Blisters - General running

Mrs Treforest Gump

26/01/2004 at 09:01

I restarted running 3 months ago and suffered with blisters, so i went to have my feet scanned by an addidas foot pad machine.i was told that i had a slight overpronation and bought some nike air structure triax trainers which i was told would sort out my problem.Whilst there i also brought some Falke running socks to help me.
The first few weeks with my new trainers were fine, but since then i have had the blister problems again.I do fully understand that i will still get some blisters so the little one i get on my right little toe i can live with, but i am getting a big blister on the underside arch of my left foot.During running a 10k last week it split and got infected and put me out of action for a week.Every time i run this blister rears it ugly head and is very painful.I am thinking that maybe the trainers i was recommended were wrong for me and that i am not a moderate overpronator, and that i need a totally different kind of trainers.I need to be running regularly and cannot achieve this with these trainers.Can anybody please point me in the right direction -- most grateful

Tweeky

26/01/2004 at 09:18

Strange as it may sound Treforest, I would try a selection of socks. I had this problem, and tried a variety of brands and am now settled with the Ron Hill Cushioned socks.

I found it was best to wear them as a normal sock day to day or to the gym until they had been washed a few times, that way you get an idea of how they feel before running in them.

I know it can be an expensive business buying socks but once you get what suits you're sorted, and the ones you don't want to run in can become a supply for the gym.

Ballini

26/01/2004 at 10:10

i overpronate and get on very well with asics 2080's which are well rated here for this symptom

i do wear nice thick socks - the 1000 mile no blisters ones didn't work by the way - cusioning is the key as the blisters are caused by the inner sole..

i do run on a treadmill and have to concentrate a little on my running style to ensure that i hit the ground in a good stlye as "just leggin it" if you see what i mean!

Mark Boyd

07/02/2004 at 01:23

Two idea's
Run your finger along the inside edge of the insole of the trainer that is giving you problems. If when you press hard you can feel a rigid edge, then this will cause you to get blisters on longer runs. If so you need to by trainers that have a soft sole, with no moulded join to the upper.

AlsoThorlos socks are well padded in this area and help

skid

07/02/2004 at 07:02

Suffered same thing a while after I first started,I tried softening my feet up(Yeah,I know it sounds strange)with peppermint foot balm and vaseline,as recommended in RW a while ago and it has mostly worked I get
the occasional one but only small,good luck.

Little fat Welshman

07/02/2004 at 09:05

The old saying "prevention is better than cure" is very true when it comes to blisters.
One very simple form of protection that counters most blister causes is to wear 2 pairs of socks. A thin liner sock is not bulky and will in most cases go un-noticed.

I can also recommend very highly a book called "FIXING YOUR FEET" by John Vonhof. Its ISBN # 0-9657386-0-4, you can buy this book over the net at www.4ar.info look down the left hand side for the section called books and videos. The book covers blisters in good laymans details but is also a damn good source of info for any other foot related problem that may occur later in your athletic career.

Hope this is helpful.

Mrs Treforest Gump

07/02/2004 at 19:58

Thanks every body - i have bought a wider fiting pair if trainers, and touch wood they seem to be working ok for me

gymfreak

07/02/2004 at 20:56

I got massive blisters under my feet when i started running, im now wearing brooks adrenaline- still got blisters 4 a while, but now stopped

ldsontop

08/02/2004 at 23:06

I've just bought some Saucony Grid Omni 3 shoes and I received a massive blister which ran across the arch of my inside left foot whilst doing a 10K.

Elizabeth Pountney

16/12/2008 at 10:55

I've tried Saucony, Asics and Adidas now and still can't run for over four miles without getting blisters on the inside arch of both my feet. This means I can't run for a week after... so frustrating (and expensive)! I'll try a selection of socks to see how I get on but any other tips from people who have had this problem gratefully received...

Dennis Doyle

16/12/2008 at 12:38

Elizabeth - can't say I've had problems with blisters through running as running trainers seem like slippers compared to football boots or trainers ...but when I used to play football and used to get blisters whilst trying to break a new pair of boots in ...totally different I know but 2 pairs of socks seemed to work and also this may sound a bit odd and may be a bit of an old wives tale but I used to put vaseline on the outside of the sock in the affected area and this seemed to work too ...i know it sounds a bit odd and messy putting vaseline onto the outside of a sock!

tony thorpe

30/04/2009 at 19:37

I get blisters on my arches (and still do) but i did a half marathon last week and thought i would try putting a large plaster on the arch of my foot, it worked and i managed to do it without any blisters. It is a pain keeping buying plasters so i am going to try the 2 socks and vaseline trick and see how it works. I will let everyone know how it went.

Craig Watson Sports Nutrition

25/03/2011 at 11:46

I also have this problem, just got a new pair of shoes (New Balance MR940WB) as recommended by the running shop. They told me my arch is collapsing inwards causing the blisters to occur, the new trainers have a lot of support on the inside so this will hopefully help sort it out as i was only able to run once a week for about 3miles at the most until a blister appeared and kept me out for a week. very annoying!

Ruairi Barry

28/05/2011 at 12:52

Treforest Gump wrote (see)

I restarted running 3 months ago and suffered with blisters, so i went to have my feet scanned by an addidas foot pad machine.i was told that i had a slight overpronation and bought some nike air structure triax trainers which i was told would sort out my problem..

Happy to stand corrected on this, but I can't imagine there being any real link between gait issues such as overpronation and blistering. This misconception appears to run through this discussion thread. I think you were mis-informed by the shop.

Blistering is essentially a matter of friction i.e. shoe fit. Yes - the Structure Triax may be suitable for your overpronation and should help prevent/alleviate bio-mechanical related issues and injuries. However there is no quick and easy way to determine how your feet will react to a particular shoe other and trial and error. Unfortunately unless a shoe is very obviously uncomfortable, or poorly fitting then 2 minutes on a shop threadmill is unlikely to help. The trick is to find a shoe that has the necessary motion control required (there will be many choices) but also fits your foot shape well. Once you find one that doesn't give blisters, stick with it.

Note some degree of blistering could be expected with any new shoe. It may take your foot a little bit of time to adapt to any new friction spots and build up the necessary callus.

PS..agree with all the sock stuff. Good running socks are a major factor.

Brian Cohen

28/05/2011 at 21:29

I had a problem on my left foot in the arch and different socks, new trainers didn't help still reared it's head after 5 or 6 miles. Old Skool surgical spirit in the affected area worked wonders.

hareandtortoise

28/05/2011 at 21:53

Same problem here with huge left arch blister with one particular pair of trainers. Used Compeed blister plasters as a preventative measure - each one lasts about a week I find before it falls off so doesn't work out too expensive, and it totally solved the issue. Problem went away when I got my next pair of shoes (I always get the 2000 Asics series, but only had this problem with one pair oddly).

Richard Austin 5

28/05/2011 at 23:03

Tried these for socks? Never given me any problems with blisters.

katie roberts 4

19/06/2012 at 21:51

I am suffering with the huge blisters on the arches of my feet too-despite good trainers- will try the socks recommended here. Thanks x

Little Miss Blister

19/06/2012 at 22:35

I had blisters from my big toes towards my arches on both feet for months and months despite trying two different pairs of trainers (Nike Triax, Saucony Grid Omni) and blister proof double thickness socks. The blisters got to a point where I had to stop running because in removing blister plasters (even after trying to soak them off) I ended up losing several layers of skin and my feet would be covers in blood after a run!!

I now run in Asics GT2160's and More Mile London socks and cover all possible areas of friction with Body Glide. I have small blisters on both big toes but have found that these can be managed if I use blister plasters before running as a preventative measure.

I would let your feet heal and then give Body Glide and Compeed a go. Hope you are able to run again soon!!

Mr. Majestic

20/06/2012 at 01:30

If the shoe fits right, you shouldn't get blisters.

When being fittted for a shoe, the main initial consideration is a shoe with the correct level of support.

In theory, all the major makes (Adidas, Asics, Brooks, Mizuno, New Balance, Nike, Saucony etc.) will have a shoe that fits that support level.

In an ideal world, you would then try all those 7 shoes and go for the model with the best fit - I think that's achieved by choosing the shoe that "feels" the lightest and is the least noticable on your foot - that's hopefully because it fits the best and is "working with your foot". (sorry if that sounds a bit corny)

Unfortunately, each of those 7 will have different cushioning systems (gel, air etc) which feel different (softer/firmer etc), one of which the wearer might prefer or dislike.

Unfortunately, this often takes preference over the 'fit'.

That's when you get blisters...