Treatment for Fin Foot?

breezyj1972 · Dec 9, 2013

I got my Open Water cert in Feb., but repeated the classroom/pool portion of the class this weekend, just to make sure my skills were really solid (and to prepare for an upcoming trip to Bonaire). Class went great. I feel much more secure in my skills and had no problems with my ears. But I do have some very sore toes. I noticed one sore, red toe after the 2nd day of class/diving. I'd cut my toenails the day before class, so figured it might be the combination of that and the wetsuit booties. By yesterday, i was really starting to think that my boots might be too small. Today, two more toes are sore to the point that it hurts to wear shoes and I won't be able to work out tonight.

Obviously, getting properly fitting boots is part of long-term problem solving here. But is there anything I can do in the meantime, to make the pain go away/help my feet heal more quickly? I'd rate the discomfort an 8 on a 1-10 scale.

Nathaneal · Dec 9, 2013

I haven't had this issue diving in booties but i get it regularly when i body board. Sand makes it's way into my fins and the constant kicking rubs my toes and ankles raw. Repeat this for a few days in a row and add salt water and i am left with 'sea ulcers'; perfect little circles worn into my feet haha.

I usually just rub a bit of antiseptic cream on them and stay out of the water for a few days to let them heal a little. If this is not an option because the surf is pumping (or in your case, you're completing a dive coarse) i try to wrap the affected areas in bandaides/Tape to eliminate the amount of friction.. Maybe try some 'fin/bootie socks' which are like thin neoprene socks you can wear inside your booties or fins to ease comfort.

If its still a problem you may be right about the booties being too tight!

MXGratefulDiver · Dec 9, 2013

Hard to tell based on your description, but I'd suspect one of two things ... either the booties are a bit too small and are putting excessive pressure on the toes, or they fit OK and you're getting chafing. You can try wearing a thin pair of socks to reduce the chafing and see if that fixes the problem. If not, I'd recommend finding a slightly larger (or perhaps just wider) boot ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Damselfish · Dec 9, 2013

Many people find some kind of sock helps prevent rubbing that can occur even in a properly fitting bootie. (Maybe your booties are too small - or maybe they're too big, or maybe they're just right and rubbing anyway. It happens.) You can get socks made for the purpose in materials like lycra or neoprene, or you can try some plain old nylon socks.

Phil_C · Dec 10, 2013

The other thing to consider is that the foot pocket of the fin may be too tight, or the strap too tight pushing your toes into the front of the fin pocket. Either way you would be permanently 'stubbing' your toes and they would get sore. You want a fin with a foot pocket that fits snugly but not tightly. It mustn't flop around either, because then the tendency is to tighten up too much and scrunch the foot and bootie up.

So if you are confident the booties fit right, make sure the fin pocket fits right also. Not all foot pockets are dimensioned the same so you may need to try a couple of different types of fin to get it comfortable particularly if you have high arches or other 'non standard' shapes - Phil

DivemasterDennis · Dec 10, 2013

Discomfort at a level 8 out of ten needs more than a quick fix. Both your boots and fins need to fit properly, and it is clear yours do not. I would get a good fit so that socks or other extraneous layers are not needed, as they can fold or wrinkly and cause problems of their own, if you are wearing boots and strap fins. As to healing, keep your feet dry, apply an antiseptioce cream to any open sores, and change you socks twice a day. Stay off your feet as much as possible until they heal.
DivemasterDennis

MXGratefulDiver · Dec 10, 2013

It's doubtful this is due to a too-tight fin strap ... foot cramps are the more usual symptom of that particular problem.

DD, I disagree with what you said about wearing socks. On trips where you're doing multiple dives per day over multiple days, this is the easiest way to prevent blisters on your toes caused by chafing inside the boot. You can otherwise get those even if your boots/fins fit properly.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Hondaid · Dec 10, 2013

Finn Sox

smokey braden · Dec 10, 2013

scuba socks.
never leave home without them.

flots am · Dec 10, 2013

breezyj1972:
Obviously, getting properly fitting boots is part of long-term problem solving here. But is there anything I can do in the meantime, to make the pain go away/help my feet heal more quickly? I'd rate the discomfort an 8 on a 1-10 scale.

The booties are too small, your fins are too small or you're jamming your foot into the foot pocket on the fin too hard, or are wrenching the fin strap too tight.

The pockets get narrower as you go deeper so if you push your foot in too hard, everything is going to rub.

It's also possible that everything is too big, and you're getting some friction as things move around.

It might be the booties or the fins or how you're wearing them.

Sorry for the non-help, but it's hard to tell what's going on from across the internet, and is really something you'll have to pay attention to and figure out.

Treatment for Fin Foot?

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