No Frills Blister Prevention and Care
Dear A & H…Not the most exciting topic today. Just a few words about blisters. Meh. They’re about as interesting as hairballs. Yet, the more ripped and bloody, the more oddly interesting…hmm…strange.
A Little Advice About Blisters
No matter how careful we are, they make their presence known at the least opportune time.
But, by combining tried and true recommendations with a couple new suggestions, they might not make an appearance too often.
Prevention of Blisters…it’s all about limiting friction
Before a Run: Consider…
- Wearing two socks or investing in double layer socks. And, no 100% cotton varieties. Choose only quick-drying synthetic fabrics or wool.
Re-lacing your properly-fitted shoes with lock laces that are stretchy. These allow feet to comfortably expand and make shoe adjustments fast and easy. If you’ve ever watched a triathlon, these are what competitors use to help with quick shoe changes. NOTE: There are many different styles of laces and locks on the market. All seem to do a good enough job but choose laces that aren’t too stretchy. If too stretchy, shoes won’t feel secure during the navigation of terrain changes. Also, if stretchy laces become a good working solution for comfort, especially on hot days when feet seem to grow a size or two larger, but not the locking mechanism, just remove the locks.- Applying moleskin to existing blisters or areas that are prone to friction.
- Lubricating problem areas with petroleum jelly or Body Glide.
- Tying shoes so that they fit snugly (avoid extremes of too much wiggle room vs. imprisoning feet so that they feel like stuffed sausages). It’s all about limiting friction and comfort.
During a Run: Attend to hot spots ASAP by trying the following…
- Retie shoes to readjust fit (using lock laces as suggested above makes this quick and easy).
- Re-position socks so seams aren’t rubbing and fabric isn’t bunching.
- Apply moleskin to tender areas. Ignore a hot spot at your own peril!
Care of Blisters
You Did Everything Right, But…Dang It!:
- Clean intact blisters thoroughly with rubbing alcohol, soap and water or, if out and about, as best you can. Then…
- With no flinching, pierce the blister with a sterile needle or lancet in two different locations to help with drainage. Apply gentle pressure if needed. HOWEVER, if a blister is small and not causing any issues, let it be. Small blisters will dry out and heal on their own.
- Do not remove any skin…keep blisters intact.
- Instead of traditional antibiotic ointments, consider applying tea tree oil to reduce the risk of infection.
- Keep the area dry and, if possible, open to air. If that’s not practical, cover with a bandage.
- Hopefully, you never get to this stage but, if your blister(s) can be described as interestingly “ripped to shreds,” treat as you would an intact blister needing drainage (#3-5 above).
That’s it!
Maybe some of these ideas are new to you. Maybe it’s just a refresher. Either way, it’s nice knowing blisters are just part of the game but can be effectively managed.
Still curious about blisters? Find more advice here.
Before you go, share how you handle blisters. Love those DIY stories. 🙂
Much love, O.M.
P.S. Have you found this post helpful? If “Yes!,” please consider sharing, loving your body with a few miles today, and signing up for notice of new content. Thank you!
P.P.S. No spam ever. Staying away from processed is a healthy thing to do. 🙂
