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Aiders and foot pain.

G

GeoFish

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
May 5, 2021
Messages
2,424
Location
Kentucky
I am posting this as a heads up so this may help someone else.
Last hunting season my feet were sore. Effected my walking and tree climbing was almost out if the question.
Doctor thought that I have gout. And I probable have a little.
Now the Doc thinks I have fractured my foot with cable or webbing aiders. Ordering a MRI since ex rays did not show anything.
I am dumping all my aiders and going to a hard 2 step aider, no side pressure, by Vital Ground Outdoors. Also looking at the two step aider by Back Woods Mobile.
 
You could have also strained, pulled or bruised your plantar fasciitis, especially if you are heavy. Pulled mine doing deep calf raises with weights last year about this time and it’s just getting to where I can really do anything pain free. It’s very painful.
 
2Sloe said:
You could have also strained, pulled or bruised your plantar fasciitis, especially if you are heavy. Pulled mine doing deep calf raises with weights last year about this time and it’s just getting to where I can really do anything pain free. It’s very painful.
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Thanks. I just left the Doc and she is the best Doc. I ever had. I did not tell her about climbing on aiders the first visit, my bad, told her today and she knew what aiders are. The MRI should pin it down. Also sending me to a foot specialist.
 
GeoFish said:
Thanks. I just left the Doc and she is the best Doc. I ever had. I did not tell her about climbing on aiders the first visit, my bad, told her today and she knew what aiders are. The MRI should pin it down. Also sending me to a foot specialist.
Click to expand...
So either she hunts, or has seen a few other people with similar issues.....
 
I asked, no she is not a rock climber.
I was surprised she knew what a aider is. She must have seen some foot issues before.
 
Does your aider girth hitch or wrap around your foot?
 
raisins said:
Does your aider girth hitch or wrap around your foot?
Click to expand...

None of them girth hitch.
Some of my sticks have cable aiders. I think that is what did it. Two of my aiders use the CGM foot loop. I am not sure if I will be able to use these.
The Vital Ground aider has steps that do not flex, solid as tree steps, see pic.Screenshot_20230215-150009_DuckDuckGo.jpg
 
Weldabeast said:
I make mine from 2"wide webbing and that helps ....next 1 I make I want it wider 3 or 4 inch
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These are the CGM, They are wide but since they are short, still alot of side pressure. Wearing my Meindl boots I don't notice the side pressure. With my LL Bean rubber bottom boots you definitely feel pressure.Screenshot_20230215-145731_DuckDuckGo.jpg
 
GeoFish said:
None of them girth hitch.
Some of my sticks have cable aiders. I think that is what did it. Two of my aiders use the CGM foot loop. I am not sure if I will be able to use these.
The Vital Ground aider has steps that do not flex, solid as tree steps, see pic.View attachment 81761
Click to expand...

I wonder if thickness of the aider would matter.

A wire is so thin and relatively stiff that I can see it concentrating force in a smaller area than some others like webbing.

I’ve been hopping on fuel line aiders to set the knots and it feels okay.
 
Nothing worse than pains in the feet.

There is only one thing to solve foot pain. a 5 gallon bucket of super cold ice water. After you strain some tendons in your feet a few times, you will understand why this approach helps them feel so much better. Plus doing some simple feet stretching exercises also helps.
 
GeoFish said:
I am posting this as a heads up so this may help someone else.
Last hunting season my feet were sore. Effected my walking and tree climbing was almost out if the question.
Doctor thought that I have gout. And I probable have a little.
Now the Doc thinks I have fractured my foot with cable or webbing aiders. Ordering a MRI since ex rays did not show anything.
I am dumping all my aiders and going to a hard 2 step aider, no side pressure, by Vital Ground Outdoors. Also looking at the two step aider by Back Woods Mobile.
Click to expand...


I bought one of these two step aider by Back Woods Mobile. , I have the loop that goes over the stick. I like it as a starter to the first stick, but I personally will not use it after the first stick for a while. I was testing it, I had my saddle on with line mans belt and tether on the tree. When I was going up on the second stick, I lost balance and went horizontal instead of staying vertical. My feet were still in the aider steps. that scared me, I need more training time. I was able to grab the handle on the aider, which was good to get back vertical. I learned a lesson on that one.
 
raisins said:
I wonder if thickness of the aider would matter.

A wire is so thin and relatively stiff that I can see it concentrating force in a smaller area than some others like webbing.

I’ve been hopping on fuel line aiders to set the knots and it feels okay.
Click to expand...
Thanks.
 
wmahunterfl said:
I bought one of these two step aider by Back Woods Mobile. , I have the loop that goes over the stick. I like it as a starter to the first stick, but I personally will not use it after the first stick for a while. I was testing it, I had my saddle on with line mans belt and tether on the tree. When I was going up on the second stick, I lost balance and went horizontal instead of staying vertical. My feet were still in the aider steps. that scared me, I need more training time. I was able to grab the handle on the aider, which was good to get back vertical. I learned a lesson on that one.
Click to expand...
Thanks. If I use it I will use both steps on bottom stick then only one step on the others. Also I will use my tether.
 
I've got jacked up feet, and have orthotics in all my shoes. You might ask your podiatrist to see what sort of orthotics your insurance covers. I could feel my sole and insole flex over my aider, but they had enough support to prevent pain. UltimAider, 1" tubular webbing with what feels like PEX pipe stiffeners inside.
 
One thing I’m curious about since I thankfully don’t have serious foot pain, is how much time is your foot in the aider.

Even with 2TC, I’m never standing in a thin, pinching loop more than a few seconds. Does it take that little of time or is there more to it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I think I had a situation, I was climbing using a cable aider and a versa aider. When I stepped into the cable aider, toe into the tree, I had a kick out that twisted my foot putting side pressure on my foot. Yes I was sober!!
 
GeoFish said:
I think I had a situation, I was climbing using a cable aider and a versa aider. When I stepped into the cable aider, toe into the tree, I had a kick out that twisted my foot putting side pressure on my foot. Yes I was sober!!
Click to expand...
I had a similar situation trying to climb a tree the day after an ice storm. Couldn't get traction on the tree for anything and beat myself up because I was too stubborn to just hunt on the ground instead. No damage to anything except my pride, thankfully, besides bumps and bruises and soreness.
 
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