There is not much worse than running blisters. They can strike even the most experienced runner. Blisters are caused by friction of damp skin rubbing together continuously over a long run. Simply put…remove moisture and prevent rubbing, and you will be blister free.
In this article, I would like to discuss how to treat blisters, as well as how to reduce the occurrences of having blisters. Again, I want to point out that blisters are just part of running, regardless of what you do to prevent them. So, it is best for you to know how to treat them before they become too painful and cause you to miss runs. Here is a brief list of tips for treatment.
First, if the blister is small and not that painful, don’t mess with it. Simply cover it with a band-aid to protect it. It is better to then treat the cause of it.
If the blister is large or very painful, it may be time to puncture and drain it. Taking a sterile pin, prick the blister on its edge and drain the fluid. Use gentle pressure to force it all out. At this point, take note of the fluid color; if it is of white or yellow color, you need to see a physician for treatment, as the blister became infected. This is why you first do not want to puncture the blister, because of the treat of becoming infected.
Once it is drained, apply antibiotic ointment and cover then cover it with a bandage. Generally, treat it as an open wound. Keep it dry and frequently change the bandage. When going for a run, try adding extra padding to reduce rubbing.
In addition to paying attention to the fluid color, take notice of any swelling, increased redness, or painfulness. Use your best judgment and do not hesitate to contact your physician for diagnosis and treatment.
Now that we have discussed treatment, let us look at how to possibly prevent blisters, or at least reduce the occurrence of them. First and foremost…shoe selection. Properly fitted shoes will go a long way in preventing blisters. There are many things to look at when considering fit. You want your shoes to be firmly situation in the shoe, though not too tight. However, your toes should remain about a thumb’s length away from touching the shoe. As you can see, it is a fine line on fit, and sometimes more difficult to get a proper fit.
Since your feet tend to swell as the day moves on, it is best to do your shoe fitting later in the day. Make certain to do a few short distance runs in your new shoes to test the fit. A 20-miler is not the place to be testing running shoes.
Next on the list of preventions is socks. I cannot say this loud enough…do not wear cotton socks! It is best to wear technical fabric-based socks, such as Coolmax, to help wick moisture away from your skin. For long runs, I recommend wearing double-layered socks. With these, your socks will mostly be rubbing against themselves, and not your damp skin. For those severely hot day long runs, you might want to even consider bringing another pair of socks and change at some point.
If blisters are a re-occurring issue, you may need to invest in a padded innersole, or moleskin to help reduce friction, or possibly spraying some time of drying compound, or powder in your shoes. Another option is to start rubbing on something like BodyGlide on your feet and toes. I realize the stuff is expensive, but it beats having to treat blisters, or worse yet, paying the doctor bills to get it taken care of.
