The nicer the weather is, the longer my walks tend to get. I just can’t resist the fresh air and sunshine! Whether you’re a hiker, a speed walker, or a stroller, you have to watch out for blisters!
Blisters are your body’s reaction to moisture and irritation in a specific area. If your feet get hot and sweaty, your socks are going to stick to your feet. Your sticky, sweaty socks and your feet are going to rub against the inside of the shoe. A blister fills with fluid in an attempt to protect the area.
You can prevent blisters by making sure your shoes fit properly! Break in your shoes before you take off on that long walk or trail hike. You may need to walk up to fifty miles in your new shoes before taking them out on a long walk. And take good care of your shoes — shoes can stretch and rip and shrink.
Another way to keep the blisters at bay is to keep your feet dry. Wet shoes and wet socks will cause irritation much faster than dry ones. You can use foot powder (or baby powder) to help keep your feet dry, or wear socks that wick moisture away. If your feet are very blister-prone, you may want to wear double socks — a thinner sock inside a padded, more absorbent sock.
You know your feet best. If you always tend to get blisters in the same area, you can pad the area with moleskin, band-aids, or even duct tape! And if your shoes are too tight in a certain spot, you can soften the area a little with something smooth and hard — like a spoon or a baseball bat. No, don’t try to hit a homer with your shoes, use the end of the bat to knead the trouble spot to help stretch things.
At the first hint of a blister, you should stop and treat it. You’ll see redness in the irritated area, if the discomfort isn’t enough to help you find it. A gel dressing like Second Skin can help protect the baby blister, or you may prefer to use moleskin and tape to keep the moleskin from moving and making things worse. Change your socks, if you can — dry socks will cause less irritation.