Blisters and other Foot Problems
More running days are lost through blisters than anything else – and it’s infuriating to be in the middle of a training programme only to discover you have a blister – the temptation is to continue running and hope it just ‘goes away’ but that rarely happens and unless you deal with the original cause of the problem you’ll probably continue to get blisters in the same place and they may even become infected, which leads to more time when you can’t run.
Causes
The major causes are new shoes, or new socks, new running routes that put a different kind of strain on your feet, or a change in the weather.
Dealing with blisters
Prevention is better than cure – don’t wear new shoes for a long run, instead break new shoes and socks in slowly, running in them for short distances and alternating your running days so one day you wear new kit and the next you revert to kit your body is used to. A new route can be a strain on the feet, so always run it slowly and if you feel any soreness or burning in your feet, stop, check the area and if necessary apply a plaster. Changes in the weather such as sudden heat, or running through a rain shower for example can cause blisters to appear. At the first sign of discomfort stop, check the area to make sure you don’t have a burr stuck in your foot, shoe or sock and apply a plaster.
Don’t pop blisters if you get them, instead apply a special plaster or ‘new skin’ treatment over the area – you can continue to run as long as you don’t rub the skin raw or get an infection. If you’ve begun to take your running seriously, you’re probably considering joining a running or athletics club to take your training to the next level. This is a great idea, but don’t rush into it.
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