feet and the toes that attach to them

Dang and a half! I had my bunion problems but dealt with them pretty well with surgery on one, custom orthotics, and bigger wider shoes (Keens), but new problems have arisen. My second toe is longer than my big toe and has a tendency to bump against the end of my boots more and more. Ouch! I could increase my shoe size, but I'm already all the way up to size 11.5.(pretty soon I'll be wearing clown shoes and sporting a red nose!) My toe box seems pretty roomy already, except for that occasional toe problem. The REI shoe person did show me a better way to lace my boots to prevent forward slippage, so I hope that will work.
Related to this problem, I guess, is that I'm tending to get ingrown toenails. I have to figure out how to trim them properly. According to a book called "Fix Your Feet", for runners and hikers, it turns out I have been trimming them wrong! Now I'm thinking I might have to go get a pedicure just to get them fixed. I pity the poor pedicurist who has to look at MY feet!
Anyway, my question is, does anybody here get pedicures? If so, do you just go to a standard type one, or are there "sports pedicurists"? It sounds kind of silly to me, but I just keep butchering my nails!

Might be worth checking with a podiatrist. They can also recommend what to do with your nails and even provide a proper trim. I would stay away the cosmetic type of pedicure. You aren't interested in looking good in sandals, which what you'll end up with there!

I recommend reading "The Soldier's Foot and the Military Shoe" by Edward Munson. It was written in 1912, but don't be put off by that. He developed the Munson last which is still used today.

When people say "boots" they often mean what I call high top hiking shoes. I say that to distinguish them from substantial leather boots.

I have a pair of Danner Desert TFX G3 8" Tan GTX boots and a pair of Red Wing 8 inch work boots. The work boots are only good for roadwalking.

Between these two boots, I've walked almost 5,000 miles in the last two years. Since then, my bunions have disappeared, my big toe is now separated from the next toe which is supposed to be good. My hammer toes have straightened out.

Like you, my second toe is bigger than my big toe. It never causes a problem in these boots.

These boots seem to last almost indefinitely if you keep the bottoms covered with Gorilla tape.

I also have a pair of New Balance shoes one size too big and if I wear them too much around the house the old problems start to reappear. Same with the Keen shoes I have.

Shoes will shape the feet with small pressures even if not walking.

My solution is what's typical of long distance hikers: size the shoes up to the point that this doesn't happen. I'm nominally a size 10, but have become comfortable just always wearing size 11-1/2 (4E or in one case even 6E). Rubber clown nose is just an optional accessory.

I like the fact that even when going steep downhill there's never a concern about smashing my toes. In snow I can kick steps with my trail runners with no fear (yes, it takes a few more whacks than with heavy boots --- but then I don't have to wear the %$^@&# heavy boots!).

Life is good with footwear that's "too big".

This is from "The Soldier's Foot and the Military Shoe"

The construction of shoes for civilians is influenced almost wholly by considerations of fashion and style. These are irrational and are changed frequently in the financial interest of the shoe trade. The lasts are devised by persons grossly ignorant of, and quite indifferent to, the structure of the human foot and its physiological requirements as to covering. Shoes built upon them range through every degree of the bizarre and represent the most amazing conceptions of their originators as to the diverse shapes which the human foot should be forced to assume.

It is rare to find in civil life a shoe that even approaches the normal foot in shape and contour. Few manufacturers make them as they are not salable to the general public...

Military boots, especially in modern times, are designed to prevent foot and knee problems. From all the tales of foot problems I see in this forum, I am convinced that today's hiking shoes, trail runners, high top hiking boots, or leather hiking boots are not doing the job.

Maybe military boots are heavier than other choices, but I can almost guarantee I'll walk faster and farther than a person with foot or knee problems caused by their shoes.

It's important to consider the shoes worn when not hiking as even without walking they will shape the feet.

Interesting because my foot and knee problems are considerably exacerbated by boots. As a result I haven't worn boots at all for the last 5 years, and my feet and legs are far happier.

With the popularity of running (I can remember when Converse sneakers were about the only shoe available for such activities, and the few people who ran or even walked for exercise were considered not quite "all there"), there are now many light, supportive shoes made for almost every conceivable kind of foot. (Notice the "almost.") The problem, of course, is vanity. Ignore the size number; get the shoe that has room for your feet!

I was always, even as a teenager, very careful to get shoes that fit properly, regardless of fashion. That's because my mother had severe bunions she blamed on ill-fitting shoes. Actually, hers were probably genetic--I developed the bunions and hammertoes anyway, and two of my four children also have them.

HYOH and all that!

Gershon: interesting that your bunion actually went away! I didn't know that was possible. I'll have to check out military boots sometime. I will also give Danners another look, but I wore Danner Mountain (not-so) Lights for years: beautifully well-made boots, longer lived than any other boots I have used since, thumbs up except that they were too tight in the
toe box, and it was back then that my bunion problem began. Of course, I was wearing size 10 back then. Maybe I'd do ok with a larger size now, but it still seems to me that they don't make a roomy toe box.
Actually I am generally doing ok with the width of my (keen) boots these days, it's just that (1) I guess my feet must keep spreading out and lengthening, which is annoying and costly because I just invested $100 (a great price, normally $160) buying a pair of Keen Ketchams that were being discontinued, and not may not fit me so well as they would've last year
...And (2) it seems like when I get bigger boots, there is more tendency for foot to slip forward and bump my toe.
Sometimes I think I just would like to find a custom boot maker, if I could afford it.

...I always have to say that since I started wearing lighter boots (and carrying lighter gear) that my knees feel a hell of a lot better. Danners were awesome but were a load to lift with each step, for me. But I don't think I can go the trail runner style like you, Brian and Mouse. I feel like I need more protection on the bottoms of my feet. The ankles I would feel, too, but maybe they'd get stronger.

Bobito9,

I have a pair of Mountain Lights. The last is horrible for the feet. When I mention boots, I specifically mean modern combat boots.

When I started with trail runners, I thought that they would be sturdy enough with enough ankle protection. But, after backpacking...off trail.. with a heavy pack (above 60lbs), I am convinced now. My ankles are pretty weak from high school sports injuries. When I wear boots, I tend to roll them a lot more. For some reason, I almost never roll them when in trail runners.
A couple years ago, I rolled my ankle really bad...playing softball. I tried walking around with my heavy leather boots that have really stiff sides for "ankle support". They didn't help. Plus the weight of the boot just really made my ankle hurt more. A real ankle brace with trail runners was the only solution that worked for walking around. There are reasons to wear boots. Ankle support isn't one of them...bring a real ankle brace.