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My body has conspired against my running ambitions in a range of different ways - heel bone spurs, an irregular heartbeat, dodgy hips and dominant quads. And that’s just the list of ailments I know about!

But I’ve never been prone to that scourge of many runners - blisters. So, imagine my surprise recently when I spotted a blister on the end of my big toe. Naturally, that sent me down a blister care/blister prevention rabbit hole, and this is what I found.

Before I start, I know my blister is small beer, but blisters can be a big deal. They can be extremely painful and can slow progress to death-march pace. A couple of nasty blisters can be the difference between an enjoyable day out on the trails, and an experience of abject misery.

If not treated, a blister generally goes through five stages: healthy skin, hot spot, roof intact, roof torn and deroofed. The stage your blister’s reached will determined what you need to do to look after it.

Obviously you want to stay at stage 1: no blister. There’s plenty you can do to reduce the chances of developing blisters, more about that later. If you do start to develop a blister, YOU NEED TO ACT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

This means identifying a “hot spot” and taking action. This gets a bit technical, so stay with me: a hot spot is a spot on your skin that feels hot. Okay, maybe not that technical. But if it’s so straightforward, why do so few people choose to intervene at this point?

We’ve all been there - you’re in a good rhythm making solid progress when you become aware of a spot of discomfort somewhere on your foot. If you’re almost home, you can ignore it. But if you are partway through your run and want to avoid finishing in a limping shuffle, then the time to act is now.

Take off your shoe and your sock. Check there’s nothing in the sock that’s rubbing on your foot. Make sure the sock’s not bunched up and that there’s no seam at the site of the hot spot. Apply some tape, lube or a band-aid to the area (more about this later). With any luck, you’ll be able to finish your run relatively pain free - from the potential blister at least.

Blister treatment

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, a blister will form while we’re running. In some cases, you may have to treat this during a race, unless there’s a medic who can do it for you.

If you’re at stage 3, with a roof intact blister, the first thing you need to decide is to pop or not to pop. There are pros and cons for each. Essentially, if you pop the blister, you increase the chances of infection.

But if you leave it intact, you increase the chances of it getting bigger, and deroofing of its own accord. So unless the blister is small and causing no discomfort, like the one I had on my big toe, the likely best course of action is to pop it.

You should make every effort to do this with a sterile needle or something similar because infection is a big risk with blisters and can delay your recovery. If a blister has reached the roof torn or deroofed stages, use an antiseptic solution or ointment like Betadine.

Before you put your shoe back on, make sure your foot and the sock it’s going into are as dry as possible and free of any debris. Ideally, use an “island dressing” (a band-aid with a fabric island in the middle to protect the blister and tape all around it to stick it to your foot) to protect the blister site. Apply some lube or tape if you have other problematic areas, then get back out there.

If you are prone to blisters, it’s probably worth investing in a blister treatment kit to tuck into your pack for long races.

Prevention is less painful than cure

Blisters are caused by friction. When the skin rubs against something, its outer layer, the epidermis, comes away from the dermis. This allows fluid to fill the gap between the two, which is like a “natural band-aid”.

Moisture and heat can accelerate this process. So for trail runners, especially in a sub-tropical climate like here in South East Queensland, the conditions for blister creation are ideal.

Of course, the best way to deal with blisters is to avoid them in the first place. And on this front, there is much you can do. For a blister to form on your foot, your skin needs to rub against something. And the most likely candidates are your shoes and socks.

It sounds obvious, but make sure your shoes fit. Bear in mind your feet are likely to swell if you’re running long distances, so take account of that. If you’re running downhill and find your toes keep hitting the end of your shoes, that’s a good sign the shoes are too small - even if they feel fine running on the flat. (It’s also a good way to say goodbye to a few toenails, but that’s another story.)

Some shoe brands have extra room in the toebox which is helpful - Altra is notable for this. This reduces the chance of toes rubbing together and, as a bonus, may help you hang onto those nails.

Perhaps the best advice is to get your shoes fitted at a running shop. The prices are comparable and you will always get the best advice from people who are specialists. Plus, you’ll be supporting the industry. It’s a win-win, and your feet will thank you.

Socks are the other key part of the equation. It is well worth investing in running-specific socks. These are designed to mould to your feet to reduce the chances of bunching. They have strategically placed seams to reduce the chances of rubbing.

Most importantly, they “wick” moisture away from your skin. Thick, cotton socks might feel comfy when you put them on, but if you’ve been sweating in them or jumping through puddles it won’t be long before they are full of water. And that’s bad news for your feet.

Proper running socks also feature a sculpted heel pocket. They often feature a compression panel across the midfoot to ensure a snug fit. Some brands make foot-specific socks, shaped to fit either your left or right foot.

A number of brands also offer “toe socks” - socks that look like gloves for your feet with a pocket for each toe. I’ve never tried these - I’ve never needed to. But they come highly recommended.

At the Dead Cow Gully backyard ultra last year, Phil Gore and Sam Harvey ran almost 1,600km across five days between them in Creepers toe socks without a single blister. Which is quite incredible, when you think about it.

Even with the right shoes and socks, your feet can be vulnerable. Fear not, there is more you can do. To keep them dry, you can use talcum powder. This will absorb moisture and reduce friction. No good if your course involves creek crossings though - no amount of talc will absorb that much water.

To reduce friction you can use lube or tape your feet. Companies like Body Glide market foot specific lube, although I’ve no idea what the difference is between this and their anti-chafe product.

Taping is an artform and probably takes some trial and error to get right. One tip though - don’t overlap the tape. This can create a seam which can make rubbing worse, not better.

So there you have it, blisters are always going to be a pain, but there’s plenty you can do to prevent them from ruining your long runs. The secret is to act early to head things off before they become catastrophic.

And in case you’re wondering, that horrifying blister on my big toe cleared up of its own accord. No intervention required. Just born lucky I guess.

Upcoming Events

There are way too many events for me to list everything that’s happening around the country, but here is a selection of upcoming races (with a bias towards South East Queensland).

The Running Calendar website is a great source if you want a comprehensive understanding of what’s available around the country.