is threadbare or has holes anywhere, toss them out or put them in a pile for use as cleaning rags.
** We’ve spent quite a bit of time in this issue talking about calluses. Whether you keep your calluses or work to soften them or get rid of them, here’s a tip worth thinking about. For many athletes
, calluses become rough with edges of skin poking up. These edges can catch on socks and lead to the start of a blister. They can also open up into a fissure, a crack in the skin. Check your local drug store for a callus file. These are usually 8-9 inches in length with a rounded, cupped shape to effectively file rounded parts of your feet. Some have a fine file texture on one side and a coarser texture on the other side. If you can’t find them locally, check out Footsmart.com.
GOT A STORY TO SHARE?
I am always on the look out for stories to share about their adventures with some type of connection to feet. If you have something to share, please send an email to me at .
NEWS WORTH THINKING ABOUT
Outside magazine recently had an article on how adventure sports are going mainstream. The 
Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) tracks U.S. sports numbers. They report: “… a 21% reductions in the number of school-aged youth taking part in activities like basketball, baseball, and soccer from 1998 to 2004. At the same time, kayak academies, high school surf crews, and youth climbing teams have blossomed. ‘We’re certainly seeing extreme sorts picking up solid numbers,’ says Mike May, director of media relations for SGMA. ‘These teams are signs that communities are openly inviting the sports into their cities, basically acknowledging they’re here to stay.’”
NON-FEET GOOD STUFF
** This summer I bought backpacks for my granddaughters. They’re six and nine and almost identical
in size, including height. At the Outdoor Retailers Show in Salt Lake City I bought the GlyphGuy’s Bobcat backpack. Mark Hougardy is the founder and “head honcho” of GlyphGuy. His four-year-old daughter was walking around with her pack. Children and small adults can enjoy wild places with their Bobcat pack.
Check them out at http://www.GlyphGuy.com. In the meantime, here are the specifics. Made with high quality fabric, two zippered sections, a top-zip pocket and a front mesh pocket for a small water bottle. Fabric: 1000D Kodra pu or 750D
Cordura pu 600D x 300D pvc; Weight: 1 lb, 2 oz; Dimensions: 13" H x 12.5" W x 8" D; Capacity: 671 cubic in; H2O capacity: Up to .5 liter external bottle. Features:
• Front water bottle with compression cord
• Curved and padded shoulder straps
• Padded support for upper and lower torso
• Hip belt and elastic strap holders
• Padded loop handle for carrying
• Thumb grip zipper pulls
• Side compression straps
• Lengthy sternum straps
• Main and front compartments
• Top security pouch
• YKK Zippers
THE HAPPY FEET BLOG
If you like to stay informed about foot care issues and information, check out my blog, "Happy Feet: Expert Foot Care Advice for People Who Love Their Feet." This is different from this ezine. The Happy Feet blog will have a new short topic every other day. It’s at http://www.vonhof.typepad.com/happy_feet/
READER FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS
Ron Hamilton wrote: “Congrats on your 4 years with your E-zine! I have the 2nd edition of your book and it has really helped.”
‘Ground Pounder’ Bill commented: “I just got Fixing Your Feet, 3rd Edition. I’m ready to read, just got two huge blisters yesterday doing 4.5 miles in my sandals. Now have to fix them. I have a month before my vacation and I don’t want anything slowing me down. Remember, ‘Be Prepared.’ – Semper Fi. PS: I don’t remember ever having blisters in the Marine Corps.”
Reader feedback to this E-zine and its articles is welcome and encouraged. Please email any foot care ideas or tips that you have tried and would like to share with others, or ideas for an article for the e-zine to .
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