My ankles and feet swell when I hike. My boots may be too small because my toes always end up hurting a lot on downhill. I also am about 10 pounds heavier than I should be. Are there hiking socks to prevent the swelling?

It could be the incorrect sizing of the boots. Boots should fit perfectly, where your feet should not slide around in your shoe when you lift it up. When it’s too big, your ankles and the back of your feet may end up rubbing against the shoe. You don’t want them to be too small, either.

When coming downhill, tie your boots a little tighter. This is to prevent your feet from sliding forward, banging your toes toward the front of your boots, which causes that pain.

To prevent ankle swelling, try stopping and resting more often, taking off your boots during hikes, lightening up your pack, and doing shorter hikes. The swelling maybe your body’s way of telling you that there’s too much stress. You may also want to buy some hiking poles, so you can transfer some that stress away from your ankles and knees.

Happy hiking.

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