Volume 5, Issue 10b, October 2005
John Vonhof, Footwork Publications
Copyright, October 2005, All rights reserved
PURPOSE
The Fixing Your Feet E-zine is published twice a month to inform and educate athletes and non-athletes about proper foot care skills and techniques, provide tips on foot care, review foot care products, and highlight problems people have with their feet.
THIS ISSUE IN SUMMARY
The feature article is “What’s Your Low-friction Insurance Policy?” Darn Tough Vermont Socks are the featured product and the Bad Feet Contest teaches us to be thankful for our good feet.
Read more….
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FEATURE ARTICLE: What’s Your Low-friction Insurance Policy?
by Tammy Hanna
An informal comparison study between two new low-friction technology products Blist-O-Ban & Engo Performance Patches.
Blisters. Blisters. Blisters. Wince. Those of us who have hobbled
through them know how painful and 
exhausting they are, each often
leading to unfulfilled dreams. Today I’m smarter as I have learned to
plan for blister prevention (not development). I plan for blisters, not
because I know I will get them but because I know how to avoid them.
As discussed in the 3rd edition of Fixing Your Feet, three factors
combine to make the skin more susceptible to blisters: friction, heat,
and moisture. Heat stimulates perspiration/moisture. Moisture softens
the skin, increasing friction. Elevated friction accelerates skin
damage, further increasing heat. Bingo – a skin wound follows. If heat,
moisture and friction factors are adequately controlled, blisters are
avoided. Heat and moisture are important but friction forces are what
‘make or break’ acceleration of the destruction cycle. Over the years,
moisture and heat management have been discussed in detail. Today, I’d
like to discuss two new products on the market, both using low-friction
technology to prevent and manage blisters.
Blist-O-Ban
Blist-O-Ban, by SAM Medical Products, uses BursaTek technology. It is
recommended for use in the treatment of blisters and “hot spots”.
Unlike most skin products which attempt to protect by padding,
Blist-O-Ban is an extremely thin bandage containing a self-inflating
“bubble” that looks and functions like a bursa.
Each bandage is comprised of several laminated layers of plastic film.
The film is bonded together, except for a collapsed “bubble” area in
the center, where the layers are free to glide across each other
(referred to as the Gliding Principle). When something rubs against
the bandage, these layers slide smoothly against each other, rather
than your tender skin.
Scientific tests have shown Blist-O-Ban to be substantially more
effective at reducing blister-causing rubbing than conventional skin
products. And it does not require cutting—slap it on and go. The relief
is so impressive that people sometimes wonder whether the product
contains a local anesthetic (it doesn’t).
Engo Performance Patches
Engo Performance Patches, by Tamarack Habilitation Technologies Inc.,
uses ShearBan technology. It 
is recommended for use in the prevention
and treatment of blisters. Unlike conventional blister care products,
Engo is uniquely applied to footwear, socks and athletic equipment –
not skin – for easier, longer-lasting, blister-free protection.
Each patch is comprised of a blue ultra-thin, sweat-proof PTFE
top-layer (the world’s most slippery material) bonded to ultra-thin
fabric and a heavy-duty, latex-free adhesive. Movement across the slick
top-layer releases the skin from rubbing at levels that lead to blister
development. No more rubbing means no more blisters. The adhesive
allows the patch to stay in place for longer periods of time.
Scientific and field tests have shown Engo to significantly reduce
rubbing, providing immediate relief 
and return-to-play action. And, it
has been shown to both prevent and/or help heal painful blisters. Each
patch contains a built-in patch-replacement indicator whereby the blue
top layer turns white or completely releases itself from the white
layer. Engo is sold with a manufacturer’s guarantee.
Study results
I am fortunate to have access to a vast network of friends who are
willing to test new products. I approached three different groups of
athletes asking them to test both products: U.S. military group,
runners training for a marathon and a University football team. Of
course, more rigorous studies are needed for statistical significance.
However, the informal results are interesting enough to share.
In general, both products hold true to their claim and work well in
reducing friction to levels that prevent & control blisters.
However, there were some discoveries shared with me that I, in turn,
would like to share with you.
Blist-O-Ban was noted for its very thin profile and conformance to the
back of the heel and arch. 
However, adherence to these locations was an
issue for some, but not all, athletes. As well, placement of bandages
in other locations was a challenge for many athletes. Several bandages
rolled at the edges and stuck to the sock. Specifically, bandages
applied to the ball of the foot and wrapped around the side of the foot
did not hold up. During the course of training, pressure combined with
repetitive loading caused the “bubble” to break. When this happened,
moisture entered into the “bubble” resulting in a high-friction
environment.
Engo patches were reported to last several weeks providing blister-free
protection. However, patches did not hold up as long for a runner that
took his footwear through 30+ streams over 10+ hours (extremely wet
conditions). This participant ended up taping his feet with duct tape,
not Blist-O-Ban. Patches adhered well to most, but not all, footwear
surface material and locations. Patches did not adhere well to one pair
of football cleats and two pairs of combat boots. At that time, a patch
was placed on the sock. The only location athletes had a tough time
accurately placing patches was within the toe box of the shoe. Again,
at that time, some users placed a patch on the sock.
Conclusion
When asked how each participating athlete would recommend using
Blist-O-Ban and Engo, differing opinions were reported. There was
mutual agreement that both products are useful friction management
tools. However, the majority of athletes indicated their preference to
use Engo patches for preventing blisters. For treating blisters,
recommendations ranged from using Blist-O-Ban alone to using Engo alone
to using a combination of both. In conclusion, it is my recommendation
that you simply plan ahead, regardless. As I shared earlier, I would
rather plan for blister prevention versus being left with a painful
unfulfilled dream. My preference is to focus on my activity, not my
blister. What’s your low-friction insurance policy?
If you have an opinion on this article, please share your views.
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FEATURED FOOT CARE PRODUCTS
Ric Cabot, of Darn Tough Vermont makes tough socks. He says, “We know
socks, we wear ’em year 
’round. As the maker and marketer of Darn Tough
Vermont we are unique. In an era of outsourcing and corporate
takeovers, we are still true to our roots. Family owned and run, in
Vermont, since 1978. Our experience is our reputation and we back it up
with our lifetime guarantee.”
The Company
Ric comments: "We live and work in Vermont. Our backyard is the perfect testing ground
to make the finest Premium All Weather Performance Socks. We ski,
snowboard, hike, bike and run in the
most unforgiving climate in the
lower 48. It is under these conditions that we design, test and
manufacture our socks."
Styles
The On-Mountain Series is an over-the-calf sock made for skiing and
snowboarding. The In-Country Series is for hiking and trekking while
the Back-Road Series is for running and biking. Their socks have been
reviewed in Runner’s World, Skiing, Backpacker, Outside, DirtRag and
more.
Features
Our high density knitting with more knit stitches per inch equates to
durability and cushioning without bulk. Our performance fit comes from
form fitting toe boxes to sculpted heel pockets and knit-in elastic
support at the arch. We use shrink-treated merino wool to enhance the
comfort and durability that outdoor enthusiasts have come to expect
from this fiber. Because wool is 
not for everyone, we also offer an
exclusive Coolmax blend to create a line of socks with exceptional
softness, durability and superior moisture management. The full cushion
socks have dense terry loops that surround the entire foot creating
maximum cushioning and warmth without bulk while our open knit mesh
construction line is lightweight and extremely breathable. The flat
jersey construction meets the demands of both general customer and the
Nordic athletes. The ribbed knit form fits to the contours of your
calf, shin and ankle, ensuring a custom fit, and no slipping or
bunching, helping to prevent blisters. An elastic arch support is knit
into the arch of all of our socks to provide added endurance. Finally,
our ring toe loops construction surrounding the toe creates a
comfortable invisible seam.
Check out Darn Tough Vermont Socks.
FIXING YOUR FEET – The Book
“IMHO, John Vonhof is a god. I own his 2nd edition, and just ordered
the 3rd. I thought that I knew everything about my feet too – but I
think that his book is better than anything else out there for new
& tested ideas.” – Christine "Ceanothus" Kudija – PCT Hiker
“I have your latest copy of Fixing Your Feet. You should see it now,
full of turned corners and yellow highlighter.” – Jürgen Ankenbrand,
the Ultra Kraut
The 3rd edition of Fixing Your Feet: Prevention and Treatments for
Athletes has been out for a year now and is still the book of choice
for athletes. It can be ordered through your bookstore, sports store,
or visit my website for autographed and personalized copies at
http://www.footworkpub.com. I offer the book at 20% off, autograph it,
and mail it either by Priority Mail or Media Mail (to save a few
dollars). It can also be purchased from Amazon.
BAD FEET CONTEST!
Vic Hanson submitted this photo. He wrote: “I live in Peru and we were
visiting a small mountain village. Almost everyone wears sandals here,
even in their extreme conditions, 3-4 months rainy season, 8-9 months
dry season, also cold in the evenings. I had a guide once who was
hiking through snow in sandals.
I took the picture on the sly when she was looking the other way,
didn’t think she would like me 
taking a close-up of her feet. It looked
like they were wart like growths on the ends of her toes, although one
of them on the left foot had a cauliflower texture to it. Also the big
toe on her left foot had many smaller growths. Many people here have
deformed or infected toes and huge cracks in their calluses but I have
never seen anything like this. I realize that these feet were not
caused by hiking or bad shoes but they are the worst feet I have ever
seen. Not sure if it is an infection, birth defect or an alien species!
Melody Varner in Flagstaff later wrote: “Recently a young Navajo
long distance runner was staying with us as he was here in Flagstaff
training with other Olympic Marathon hopefuls at the High Altitude
Training Center. This guy, Brandon Leslie, is not sponsored as he
hasn’t achieved the A standard yet. He left to do Twin Cities Marathon,
which is this Sunday. While staying with us, one day I noticed his
feet. I usually have a remedy or can look in books, yours included, to
get answers. I didn’t for what I saw. All toes were encrusted with
scaly stuff and nails all drawn in. It wasn’t athlete’s foot but I don’
know what it was. I would imagine that basic hygiene of scrubbing the
feet/toes during each shower may have been an issue. He was afraid to
deal with it cause he thought that he would need to take some pill
orally which may be on the prohibited list for the Olympics. I did
suggest that he see a pod after Sunday and start there.
Editor’s note: We often take foot care for granted without
realizing how good we have it. Dealing with foot care in other
countries can be a challenge.
See past photos at http://www.footworkpub.com/badfeet05.html
Just think; your feet could be featured in this e-zine for
everyone to see! Submit your photo or short story by email or snail
mail. Stories should be no longer than 250 words. Send them by email or by snail mail to Footwork
Publications, 352 Fragrance Court, Manteca, CA 95337.
READER FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS
Reader feedback to this ezine and its articles is welcome and
encouraged. Please email any foot care ideas or tips that you have
tried and would like to share with others, or ideas for an article for
the e-zine.
GOT A STORY TO SHARE?
I am always on the look out for stories about adventures with some type
of connection to feet. If you have something to share, please email me.
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CONTACT INFORMATION
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