Blisters are a pain in the everything, and are part of the “joy” of running - a gruesome trophy for our mental fortitude. That doesn’t mean they have to be a part of all runs though, and there are a few things we can do to reduce the chance of a little pain pillow bubbling up as we run.
The key is to manage, as best we can, the three elements of blister formation: heat, moisture and friction. The longer these elements are present, the greater the chance a blister, or blisters plural, will develop. Of course, it is impossible to completely eliminate these factors - how can we move without generating friction, or exercise without generating heat and sweat - but I’d rather deal with the odd one instead of a footful. So what can we do?
1. Good Running Socks (friction/moisture/heat)
If you only do one thing, get good running specific socks. Ideally double layered, as this is a game changer for reducing friction, but certainly high wicking (pulls sweat away from skin). Most will also have a degree of compression to them, which is great for keeping the swelling down on long runs. Avoid plain all-cotton options at all costs, as they'll just increase the friction and get soaked in sweat.
I usually wear Hilly Twin Skins, but there’s not a huge difference between brands. Most will start out at about £9 for one pair, but they’re worth it and last for hundreds of miles.
2. Pre-taping Problem Areas (friction)
If a particular area of our foot is prone to rubbing or blistering when running, we can apply some plasters or kinesio tape beforehand to provide a barrier to protect the skin. Blister plasters offer the best protection and are least likely to come off with the repetitive movement, heat and moisture, but are of course the most expensive option (Compeed pack of 5 is usually about £4+). Standard plasters will offer some protection, but tend to lose stickiness and are prone to coming loose after a couple kilometers of running.
3. Lubricants (friction)
As with similar anti-chafing tactics, small dollops of Vaseline can be used to reduce the friction of foot rubbing against shoe. Fortunately for our socks, there are also more modern anti chafing balms that are less greasy.
Too much lubricant, however, will leave the skin soft and less resistant to blistering - so don’t lather it on by the handful.
4. Ventilated Shoes (heat)
Shoes without ventilation will trap all the warm air escaping our feet as we run, dialing up the in-shoe thermostat and raising the risk of blistering. By wearing a shoe with some degree of ventilation we can let some of that heat escape. However, too much ventilation (big holes or DIY ventilation) will allow more dust, dirt or bits of gravel to get in the shoe - increasing friction or causing skin tears with chunks of rock.
5. Orthotics (friction)
While a shoe will mould to your foot over time, some standard shoe dimensions could just be rough on your individual foot shape. Here orthotics (specialised insoles) can help the foot to sit in the shoe better - avoiding unnecessary rubbing and feeling more secure when running.
6. Antiperspirant (moisture)
We all sweat, and some sweat more than others - this is true of underarms and of feet. For those with especially sweaty paws, just give them a quick spray of antiperspirant to help reduce moisture buildup.
There are specialised feet antiperspirants, but unless you have particular skin/feet problems (that require specific treatment) the differences between sprays are fairly minor, and regular underarm sprays can be effective.
7. Sock Changes (moisture/friction)
On long runs or treks through wet terrain/soggy weather, a quick sock change can feel refreshing and help us ditch a bunch of moisture. This tip is suited more to multi hour runs, as more dust and sweat will be accumulated, but there’s no reason we can’t change socks on shorter runs or if we just feel like it.
TO POP OR NOT TO POP
Despite our best efforts, sooner or later we’ll get a blister, so what should we do with our little tormentor? Some will make the decision for us, bursting as we run - in which case we need to clean the area with an antiseptic or antibiotic product (cream, gel, ointment, wipes, etc) to prevent infection and cover the area with a plaster or blister plaster to protect the skin as soon as we can.
Small or non-weight bearing (outside of feet) pillows can usually be left alone, covered with a blister plaster or tape to prevent the skin tearing and they’ll heal up in a week or so.
Large or weight bearing offenders may need to be drained to prevent them from getting worse or the skin tearing (letting bad bacteria in and leading to infection). Drain using a sterilised needle to puncture the blister, draining the fluid from it and cleaning with an antiseptic or antibiotic product (cream, gel, ointment, wipes, etc) to prevent infection. Cover the area with a plaster or blister plaster to protect the skin.
If a blister is filled with yellow or green pus, it has become infected - the best course of action is to go see the doctor as it may require specific antibiotics to treat it and prevent infection spreading to blood/skin.
We may also suffer from a blood blister - these are more painful than the standard blister, but heal and are treated in the same way. Ideally we can leave them to heal themselves (covered with a plaster), but if they pop we’ll need to clean them with antiseptic/antibiotic products to prevent infection and protect the area with a plaster or blister plaster.