A blister might not seem as disastrous as a blowing a knee or ankle, but runners know the painful lumps can cause some serious grief – and suck minutes off your PB.
Blisters are caused from friction as a result of your shoes and socks rubbing against your skin, and fluid collects under the skin to protect the tissue underneath from further damage.
Ill-fitting shoes, sub-par socks and hot and moist conditions exacerbate your chances of a watery bubble of pain.
Most blisters heal naturally within three to seven days but there's no greater buzzkill than feeling one develop in the midst of a long run. Here's how to prevent them from occurring or help them once they've formed.
Wear in new shoes
Ideally a good pair of sneakers won't give you blisters but Holly Brasher, sports physio and spokesperson for the Australian Physiotherapy Association, told Coach that sometimes a new pair of sneakers will rub on spots that our feet aren't used to.
To be on the safe side, she suggests easing yourself into a new pair of shoes, rather than strapping them straight on and going for a 20km jog.
"Wear them in by walking around the house then going for a big walk in them the day before you go for a run," Brasher suggests.
Prep for an event
Your feet might be sweet in training but often people find they get blisters in events, even after their shoes have been well worn in.
"An event is often longer than a training session and the skin is obviously under more pressure the longer you’re running," Brasher says.
If it's a hot day and you're sweating a lot and pouring water over your head (that's draining into your shoes), chances of a blister increase. Brasher recommends wearing moisture-wicking socks, such as those made by merino wool or a pair of good quality synthetic socks.
"Wearing two pairs of socks can be a good option – wear a really thin layer and a thicker sports sock so that the friction can occur between the two socks rather than between your socks and skin," she says.
If you know you have trouble spots on your feet, Brasher says that using Vaseline on the inside of your sock at the problem site can work like a lubricant to reduce friction.
"It stops the friction so the socks glide on the skin instead," she says.
"Taping your feet can also be helpful to stop the skin rubbing, particularly in longer endurance events or long walks."
If you can feel a hot spot developing, Brasher says you ought to stop and put tape or a Band-Aid on the site immediately.
"It will protect the skin and stop it developing a blister," she says.
There's two schools of thought about what to do once you have a blister. The UK government warns against popping them because it could slow down healing and cause an infection.
Running experts agree you should leave a small blister intact but if it's really big they suggest you use a sterilised needle to gently prick the blister to drain the fluid, then cover it with a dry sterile bandage, in order to reduce the pain.Whether you pop it or the blister bursts off its own accord, you're best to leave the dead skin on top because it will help keep the wound protected. Cover it with a dry dressing to protect it from infection and help it heal, and familiarise yourself with the preventative techniques above.