sore feet after endurance event

Question
I did the Oxfam trailwalker in Sydney which is a 100km walk on rocky, hilly
bush trails.  I did all my training with hiking boots, which unfortunately lost
their sole at 50km, so I finished the walk with cross trainers.  The bottoms of
my feet are incredibly sore (pain in the heel and the ball of the foot) every
time I step on them.  Any advice on the best way to treat them?

thanks!

Answer
You may have just bruised and irritated muscles, ligaments and tendons in your feet. The hiking boots protected your feet so much that they may not have toughened up enough. Then, the cross trainers provided even less protection than a good trail shoe. Next time, train for and do your event with trail running shoes.

As for what to do with them. I doubt that you have done any serious long-term damage to your feet, so it may just take some time off your feet (as much as possible) to heal up. In the mean time, if you tolerate anti-inflammatories, use them. If not, you might try turmeric, ginger and/or cinnamon extracts, all of which work against inflammation in your body. If the pain persists for more than a month, check with a doctor. I always suggest a chiropractor as the first stop. A competent chiropractor will refer you on to a doctor if need be.