Take Care of Your Feet!Your feet take a beating with every step. Don’t wait until foot pain inhibits your speed, strength, and style. Learn the basics and the finer points of foot care before pain becomes a problem. Foot expert and ultrarunner John Vonhof shares how the interplay of anatomy, biomechanics, and footwear can lead to happy—or hurting—feet. Fixing Your Feet covers all that you need to know to care for your feet, now and hundreds of miles down the road.
BOOK FEATURES
Tried-and-true methods of foot care from numerous experts, plus tips and anecdotes about recovery and trainingInformation about hundreds of foot-care products for nearly every foot ailmentHigh-interest topics such as “Barefoot & Minimalist Footwear,” “Blister Prevention,” and “Providing Foot Care for Athletes”Covers both individual foot care and team care“From heels to toes, products to pathology, resources to rehabilitation, this book has it all. An essential guide.”—Runner’s World
“After more than 25 years of treating feet and reading about treating feet, I’ve found nothing, absolutely nothing, as helpful as Fixing Your Feet.—Buck Tilton, MS, cofounder of the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS and author of many books on outdoor health and safety
Some really great information, but I wish it wasn't geared entirely toward ultrarunners (the shortest race discussed is a marathon, if I'm not mistaken). Vonhof provides, in detail, the necessity of taking care of your feet as an athlete, so it is a downfall that the book is not as accessible to runners who dedicate themselves to shorter distances. This brings me to my second issue with this otherwise helpful guide: Vonhof's attitude. In the very beginning his reaction to someone's mistake is, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!" Although I can see where he's coming from, I don't think an informational book meant to educate is a place for judgment of someone who, quite frankly, just may not have known better. Not much aggravates me more than the elitist mentality that is seen so often in the running community, so this was a turn off for me. That said, I did learn a lot, and my feet are grateful for the effort Vonhof has made to share his knowledge of foot care.
I've been hiking and backpacking for over fifty years and I learned a lot from this book. I read most of it, but you don't have to. The author recommends getting the basics, then skipping around to the stuff you need to know.
This is a terrific book for anyone who cares about their feet! As an athlete, hiker, and former EMT I found so much useful information that I couldn't put it down. John Vonhof passes along his many decades of experience tending thousands of feet at some of the most extreme events around. I was amazed at not only the number of techniques presented, but the science behind the causes, which helps to understand how to prevent many injuries. I highly recommend making this book part of your training program -- it's well-worth the modest investment.
It reads a bit like a medical textbook, so it took a long time for me to get through it. However, it is a very informative and worthwhile read. I definitely recommend this book to athletes, especially runners or people who are on their feet a lot. It includes an extensive list of resources for athletes at all levels, ranging from types of shoe inserts, to the best socks to wear, to how to get the right shoes, etc. to optimize performance and minimize injury. It's also useful if you have blisters or other foot injuries, as it provides both home remedies and professional solutions. 10/10.
The definitive reference guide on running-related issues to the feet. Actually, most of the book is on blister, the most popular problem with ultra running.
An invaluable resource. Great as a reference, but not necessary to read the whole thing cover to cover. Read the first few chapters, then pick and choose what you need.
After having numerous blisters during ultramarathons a friend recommended this book. It gave me all types of ideas to try to alleviate some issues and since reading this book I haven't had a single blister after doing numerous ultramarathons. I have even been able to help others with blister issues. It helps you learn about prevention and treatment. It covers different products. It also covers different foot issues other than blisters.