Boots for Ailing Feet

[Stinky Buffalo]

Hey everyone,

I have an issue with my feet - on and off, I've had plantar fascitis, especially in my one foot, but I've been able to manage that with a careful selection of footwear, Voltaren, and orthotic insoles.

Now, I have a new condition over the past year now, which is Haglund's Deformity. Basically, I have a painful lump on each heel (more on one than the other).

While bear hunting last weekend, while wearing my Muck boots for over 10K (alternating between walking through standing water and dry trail) the heel slippage became so bad that I blistered badly.

And that's my quandary - if I have footwear that locks my heel in, my heel bump and Achilles tendon become sore and inflamed. If I wear looser boots, then they chafe.

I'm fairly comfortable in my Elk Trackers (and I do use a sock liner for chafing), but they are not great for super-long hikes and standing water.

Do any of you have a similar condition, and how do you deal with it?

TIA!