Three steps you can take to avoid blister pain on your next run.
By Anne Taulane
PUBLISHED 02/13/2008
1. A blister may not sound as debilitating as, say, plantar fasciitis,
but one painful, fluid-filled bubble can easily derail your run.
Fortunately, caring for blisters is much easier than dealing with an
internal foot injury. "With blisters, it's pressure, heat, and
friction," says Richard Bouché, D.P.M., a podiatrist with the Sports
Medicine Clinic, in Seattle. "Eliminate these three and you eliminate
blisters."
2. Not surprisingly, Bouché says that ill-fitting shoes--both in size and width--are the number one cause of blisters. But just as important for sweaty feet are socks made from materials other than cotton, which tends to retain moisture.
Some runners who sweat profusely might have success applying
antiperspirants to their feet before a run or using powders specially
designed to keep dry.