I could use advice. I’m trying to figure out what to do about a blister that may complicate my training for a marathon in seven weeks. I think I need to explain the specifics to get feedback, so either bear with me or scroll on to more interesting/less unappealing social media content elsewhere.
I very rarely get blisters, and this one is in an odd location, on the inside front of my big toe ahead of the index toe (a location where, oddly, nothing–not a sock, not the shoe, and not the index toe–rubs on the big toe). It didn’t hurt at first, so I’m not even sure when I got it, either during last weekend’s 18-mile run or Tuesday’s hill sprints. Running irritates it just by the action of the bottom of the big toe compressing, so it gets worse each time I run (Thursday’s tempo run and today’s 15-mile run so far), and bandages/padding don’t seem to help, given the location. I figure my options are:
Stop running to let it heal, adding in more biking to try to maintain fitness. I’m guessing it would take a solid week to heal (possibly more?), and then I could bandage or lubricate the site to try to prevent a re-occurrence.
Stop running but also drain the (now fairly impressively sized) blister with a sterile needle to expedite healing (I’m uncertain about whether this would actually expedite healing, and it obviously entails at least some modest risk of infection).
Keep running but find some innovative way of padding the blister (given the location, I’m skeptical such an option exists).
Keep running as long as the blister doesn’t get intensely painful/infected. Although it wasn’t painful at first, it does hurt a bit now. I suspect after another run or two I’d have a fairly epic blister.
A week off running certainly isn’t ideal, especially in light of the compressed training schedule I planned, but it seems like it may be the least bad of the options. For what it’s worth, my planned weekend long runs were 18 next weekend, then 20, then 15, then 20, then 15, then 10, and the following weekend is the marathon.
I have had similar blisters before. I would drain it, if it is bad it may have to be drained a few times. I would make sure it is cleaned and apply leukotape or something similar and continue running. I would also probably try different socks.
Drain the blister and pad it with silipos silicon sleeve. That’s what I do myself.
I’ve drained it several times with alcohol prep, sterile needle, and antibiotic ointment after, and then padded it before runs, and after each run it’s full of liquid again but bigger each time and hurts a little more. That’s what’s giving me pause. I should have been clearer in my initial note.
Drain the blister and pad it with silipos silicon sleeve. That’s what I do myself.
I’ve drained it several times with alcohol prep, sterile needle, and antibiotic ointment after, and then padded it before runs, and after each run it’s full of liquid again but bigger each time and hurts a little more. That’s what’s giving me pause. I should have been clearer in my initial note.
When my Marines would get a blister I would, drain the blister then inject tincture of benzoin. Place a 2 x 2 gauze pad. Get some moleskin, but a whole slightly lager than the blister, leave the adhesive strip on the moleskin, use athletic tape to secure the bandage.
Is there any reason to think draining will accelerate healing?
I’ve drained it, bandaged, and run a few times now. Each time it gets bigger.
Normally after I drain a blister I’ll leave it exposed overnight (no socks etc) to dry the covering skin out. I’ll only stick a bandage on if it’s going to be rubbed throughout the day, but as soon as possible I’ll get the bandage off again.
Drain it, put one of those blister protectors on. Keep it clean with warm salty water rather than antiseptic cream (as that can delay healing).
I got a major blister 6 weeks out from an IM a few years ago. I was able to keep run training by wearing two pairs of thin socks, and taping over the blister patch with duct tape. If it felt sore on a run I’d stop and walk home. Also, I used to go to beach and do some barefoot running when the blister was too sore for shoes.
Good luck
Try Injinji socks. I was getting a blister in the exact same spot at the start of this season. Switched to these socks and I have been fine ever since. I am in prep/build for the Chicago Marathon.
Did you recently change shoes? If so from what to what?
Did you recently change the size of your shoe?
It’s quite common during a run that you won’t feel something. As an example when my legs pull through while running each foot catches the opposite calf. It’s been that way since I started running. I never feel it but at the end of every run my ther is a dirt pattern on each calf.
Worn out shoes could easily be the cause. If you have one pair of shoes you run in and are training for a marathon you will have to replace your shoes during a typical build up.
Marathon and shoe size - With longer running, your feet swell. If you fit your shoes close their’s a good chance at 18 miles the toes will be jamming the front. Again by 18 miles you wouldn’t feel it.
A change of shoes - If you changed from a shoe with a flexible forefoot to a shoe with a stiff forefoot or rocker you are changing the action in the forefoot. Same if you went from stiff to flexible too.
Socks - Injini is the right thing I think.
Fixing the blister is priority but everything you said tells me it’s probably in the shoes somewhere.
I switched from Mizuno Wave Riders to Hoka Clifton 2’s in June, and it’s really helped with some minor knee tendinitis. I’m between sizes, but in the larger of the two options. No issues till this recent blister. And it’s an odd blister, apparently not caused by any direct rubbing, but by compression of the toe which indirectly affects the area where the blister is forming. Longest runs ever, this will be my first marathon.
The best solution I have found is duct tape. The key is eliminating the friction/rubbing on the skin. The duct tape adheres to the skin, does not move relative to the skin, and the sock, other toe, or whatever, slides over the duct tape. This allowed me to run 3 days after an IM in which I developed huge blisters on the ball of my right foot that spread in between my big toe and index toe, all during the race…it was so painful I could barely walk the next day. With the duct tape I was able to do a 12 mi run 3 days after the race (tired, but the feet were bearable). I keep some in my pack when trail running…when I feel a blister coming on, I slap on some duct tape and all is better.
As for the source, I have had similar blisters in the past…I attributed them to a looser toe box that allows my toes to move relatively freely and rub one another, even though they are not rubbing the sock or the shoe.
You switched from a tradional designed running shoe with a flexible forefoot to a shoe with wrapped side walls and a rocker forefoot.
Running in the Mizuno as you go to toe off, your foot flexes because the shoe is built with flexibility.
Now in the Clifton your foot rolls over the midsole (rocker) to toe off. There is no flexibility happening. The sidewalls simply help your foot track to that same toe off every time.
Your forefoot is now adjusting to the new forefoot action. That’s where your blister is coming from. Because the shoes cleared up other issues your best avenue is through socks. The Injini are probably the best Option.
With care for the current issue (socks included) and more time in the Clifton you should be able to overcome the blister.
I agree with Dave. I’ve been a Clifton runner for a few years, and I got some weird blisters in the 2’s. The toebox seemed narrower than in the 1’s (which Hoka never should have messed with, but I digress) or 3’s. Try different shoes. Weird story, but I got lucky when a dog ran off with one of my Clifton 2’s (yes took off with one shoe, and I never found it!). That was the end of trying to suffer through blisters - I was able to run a bit more in some older Clifton 1’s until the 3’s came out.
Drain it without teariing the top layer off. Just prick it with a needle. Put a pad over it, gel foam duct tape, whatever. Run through it. I played 4 years of soccer for a very strict british coach who made us play through our blisters and it was no big deal, 2 days of discomfort and it will heal.
Adding to what everyone is saying about lancing it - prick it with a sterile needle and then soak it in epsom salt. I have terrible recurrent blister problems, and I have found that soaking it in epsom salt immediately after draining helps really clear everything out, plus it dries the skin out faster.