Cobblestones - help, my feet hurt!

I find a stiffer-soled shoe more comfortable on less-even surfaces. (One of the reasons my Blundstones are my primary travel shoe.)

Female foot doctors will tell you to wear what they're wearing--rocker bottom stiff shoes. For women, it's Allegria brand.

Where are you? Look for a shoe store that sells Birkenstock. They will have other walking shoe brands too. While in Spain I purchased a pair of Ecco shoes (Danish) and they were great for the rocks embedded in the streets of Granada.

Only day 3. Better address your problem ASAP. Give you a good excuse to go local and find a shoe store and try some on. There always seems to be a plethora of such stores.
Where are you?
Google is, once again, your friend.

For next time, I use a balance trainer ahead of time for ankle and foot strengthening.

I also use a system of different balls and a specific rolling pattern to rehydrate my fascia. It's called the MELT Method by Sue Hitzman and you might look on youtube for some of her videos for foot pain management. If you can find a really soft small ball (about 2 inches across) in a toy store and roll it in her pattern that might help. She recommends NOT using a hard object like a golf ball, tennis ball or hand ball.

I also use this Yoga with Adriene Yoga for Feet video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea4MF7IqILA

I hope you find something that works for you! Hurting feet are miserable on vacation!

You could start by ordering green Superfeet inserts on Amazon.es:

https://www.amazon.es/Superfeet-Plantilla-zapatos-Unisex-Verde/dp/B0033BPBD4/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3MQABTNT0W6WX&keywords=superfeet+green&qid=1676231587&sprefix=Superfeet%2Caps%2C224&sr=8-2

Replace the existing insole with these. They will add a good amount of stiffness to the sole, and support as well. I automatically do this with all my walking shoes.

Here is the size chart from REI:

https://www.rei.com/product/724375/superfeet-green-support-and-comfort-insoles?sku=7243750101&CAWELAID=120217890000855173&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=113169153338&CATCI=pla-57404516189&cm_mmc=PLA_Google%7C21700000001700551_7243750101%7C92700058337795932%7CBA%7C71700000074512915&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsduwteKQ_QIVTR6tBh1n-QmIEAQYAiABEgLzSvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Read the fit instructions on the size guide. You want your heel “in” the heel cup, so may need a size larger than the chart of you are at the top end of the range. For example, my shoe size is 6-6.5 ( Euro 36-37) and the size C for women’s size 6.5-8 is just right; B ( which fits a size 6) is too small. My husband, size 11, is fine with size E although size 11 is at the upper end of the size range.

If in doubt, size up. If the length doesn’t fit in your shoe, you just trim the excess from the toe end with scissors.

We spent 5 months in an all cobblestone town. It took two to three weeks to build the new muscles for balance and walk with ease. Once the ankle, leg, and corp muscles you need are activated, it will get easier, hopefully less or no pain. Take it easy for now. But stretch several times a day. You may be overcompensating, using your feet for griping.

Look for those larger stone slabs used for carts and walk on them. Most sidewalks are paved although many are narrow. Maybe an extra insole would help. Other than your feet, how’s your much anticipated trip going so far?

I average at least 6 miles a day on my multi-month trips. I have a somewhat-higher-than-average arch but no other underlying foot issues. What has worked to keep my feet happy nearly all the time is a combination of supportive athletic shoes with a cushy sole (I wear OnCloud) and a non-custom insert made by Aetrex, labeled "2200"--probably the style number. The insert replaces the inner sole the shoes are shipped with. My particular model is thicker/stiffer from just above the arch all the way to the heel. The area at the toe and the ball of the foot is basically just a fairly thin layer (no more than 1/4") of what may be memory foam.

The particular insert I use was suggested by staff at the full-service shoe store that also sold me my first pair of OnClouds. I imagine it would be useless, or worse, for someone without my arch issue. The best bet would be to seek advice from a good shoe store--ideally one focusing on athletic shoes.

If you cannot immediately find good advice, I'd be inclined to try an off-the-shelf insert that will provide a bit of padding. What I use costs over $50 from Amazon, as I recall; what you'd find in a run-of-the-mill shoe store would probably be cheaper, in both senses of the word. However, you'll be adding extra thickness inside the shoe, so be sure you have enough room across the arch so you don't create another painful problem.

Shoes with really stiff soles make the bottoms of my feet hurt, with all the walking I do, but I am definitely not saying that's what is causing your problem.

Wait until you go to Portugal, where they are worse.
Honestly, I wear hiking boots. The thick soles protect my feet. Whether working as a guide in Frankfurt or walking the Camino, my feet are never bothered by cobblestones and they make up a good part of my day walking, every day of the year.
Trail runners, sneakers, etc. just do not have a thick enough sole.

My feet and legs were killing me the first day on the cobblestones in Lisbon. I wore my tennis shoes the rest of the trip and they were fine.

I'm soooo sorry you are hurting. I've seen your earlier posts that you deal with some severe arthritis and that this is a major trip. You have my sincere sympathy. I concur with the advice to get to a quality athletic shoe store (Google) and buy some thick-soled, supportive athletic shoes or firm, well-fitting hiking shoes. Cobblestones are, indeed, hard on the feet and body. Take care.

I once had some very sore feet when I was walking a lot in Prague over cobblestones. The friend I was with suggested I buy some gel inserts. Best thing I ever used! They really helped my feet feel better. And they were pretty easy to find in a drugstore.

buy some thick-soled, supportive athletic shoes or firm, well-fitting hiking shoes. Cobblestones are, indeed, hard on the feet and body. Take care.

I have my firm, well fitting hiking shoes with custom orthotics with me. These shoes were fine for cobblestones in September 2022.

It took two to three weeks to build the new muscles for balance and walk with ease. Once the ankle, leg, and corp muscles you need are activated, it will get easier, hopefully less or no pain. Take it easy for now. But stretch several times a day.

Thanks Bets, this cheers me up. As well as my feet, I am feeling it in my calves. I will just slow down a bit today.

We are in Girona for the next two days and then head to Barcelona for a bit of cobble-free time.

For people who suggested rocker bottom shoes like Hoka and Alegria, these don't work for me as I have knee, hip and spinal problems that don't co-exist well with the rocking motion. I tried them in 2021 and experienced a massive flare in pain and inflammation.

I may just be out of practice and overly enthusiastic! Spain is beautiful and the weather has been gloriously sunny every.

I returned from Portugal and Spain in September. My feet were very painful. I never had a problem before. It took until the end of December for my feet and ankles to improve significantly. My doctor suggested a certain insole that only fits into one pair of shoes I own. I find my Walking Shoe sandals help me. I wear them now but did not take them on the trip.

OK. So we know you have the best possible footwear on you that you can tolerate. And now we know that the legs hurt too. I still think somewhere, in addition to the serious medical issue, you also have balance issues, overcompensating, putting strain on the body.

Rest, see if you can get hiking poles to help keep you as erect as possible and work your way into it. You will eventually get used to your leg and ankle muscles doing the work to balance on the cobblestones. You have 60 days, so take it easy.

Rest, see if you can get hiking poles to help keep you as erect as possible and work your way into it.

Got some hiking poles and have felt a bit better today. Long lunch break for menu del dia and copa de vino blanco also restorative.

Tylenol and Advil. Works for jet lag and feet pain.

Long lunch break for menu del dia and copa de vino blanco also restorative.

Thumbs up to this!!

Glad you're feeling a bit better. Enjoy Spain -- long lunch breaks and vino blanco are a great way to spend the afternoon!

It´ll be easy to adapt to our lunch time, around 2 to 4pm, for an affordable and complete daily menu (lunch is our most important meal of the day), when life slows down for a couple of hours and nothing is more important than to sit down to enjoy lunch (either at home for most of us, or in a restaurant with homemade food). By the way, it´s now the season for the "calçotadas" in Cataluña...a great way to enjoy local food traditions. And it´s also Carnival time in Spain, which lasts for two weeks, try to visit places with centuries-old carnival traditions, they are all over Spain now!