I have often shared information about different types of tape for blister prevention and blister patching. I have my favorites, but am always open to learning about new tapes. When I first learned about taping, there were only a few commonly used tapes. There was duct tape, Elastikon, and white athletic tape. That was back in the 80s and 90s. I remember the blister patching job on my feet one of the years I ran Western States. I left the Rucky Chucky aid station with a wad of gauze taped to …
The Power of ENGO
Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, a company dedicated to the prevention and relief of skin breakdown for individuals with prosthetic limbs and orthopedic braces, created ENGO Blister Prevention Patches in 2004. The patches are designed to prevent blisters and reduce pain from existing blisters. These patches are one of the best products to help athletes that have been released in many years. I think two or three of these thin ENGO Patches patches should be in everyone's foot care kit. ENGO …
Finding the Right Combination
This is Part V in a series about blister formation and prevention. Below are links to the first four parts of the series. Part I - Blister Formation Part II - Understanding Shear Part III - Understanding the Five Factors in Blister Formation Part IV - The Components of Prevention Finding the Right Combination Each athlete needs to find a blister prevention strategy that works for him or her. One may use a lubricant, another may use Zeasorb powder, and yet another may pretape his or her …
The Components of Prevention
This is Part IV in a series of posts about blisters, their formation, causes, and prevention. In this post we look at the 13 components of blister prevention - five major and 8 minor components. They all play a role and are important to understand. Blister prevention takes place through a combination of 13 components. Five are the most major components: fit, socks, ENGO patches, lubricants, and powders. Eight others are minor but still important components: skin toughening agents, taping, …
Understanding the Five Factors in Blister Formation
Understanding the Five Factors in Blister Formation This is Part III in a multi-part series on blister formation. This is a subject that still confuses many athletes. In this post, we look at the five factors that are the leading causes of blister formation. For years, we thought blister formation was caused by heat, moisture, and friction. So, ever since the first edition, the image used to show this was a triangle with heat, moisture, and friction at its three sides. Everyone thought the …
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Understanding Shear
This is part II of a series on blister formation and prevention. If you've missed the first post, I encourage yo to go back and read it to get a foundation on blisters. Here the link: Blister Formation. In this part II, we'll look at shear. For years we didn't understand the concept of shear and its effect on blister formation. So let's start with a story. In Fixing Your Feet I tell the story of a runner at Badwater whose feet I patched. In short, he had run 90 miles of the 135-mile race, on …
Blister Formation
This is the first in a multi-part series on blister formation and prevention. Subsequent posts will focus on various part of the blister process. Too many people do not understand how blisters form, some even think they are a natural part of the running or hiking experience. Blisters are the result of shear trauma to the skin. When running, every step is “repetitive loading” as the foot moves through the foot strike. The whole of the body’s weight is put on the skin and inner tissues, onto the …
Doc on the Run
I recently attended a conference where I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Christopher Segler. He’s an award winning foot and ankle surgeon and podiatrist who is a runner and 15-time Ironman finisher. His practice is in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley in California. His focus in on helping runners, triathletes, and athletes to stay active and keep running. Christopher is unique in that he is literally the Doc on the Run – i.e., he makes house calls. His website is a wealth of information on …
The Year’s Best Blister Horror Story
You may have seen the news articles either in your newspaper, or on Facebook, or on TV. Let me paint you a word picture of some of the headlines and quotes: Blister sparked tears "I got a really bad blister." "My mind was 'blocked with pain' of a blister." Pain and tears Blister caused meltdown Marin Cilic let the tears come midway through the second set after calling for medical attention for a nasty blister on his left foot. The former US Tennis Open champion had tried to play …
Bad Toenails at Western States
I’m taking another opportunity to share a few pictures from the Western States 100 two weeks ago. The pictures were taken at the finish line. They are important because it’s very hard to get runners to learn how to manage their toenails. Maybe the two pictures will help. The first picture is taken looking down at the tops of the runner’s two great toes. Notice the apparent forward rough edge of the toenails. See the blood at the back of the nail, at the base of the nails? In this instance, the …
