Ankle problems, looking for stiffer boots for everyday wear

[dbarrett4053]

So I have had loose ankle joints my whole life and roll my ankles a lot. I even roll them on uneven cracks in the sidewalk. I have some kenetreks for hunting and those work well as long as I tie them tight. I'm looking for some stiffer boots for everyday wear. Something that are breathable so they aren't too hot in the warmer months. These would be just for daily wear since when I'm hiking/hunting I wear my kenetreks.

I've had some solomans but every pair I've had wear out really quickly. So I'm not looking to waist my money on any of those. Does anyone have suggestions?

 

[Formidilosus]

So I have had loose ankle joints my whole life and roll my ankles a lot. I even roll them on uneven cracks in the sidewalk. I have some kenetreks for hunting and those work well as long as I tie them tight. I'm looking for some stiffer boots for everyday wear. Something that are breathable so they aren't too hot in the warmer months. These would be just for daily wear since when I'm hiking/hunting I wear my kenetreks.

I've had some solomans but every pair I've had wear out really quickly. So I'm not looking to waist my money on any of those. Does anyone have suggestions?

You need to strengthen your feet, ankles, and legs to correct the rolling. Not continue putting your feet in caskets and ensuring they just keep getting weaker.

 

[Dobermann]

I used to roll my ankles a bit hiking. Paid an insane amount of money to see a podiatrist who then charged even more for some custom orthotics - which didn't last long, and didn't fix the issues.

Switched to barefoot running shoes about 20 years ago and ran over loose rocks and gravel, downed trees, etc every day to build up strength. No rolled ankles since.

If you do go this route, it's important to start slow and not cause more issues - my wife switched to barefoot shoes about 6 years ago, loved it, but went ultra minimalist too quickly, and now has some foot issues.

To put more contexts to Form's post above, here's some advice he gave in the Vivo Tracker ESC thread:

To all as a public service- if you are not already wildly conditioned to minimalist shoes, take it very easy and slow if you try these or any minimal. Conventional shoes are casts and your feet are weak as a result- you can hurt yourself quickly if you just jump straight to a minimal shoe especially under weight on broken terrain without conditioning first. Minimal shoes are awesome and your body will thank you if you slowly and methodically build your feet up.

There are some other good posts here, and a lot of other information online, including instructional videos from barefoot shoe companies (eg Vivo Barefoot) and barefoot proponents (Katy Bowman is just one ... no doubt there are hiking-specific people as well).

This post my @Mtnmilsurp has a good video: https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/vivo-forest-tracker-esc-durability.283540/page-3#post-2796382

Many of us here wear Vivo Tracker ESCs (not the plain Trackers, which don't have as good a tread)..

Not sure if more of the 'barefoot crowd' want to chime in here - @HighUintas, @BBob, @fwafwow, @Titan_Bow, @Stu, @Jimbee, @Hoodie. @Bowfinn, @R boar, @packgoatguy, @mxgsfmdpx @Speaks, @ztc92, @yeky83 ... feel free to tag in others you know of - I just scrolled through the first and last pages of the ESC thread.

And to @dbarrett4053 - us barefoot guys can come across as a bit proselytizing ... if we seem to speak in absolutes, know that many of us have experienced similar issues and are just wanting to help ... but we're not you and we're not literally walking in your shoes. If barefoot remediation does seem like something you want to try, I but a bunch of us would be happy to answer questions. Good luck!

 

[ElPollo]

Agree with both the above posts. Stiff supportive boots tend to make issues like yours worse, not better. A daily regimen of calf raises and knee-over-toe calf raises, and calf raises with a wedge under your toes will help. Also you can look up something called a Mobo Board and the exercises they recommend on their website. Getting out of stiff shoes and walking also really helps rebuild your foot strength.

I will also echo what @Dobermann said. I have not rolled an ankle since switching to barefoot shoes. Part of this is due to increasing foot, ankle, and calf strength. Part of it is due to increased stability due lower stack height of the sole under your feet.

 

[dbarrett4053]

Alright, thanks for the advice. I'm gonna give it a shot. I ordered some barefoot shoes off Amazon and I'll slowly work into them. I'm willing to try anything at this point.

 

[Formidilosus]

Alright, thanks for the advice. I'm gonna give it a shot. I ordered some barefoot shoes off Amazon and I'll slowly work into them. I'm willing to try anything at this point.

Go slow. Start at 30 or 40 minutes a day max. Then slowly increase that time you wear them. Go barefoot whenever you are home.

 

[Dobermann]

Alright, thanks for the advice. I'm gonna give it a shot. I ordered some barefoot shoes off Amazon and I'll slowly work into them. I'm willing to try anything at this point.

What brand were they? Only asking as not all barefoot shoes are created equal ...

 

[brancher147]

I am sure strengthening exercises would help. I know nothing of barefoot shoes…I would stick with Kenetrek if they fit you, they have plenty of options and good customer service/returns. I like the corrie II hiker for everyday wear and work

 

[Hondo]

Ankle mobility exercises on a vibration plate should speed up the process of strengthening your ankles. We got one at my wife's doctor's recommendation for her bone density years ago. I started using it and before long noticed that I was no longer experiencing ankle rolling when walking in uneven terrain.

 

[dbarrett4053]

What brand were they? Only asking as not all barefoot shoes are created equal ...

Whitin

 

[rogerdoger]

Start doing squats on your toes and slowly add weight doing goblet squats. I also like single leg rdl’s. Do them barefoot. Sissy squats as well.

 

[TedO]

I've had a weak and unstable right ankle for 10+ years and just had it surgically repaired 4 weeks ago. My cartilage was severely damaged from years of working/hiking with heavy loads off-trail in the mountains and lots of compressions/impacts from downhill mountain biking. You can strengthen your ankles and all the little muscles that stabilize them using the exercises these guys have recommended and it will work as long as there is nothing structurally wrong with the joint itself. But if your body has developed a lesion in the joint or your ligaments and tendons are stretched out from countless sprains due to instability, there's nothing you can do to strengthen or add stability to your ankles. My strategy for years was to pack my ankle braces on my hunts. My favorite brace, and I tried them all, was the Swede-O Ankle Lok Brace. Surprisingly, that brace is one of the cheaper options, but for me, it had the best balance of performance and comfort (I don't run the plastic inserts that add further rigidity). I usually only put them on for extended downhills under load, or extended side-hilling efforts, mainly because they will eventually blister you where the seam crosses your heal, but it takes a while.

Further, the best boots I've ever used for my shitty ankle issues was hands down the Crispi Idaho III's. They're really tall boots, and Crispi engineered stability a few different ways on that model, and it worked well enough for me that I didn't have to use my ankle brace with those boots. I did have to run my brace when using Kennetreks, Crispi Laponias, Crispi Briksdal, and any and all trail runner style shoes I've ever tried. So, food for thought.

 

[flyfisher117]

Kind of spendy, but when it comes to keep myself healthy it was worth the gamble.
I picked up an Airex physical therapy balance pad. It’s foam pad you stand on, it has been working well for my Achilles PT. Dr and PT wanted me strengthening some of the ankle and leg muscles you don’t always work day to day. Even going to the gym doesn’t hit them all.

Doing 15 minutes a day of some sort of balance exercise works your ankles more than you’d think. Single leg balance, running man, toe taps, catch with weighted ball and the wife throwing it off center etc.

I also try and hit the Bosu ball a couple times a week in the gym. Again, various exercises.

 

[Dave0317]

One trend I’ve seen is that the boots with the most ankle support are often also built on narrow lasts, and have high stack heights. I think the barefoot thing is a great way to go, and even before your ankles get stronger, you will benefit from the low stack height and wider toe box, and likely decrease rolling just from those two characteristics.

 

[Poser]

I’ve mentioned this observation at least 3x on here, but the people I know who have been the most prone to rolling ankles are obsessed with ankle mobility as the solution. -stretching their ankles with bands and yet they keep rolling their ankles constantly.

You want strong, Stable ankles, not jello joints. So, my advice is, don’t try and stretch or mobility your way out of this problem.

 

[dbarrett4053]

I bought some barefoot hiking shoes and then I'm going to do some of the exercises recommended here. Like I said I'm willing to try anything at this point. These barefoot shoes feel weird though. It's different for me to feel the ground while I'm walking lol

 

[HiMtnHntr]

I have a bad ankle. Work out all the time but there’s no way in hell I’m wearing a tennis shoe up a mountain. I really like zamberlan Wasatches and a trekking pole.