Content warning: Graphic image below.
Over the weekend, scores of people who were browsing (or doomscrolling) through Twitter stumbled upon an explicit reminder of how important quality hiking boots really are: a photo of Joyce Carol Oates’s agonizingly painful-looking foot after a hike she said she did in sandals. The image quickly made the rounds. If you want to see the photo from the novelist, who is a National Book Award Winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist, you can scroll to the bottom of this article—but we’re warning you, it’s viscerally graphic.
The photo depicts the side of Oates’s left foot, dotted with red, yellow, and purple blisters threatening to pop. The area surrounding them is scaly and inflamed. In addition to sharing the photo, Oates added the caption, “so important to wear proper hiking boots. never/ever walk in the woods in sandals. the instep of my left foot this morning–poison ivy? poison oak? must’ve stepped in something…”
Let’s reiterate the first point she made there: It is incredibly important to wear proper hiking boots while hiking.
You need good hiking boots for stability and to avoid injuries like a rolled ankle, SELF previously reported. Using hiking boots that fit properly also reduces your risk of a classic hiking annoyance: blisters. Here’s a guide from the Appalachian Mountain Club on how to ensure your hiking boots fit properly.
If you want to wear brand-new hikers on a long trek, break them in first around the house or on a shorter trial hike to prevent blisters. You should also avoid wearing them with cotton socks, as cotton soaks up moisture and sweat, which can lead to friction and even more blisters, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Wool and synthetic fabrics are best. Pack blister dressings in your hiking bag too, or even proactively apply them before you set out on your hike.
Proper hiking boots also protect your feet from the elements, which brings us back to Oates’s predicament. Depending on where you’re hiking, you might be walking through poison ivy, which can cause redness, itching, swelling, and blisters, according to the Mayo Clinic. You could also come in contact with poison oak. Poison oak and poison ivy have similar symptoms because they both cause contact dermatitis, which is when a substance irritates your skin and causes a reaction, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The resulting rash usually heals within three to four weeks, which is actually a long time to be dealing with your skin essentially freaking out after exposure to something toxic. If you come in contact with any kind of poisonous plant, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends thoroughly washing the skin, using a wet compress and/or calamine lotion, and trying antihistamines to calm down the rash.
Also very much worth noting: Wearing hiking boots instead of shoes like sandals can help protect you from tick-borne illnesses too. The first that probably comes to mind is Lyme disease, which can cause a bull’s-eye-esque rash, as well as fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes, according to the CDC. Other tick-borne illnesses include babesiosis, which often comes without any signs but sometimes causes flu-like symptoms and even anemia, the CDC says; and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which can cause a fever (obviously), headache, muscle pain, and potentially a rash, among other symptoms. It can even be life-threatening in some situations. The takeaway: Covering up your feet when you’re hiking is important for all sorts of reasons.
If all of that didn’t show you just how essential proper footwear is while hiking, you can keep scrolling for the living proof that is Joyce Carol Oates’s foot.
After sharing the image, Oates later thanked concerned Twitter users for their suggestions and sympathy, writing, “I have subsequently seen a doctor, am taking antibiotics & have steroid cream. doctor doesn’t know what it is, however–venomous weed or insect. (also had a tetanus shot.) pain & itching have subsided. moral is: proper footwear!”
Exploring the great outdoors has become even more essential for many people than before, thanks to COVID-19. But we still need to do it as safely as possible, including wearing the right footwear. If you’re in need of some new gear, take a look at some of these hiker-recommended picks, or these top-rated hydration packs to keep your water intake in check, and, of course, yummy snacks to fuel your trek.
Related:
• 14 Essential Safety Tips to Follow Before or During Every Hike
• The Pants That Got Me Through Three Days of an Active Vacation Without My Luggage
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