Bug Out Foot Care

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

Ever since adolescence I've had an annoying tendency to roll my ankle, and recently my right big toe has been acting in an uncomfortable bunion-like manner. While painful, neither of these conditions are debilitating... at home. In an emergency situation, though, either of these could slow me down enough that it could mean the difference between being rescued and being stranded. I have added the following items to my Get Home Bag in order to prevent just such a thing happening. 

Elastic Ankle Brace

https://amzn.to/3K4UNCI

This is my solution to a rolled ankle. It's breathable, doesn't slip, gives a comfortable amount of snug support, and I can even walk with it on.

Yes, I could probably achieve the same effect with an Ace Bandage, but this is faster and easier to put on, and much easier to adjust than an Ace -- and besides, this allows me to save my Ace for something else. At $6.64, it's also cheaper than an Ace. 

Pair it with a SAM Splint and you have a handy solution to a host of ankle injuries. I have two, one for each ankle, just in case. 

Bunion Splint

https://amzn.to/3whstHI

While it's possible to walk with these on, given that it effectively immobilizes the big toe by splinting it along the side of the foot, such movement is awkward at best. Hobbling between rooms of my house is one thing, but I wouldn't want -- nor do I think I would be able -- to hike with it. 

Fortunately for me, I don't have to. I've caught my bunion in time, so it's neither particularly bad nor does it hurt all the time; instead, it mainly flares up when I've been wearing shoes with a narrow toebox, and a few hours with the bunion corrector on serves to drag my to back into alignment. In a bug out or get home emergency, I would put this on only right before bed, and I'd sleep with it on to get maximum effect from it before taking it off in the morning. 

Other Footcare Items

While the above are for my specific foot problems, there are some preps which everyone should have in their GHB and BOB:

• Wool socks, because wool traps heat even when wet. 
• Gold Bond Powder, to help keep your feet (and other body parts) dry and prevent chafing. 
• Terbinafine Hydrochloride 1%, to treat athlete's foot in case your feet were wet for too long. 
• An Adventure Medical blister relief kit to prevent hotspots from becoming blisters and to treat those which do.  

Take care of your feet now, and they'll take care of you when you need them most.