PDA

View Full Version : Blisters on the soles of feet.



A. M. Jauregui
2nd July 2003, 11:18
As the tiles of this thread suggests I had blisters form on the soles of my feet from wearing some new shoes. Not martial arts related in cause but it did keep me away from the dojo for about two weeks.

I was prescribed 1% sliver sulfadiazine cream which no doubt helped. Are there any traditional alternatives? *Preferable something not as messy as the prescribed cream*

Thanks.

Joseph Svinth
3rd July 2003, 03:19
It is NOT the recommended medical solution, but:

* Clean the injured area thoroughly.
* Heat a pin, or soak it in alcohol, to sterilize it.
* Insert the point of the sterilized pin into the blister, near the healthy skin.
* Drain the liquid.
* Put some Neosporin on the wound to reduce risk of infection.
* Slap a Band-Aid over the dead skin.
* Put white medical tape over the Band-Aid. NOTE: You might want to shave hair on your foot, as it'll be leaving soon either way.

If your shoes are properly fitted, then it is possible that your real issue is pronation or some such. In that case, you may want to ask a podiatrist about orthotics.

Prince Loeffler
3rd July 2003, 05:40
Hello A Jauregui, If you don't mind I like to post on this thread.
I will be on an all day Seminar in the next two weeks. The seminar will be held at the College's Basketball Gym. Can anyone recommend the best way to avoid foot blisters. I tried taping it last time and it did not work, instead it made it worst and cut my training short because the blisters were starting to hurt like hell..

Thanks in Advance !

A. M. Jauregui
3rd July 2003, 06:17
I really do not know much about your style of karate so I do not know if it is appropriate or not but maybe tabi *kendo shoes* are what you are looking for in sole protection.

Eguchi (http://www.eguchi.net/cart_tabi.htm) is were I have gotten mine. *I prefer the leather soled version*

Walker
3rd July 2003, 06:53
Don’t know if this is what you’re looking for, but you might try acclimatizing your feet to the situation. Two weeks may be too short, but I’d spend some time doing a similar activity on a similar surface to get my feet ready. And for next year I’d start earlier. Compare to getting your feet reacquainted with your hiking boots before your trek.

Prince Loeffler
3rd July 2003, 07:05
Originally posted by A.M. Jauregui
I really do not know much about your style of karate so I do not know if it is appropriate or not but maybe tabi *kendo shoes* are what you are looking for in sole protection.

Eguchi (http://www.eguchi.net/cart_tabi.htm) is were I have gotten mine. *I prefer the leather soled version*

Its similar to Shorin Ryu and Shotokan. I am not sure if shoes are allowed at this siminar. I have done one in the past on a wood floor and it was an experienced that I hate to do again for my feet. I train at a dojo that has a canvas type tatami, thus my feet aren't conditioned for wood floors. Considering the instrutors who will be at the seminar, its worth the sacrifice..I guess I'll just have to pack a bag load of pain killers :D

Prince Loeffler
3rd July 2003, 07:07
Originally posted by Walker
Don’t know if this is what you’re looking for, but you might try acclimatizing your feet to the situation. Two weeks may be too short, but I’d spend some time doing a similar activity on a similar surface to get my feet ready. And for next year I’d start earlier. Compare to getting your feet reacquainted with your hiking boots before your trek.

This is a great Idea..You're right two weeks ain't enough, then again its never too late to start.

Bruce Mitchell
3rd July 2003, 08:22
Remember that a blister is, in a way, a nice sterile dressing, over an injured area. Moleskin can help with blisters in your shoes. I'm not sure how well it holds up to training.

remember that once the blister is broken, you have created a fantastic little habitat for bacteria. The flap of dead skin creates a nice moist pocket for them to live, work and raise a little family of a few million. If the blister does break then I recommend trimming the dead, blistered skin away and then applying antioboitic cream and a bandage to the sore. This can be a it nerve racking, but isn't really as bad as it sounds. Be sure to change the bandage at leats once a day (two or three times would probably be better).

StanLee
3rd July 2003, 13:03
Ana, here's one trick a contempory dancer told me.

Carefully burst the blister, remove the skin

Hard boil an egg and use the skin / membrane of the cooked egg as a second skin. This should allow healing to take place quicker.

Alternatively, just leave the blister alone and wait for the skin to heal. That's what I do when I get blisters from kendo.

Stan

kage110
3rd July 2003, 15:31
If you think blisters on your feet are bad try dealing with blisters on your palms! (ahem):p

Seriously now: To follow on from what Jospeh posted...


It is NOT the recommended medical solution, but:

* Clean the injured area thoroughly.
* Heat a pin, or soak it in alcohol, to sterilize it.
* Insert the point of the sterilized pin into the blister, near the healthy skin.
* Drain the liquid.
* Put some Neosporin on the wound to reduce risk of infection.
* Slap a Band-Aid over the dead skin.
* Put white medical tape over the Band-Aid. NOTE: You might want to shave hair on your foot, as it'll be leaving soon either way.

I have suffered many blisters from hill walking, distance running and military route marches and this is pretty much the way I have always dealt with my blisters.

1) as above
2) as above but also add some cotton thread to the needle and soak it in alcohol too
3) as above but push the needle in one side of the blister and out the other side, pulling the thread through with the needle
4) cut the thread so that you have a short (1/2 inch) wick at either side of the blister
5) drain the liquid
6) plaster and away! I can heartily endorse a blister plaster called 'Compeed'.

I have never really worried about infection setting and so far so good, even after a couple of weeks walking on blistered feet. My record number was 11 blisters between my two feet as I had had the 'great' idea of using silk lining socks to reduce friction. Word of warning: Never, ever do this! Instead of reducing friction the silk ruffled up into little knife edges and, hey presto! instant blisters. 11 on my first day of a walking/climbing holiday.:cry: :cry: :cry: Character building I believe they call it...

elder999
3rd July 2003, 17:16
This is straight out of my back country search and rescue orientation manual:

A small red spot might just need an adhesive bandage. An angrier-looking spot might require additional padding like a layer of moleskin. Put the moleskin over the bandage so the adhesive doesn't stick to the tender area. Or you could cut a "doughnut hole" in the moleskin (the hole goes over the blister).

If you've got a bona fide liquid-filled blister, it's usually best to pierce it. Treat it promptly and properly with an antibiotic ointment and a dressing. Be sure to use a sterile needle. (Dip it in alcohol or hold it to a lit match).



1. Clean the blister area with soap and water.

2. If the blister is not too swollen or painful, skip to Step 4. Otherwise, use a match flame to sterilize a pin or the tip of the sharpest blade on your pocketknife, then carefully cut a small slit at the bottom of the blister to drain the fluid. Leave the skin flap in place to protect the wound and speed healing.

3. Apply antiseptic ointment or a small circle of a nonadhering sterile dressing, such as Spenco 2nd Skin, directly on the blister.

4. Cut a doughnut-shaped piece of moleskin with a hole that's slightly larger than the blister. Place it over the blister and sterile dressing to create a pressure-free pocket for the sore. Cover the entire doughnut with a second piece of moleskin.

5. Secure the moleskin patch in place with medical tape. In a pinch, duct tape will do the job. For heel blisters, run tape strips along the sides of your foot toward the toes, then secure the ends with a few loops run around the instep.

6. Promote healing by keeping the blister moist with ointment or sterile dressing.

The best blister remedy I know is a product by Spenco called 2nd Skin. This dressing takes pressure off the blister and relieves pain. Put the squishy jell directly on the blister and cover it up with athletic tape or moleskin.

Or better yet—avoid blisters entirely.
By breaking in well-fitting boots, wearing comfortable moisture-wicking socks, paying attention to your feet, and stopping at the first sign of trouble, you can avoid this most common backcountry problem.

pcnorton
3rd July 2003, 18:26
Drain and remove flap of skin, then cover area with nuskin or tincture of benzoin.

For those with access to needles, drain the blister and refill pocket with tincture of benzoin to glue th skin down.

VERY PAINFUL, but they work. I was a medic at a Recondo school and dealt with blister everyday.

The other suggestions here work, but will soften the area.


Paul

Joseph Svinth
4th July 2003, 03:38
Something else to consider is your foot strike. If you're sliding your feet or pivoting flat-footed, it's likely that you'll develop blisters. You are also torquing your knees and straining your ankles. On the other hand, if you're stepping precisely, using heel-to-toe (aka Yin/Yang) stepping and hip rotations, then not only is your balance and posture improved, but you should also more easily transition between surfaces ranging from indoor-outdoor carpet to wood or tatami.

Barefoot on sun-baked asphalt, though, is not something I recommend, even for demonstration purposes. Personal experience. Trust me on this.

Jdalton51
4th July 2003, 06:20
If you're sliding your feet or pivoting flat-footed, it's likely that you'll develop blisters.

As I was reading this thread, no one else mentioned picking up your feet. Blisters are caused by friction against the skin- look at how you are using your feet against the mat. That in itself should contribute to the prevention.

joe yang
4th July 2003, 09:22
And from my long ago days as a wanna be musician, avoid blisters, build callouses. Congo drum players used to keep callouses soft, to prevent hardening and sloughing off, with cocoa butter. I used to use it on my fingers, immediately before and after practising guitar. Pure cocoa butter used to be available in a stick. Use it really sparringly, just a tiny speck, more will actually keep callouses from ever forming.

MarkF
4th July 2003, 09:56
Have you ever heard the story of taking vitamin C for a cold? If you do take it, your cold will only last for a week. If you don't, it could take up to seven days.

The Silvadene cream is a debriding ointment generally used to speed the death of loose, dying/dead skin and lifting it off the surface leaving a nice layer of new skin. The dead skin may (or may not) turn black, but that is normal. Bandaging is extremely important when using any debriding ointment or cream. If you were prescribed that cream, you probably did have burn type blisters (which, BTW, can become Plantar's worts if you go back to activity too soon. That will keep you real busy). Joe's suggestion of how you walk or move on the floor/mat is a good way to use your feet. Remember, you sweat from the bottoms of your feet quite a bit.

Ultimately, everything you've been told here will work. The only difference is in speed of healing, and that is personal. Silvadene cream will work faster in general with no breaking of the skin (you should feel a slight warming, if not a little painful, itch with the Silvadene and will take off the soon-to-be dead skin pretty quickly, leaving you nice, new pink skin underneath. Blisters and Plantar's worts are what changed the way I moved on the mat, as that is where I got both.

If you have ever seen the old style tsugi-ashi of judo, you will know what I mean. Most rarely do so anymore, except to keep the feet from coming too close together, then it is necessary, but it is momentary.

A double or triple antibiotic ointment, like Polysporin or Neosporin probably should be used after stopping the silvadene ointment to protect the new skin from the air (and thus relieve any pain) and any number of bacteria or viral infections.

When home for the day, or at night, when relaxing use the ointment in fairly thick layers and leave exposed. Bandage the blistered area when you get up and leave it there. Epsom's Salts foot bath couldn't hurt, either now and then. Use a drying powder when wearing socks or tabi or any footwear in which you are going to sweat a lot.


Mark

A. M. Jauregui
4th July 2003, 10:14
Thanks Mark... No warts yet thanks god.

I throw the culprit shoes away *in rage*... After reading Joe’s post and recalling the day - I was on sun-baked asphalt nearly barefoot *the shoes were those old school van desk shoes* so it could have been the road more then the shoes. Oh well...