5 Painless Ways to Prevent Blisters and Runner’s Toe for Forever…Almost

Dear A & H…Just had a eureka moment. Blisters and runner’s toe do serve a noble purpose. They have great entertainment value on YouTube. ت  

Agony of De-Feet

Who loves blisters or runner’s toe?

Well…in a way…maybe…all of us?

Focusing on just blisters for now, they are, no doubt, one of life’s small miseries.

For a runner, they are synonymous with pain…fire…agony.

Yet, in spite of this and all good intentions to avoid them, once blisters have settled in, they have a strange appeal:

• the size — goodness, look at all that fluid in there…is that blood there, too?
• the piercing — yecch!…here’s a tissue.
• the oozing — ack!…wait, is that another one over there we can pop?

Once fascination fades, though, we want them gone, fast. Like yesterday.

But, I’m not going to tell you how to do that here since there are lots of places to find that information. (Even here!)

What I want to discuss today are ways to say “goodbye” to blisters forever.

Thankfully, these tips also help prevent runner’s toe. 🙂

Truth and Consequences

Many years ago, during my first year of triathlon training, I was told by a well-meaning veteran: “If you ride a bike, you’ll fall.” That was valuable advice and not at all catastrophizing because, once it happened to me during a race, it wasn’t a big deal.

Concerning running, a similar sentiment is true: “If you run, you’ll get blisters.”

Really, no big surprise.

Or…

Could it be different?

A Little Background

Until a couple years ago, I wore traditional running shoes and accepted getting blisters from time to time. Being a forefoot striker, they tended to form on the balls of my feet.

In addition, runner’s toe was a given when I ran on very hilly courses. 

No fun, but no reason to change anything I was doing.

Beat-up, unattractive feet are never noticed when one wears socks most of the time. 🙂

Fortunately, relief eventually came by never neglecting the simple strategies listed below. But first…

My BIG revelation!

Salvation from Shoes

A funny and wonderful thing happened when I switched over to barefoot and minimalist running shoes.

Blisters became rare or non-existent and runner’s toe never graced my feet again.

What an unexpected, welcome surprise!

I could wear my new favorite shoes and never worry about the state of my skin or nails.

But, would this lucky streak hold up during a race?

Yes, it would!

In 2015, after many years of being non-competitive, I competed in 3 races (18 miles, 28 miles, and 33 miles), and didn’t experience one blister or see one toe turn black. Two of those races were even on the Dipsea Trail where, in the past, I’d always lose the big toenail on my right foot.

However, these shoes’ pared-down construction wasn’t what proved most beneficial to preserving my skin and nails. It helped, but not as much as their zero-drop sole.

This really came home to me when I decided to go for more cushioning and wear Altra running shoes during the Quad Dipsea.

They’re like traditional shoes but, similar to barefoot and minimalist shoes, have a zero-drop sole.

Long story short, aside from falling and a wasp attack, the run went well.

No blisters.

No runner’s toe.

A very good day! 😃

So, in a little roundabout way, I discovered that shoes which fit like a glove AND/OR have zero-drop soles greatly help keep skin and nails happy.

To Be Expected

In retrospect, this is not surprising.

Most running shoes on the market have cushioned soles which keep feet at a constant forward incline (i.e. not zero-drop).

They may have a small 3 mm heel drop, to >10 mm.

Actually, almost all shoes are constructed this way: work shoes, walking shoes, dress shoes, etc.

An inclined sole is just “normal” and usually causes no issues to the wearer.

Unfortunately, inclined soles on running shoes become almost the perfect path to blisters and runner’s toe.

Inclined soles set up conditions so that, with each footfall, feet slide forward against the shoe’s interior. The subsequent friction generated may be imperceptible but, given enough time, skin and nail injury is challenging to avoid.

To create another visual, imagine yourself strapped in a roller coaster with the car you’re sitting in being synonymous with a running shoe and each piece of clothing you’re wearing collectively serving as your “sock.” Hopefully, you’re not wearing 100% cotton.

As you go up and down and around turns, your body slides across the seat and slams against the inside of the car. If this was kept up for a good while, would you be surprised at skin irritation?

That’s your feet in shoes when they are set at a constant incline and motion is not contained to a minimum.

Change over to shoes with soles at no incline, or zero-drop, and the chance of getting blisters and runner’s toe greatly decreases.

Prevent Blisters and Runner’s Toe Through Simple Maintenance

But, first, a little Q & A

What’s a blister? – An area where the upper skin layer (epidermis) separates from the lower skin layers creating a fluid-filled space.

How do blisters form? – Blisters form in many different ways (heat, cold, infection, etc), but the kind runners experience is due to friction on the skin. What makes them worst is:

• heat,
• moisture (ex. sweat, dumping water over your head during a race, rain, running through creeks),
• the presence of foot conditions like bunions, and
• ill-fitting shoes.

Now, practical recommendations…

Prevent dryness and calluses:

Outside of zero-drop shoes, I think this is the most important thing a runner can do to prevent blisters.

Usually, calluses are protective where skin gets friction.

For example, downhill bikers’ hands can have pretty impressive calluses which, in a way, are life savers.

As a biker flies down a mountainside, callus-riddled hands help secure an extra tight grip on handlebars. And, depending on the obstacles along the way, grip (i.e. imperceptible adjustments that keep both rider and skin safe) is modified accordingly.

In this situation, these athletes hands get enough friction to create calluses but, after a breaking in period and ongoing grip adjustments, not enough to create blisters.

Now, imagine similar rough calluses on a runner’s feet…

As these rough patches of skin are bathed in waves of friction while “holding onto” a running shoe’s interior, is it no wonder when the tender skin underneath these merciless patches, stationary and helpless, suffers. With conditions like this, is it no surprise blisters form?

So, it can’t be said enough, keep your skin from getting overly dry to the point thick calluses start forming.

Moisturize with rich cream or lotion after a bath or before bed.  Or…

If using moisturizers is not your thing, regular use of a pumice stone or a foot file/rasp does wonders.

Doing so after trimming toenails makes it so this beneficial habit never gets forgotten.

Wear socks:

Some people like to run without socks.

That’s a personal choice and companies cater to this preference by designing shoes with these runners in mind.

But:

• knowing that feet sweat and most shoes don’t wick well
• imagining damp feet that can’t dry until shoes are taken off
• contemplating footwear that’s recommended never to be washed.

Ew?

Would you want to sleep on a bare mattress?

Using this analogy, socks are “sheets” for your feet.

They provide a barrier to help keep shoes more hygienic.

They help keep feet dry.

Just never choose cotton socks to run in. They don’t wick moisture away from skin. What they are great at is trapping moisture and creating optimal conditions for blisters.

Don’t let this happen!

Only choose moisture-wicking synthetic socks. There are many excellent ones to choose from, including double layer styles that are specifically designed to reduce blisters.

Read labels and reviews that are based on a runner’s experience and you can’t go wrong.

Also, choose socks that fit your foot like a glove (i.e. no extra fabric at the heel or toes) with minimal or no seams.

Keep toenails short and maintained:

This is a simple way to prevent runner’s toe. Long, untended toenails poke into a shoe’s interior increasing the risk for nail damage. Go downhill with long, neglected nails and it’s almost guaranteed your nails will receive injury.

Choose Shoes Wisely:

Your feet shouldn’t move around freely in your shoes while running.

Likewise, shoes shouldn’t be so tight they feel like coffins.

These are practical considerations.

No brainers.

Here are a few others:

• Comfortable from the first wearing.
• Toebox space that allows toes to splay (toes can move, but are kept comfortably in place).
• An Achilles notch and heel collar that is constructed of materials kind to your skin (anything too stiff can lead to rubbing and make your feet hate you…you won’t actually experience a blister but go straight to raw).
• Consider zero-drop running shoes. Barefoot or minimalist shoes usually fit this description, as well as Altra. What this basically means is no heel. This helps prevent the front and back movements feet experience while in a traditional running shoe with a heel. In traditional shoes, an inclined heel will cause your feet to slide forward and backward (even side to side) as you move over varied terrain. These movements may be slight, but it’s friction, nonetheless, and friction leads to blisters.

Basically, avoid too narrow, too tight, too loose, and too stiff. If this describes your shoes, they are likely giving you – or will give you – blisters and, possibly, nail injuries.

Know the warning signs that a blister is forming:

This one is so important, it will be discussed in its own section below.

Know the Warning Sign to Prevent a Blister in its Tracks

Yes, there is a warning sign.

Picture this…you’re competing in a favorite race. Your mind is busy with thoughts about running form, hydration, food, electrolytes, the competition, etc., etc., but are you thinking about THE subtle sensations going on in your feet?

Notice any hot spots or isolated warm areas on your feet?

If yes, this is exactly where your skin is experiencing friction. A blister might not yet have formed so if a hot spot is felt, stop and see if something can be done about it.

Yes, I mean stop.

If you’re on a long run, stopping for a few moments can really do wonders to preserve skin from further harm.

Simply re-position socks and/or retie shoes so they fit more snugly.

Besides this or walking, without first-aid supplies (i.e. moleskin or plasters), there is very little else that can be done at this point.

Just don’t let it get to this point!!!

Promise?

That’s it!

Adopt one, two, or all of these suggestions and see how well your feet will love you.

Also, please share your own discoveries. Your 2¢ is gold!

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So, A & H, think I’ll write about something that doesn’t deal with the “bad” of running next time. Don’t want to jinx myself. Oh! Problem solved! I can knock on a tree on my next run. Get it? Knock on wood…Ok, I’ll stop. ت  Until my next letter…

Much love, O.M.