Extreme Conditions for Feet

Sunday I leave to help at the 135 mile Badwater Ultramarathon that takes runners from Death Valley to the Mt. Whitney Portal. Many of the runners continue on to the summit of Mt. Whitney, another 10 miles—making it a run from the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere (280’ below sea level) U.S. to the highest in the contiguous U.S. Run on the road, the race exposes runners to extreme heat, up to 130F, and possible sandstorms.
     My role will be to provide foot care as part of the medical team. Don and Gillian, the owners of ZombieRunner.com will be there too helping with foot care. With the recent heat wave, it is expected to be hot—with predictions of 122F. The pavement can be even hotter!
     So how will extreme heat affect the runner’s feet? For some, their shoes may come apart. Some will pour water over themselves in an effort to cool off, and the water will run down into their shoes—in many cases causing blisters to form. Some will blister from the distance, from wearing shoes that become too tight when their feet swell, from the rubbing of the socks or the shoes on their feet, from friction, and from heat.
     We will tape feet, apply blister patches, lubricant or powder, file toenails, file calluses, modify shoes to eliminate hot spots and friction, and more. Our arsenal of gear includes Micropore tape, Kinesio tape, self-adhering wrap, tincture of benzoin, alcohol wipes, Body Glide, Hydropel, Gurney Goo, Zeasorb powder, lots of Spenco products (2nd Skin, Blister Pads, QuikStik Pads), 2×2 gauze, scalpels and needles, gloves, nail drills, nail files, callus files, several types of scissors, tweezers, Engo Patches, antimicrobial wipes, and a few other items.
     When I get back next weekend, I will give a report on the challenges we faced, and what worked and what didn’t work. These are extreme conditions for feet and it will take a lot to keep them happy. We’ll do our best.