Another running question :] It's about feet, yay :I

DandelionCupcakes

Hiiii.
I'm wondering if blisters are normal? I mean, I know I'm not going to die or anything, but about half an inch under my big toe I get this huge blister almost every time I run.

I -just- started running again after a surgery that had nothing to do with my feet or lower half of my body at all, so I'm wondering if I should suck it up or wear thicker socks or if I really need new shoes?

I don't run over 3 miles and it's all run/walk intervals :] , so I'm also wondering if spending money on running shoes is necessary. Any help would be appreciated!

majope

Blisters are fairly common, but you don't have to accept them as normal. There are a number of things you can do that might help:

1. Get better-fitting shoes and/or lace your shoes for the best possible fit. Sadly, our left and right feet are often not sized and shaped exactly the same so there may not be one pair of perfect-fitting shoes. For me, my right foot is shorter than my left foot. I buy to fit the left foot, then re-lace the right shoe so my foot doesn't slip within the shoe and blister.

2. Try different socks. Cotton are generally the worst for blisters. A tech sock that wicks moisture is generally pretty good. Some people do well with thicker socks. Some people do well with wool, even thin wool. Some, like my husband, get the double-layer socks designed to reduce blistering. Shop sales and try different socks.

3. Body Glide, Vaseline, or something similar. Lube up the areas that usually blister to reduce friction. Helps a lot.

4. Moleskin. Use for cushioning of specific spots. I use lube instead, because I had a hard time keeping the moleskin in place, but it works well for some people.

5. Give it time. Do what you can to avoid or reduce blistering, but the truth is, if you have problem spots they will toughen up over time.

Best of luck!

DandelionCupcakes

Thank you so much! Fantastic tips. I realized the socks I was wearing might be the problem. They're very very thin. I might buy myelf new shoes as a treat, too.

Now that I'm all the way awake, I have a couple other questions, if anyone feels like answering. Right now, it hurts to walk on that foot, but should I woman-up and run anyway? Just get some thicker socks and deal with it?

And also, I've heard that running every day is bad, but is it really? If I'm very early in interval training do I still have to wait a day between each run?

hollieg91

When I was getting used to the thinner soles on my Nike Free's I got massive blisters, but I just carried on, it was tempting not too but once I was out there it didn't bother me. I'd just go for a short run and see how you feel

dougii

I have only had a blister issue once but by the time I realized I had it I was bleeding enough to soak through the top of my running shoe. Turns out it was all caused by running 8 miles in a brand new pair of shoes that did not fit quite right/or had not been broken in at all. Blisters hurt to run on but if you follow the earlier advice you should be able to run with this issue while it heals. If you are going to treat yourself to some running shoes I highly recommend going to a running store and getting fitted - this won't cost anymore than buying elsewhere but you will get a really good fit and a shoe that corrects for any issues that you might have (you can also discuss the blister issue with a runner face to face). As to running every day - some people do but you need to remember that the muscles you are using need time to heal and strengthen. The last thing you want to do is end up on the injured bench. I recommend some form of cross training every other day - biking, weights, etc. Enjoy!

Lauramh31

Definitely change to a tech sock! I have them and I never get blisters but one day all of mine were dirty and I wore cotton socks - got a blister on my toe. Also think about how you lace your shoes because it sounds like maybe your toes are trying to grip and that rubbing is causing a blister (just a guess/thought).

I haven't heard that running every day is bad, BUT do be careful if you are going from not running to all of a sudden running every day as you could suffer from beginner's overuse injuries like shin splints, knee pain, IT band pain, etc. becuase your leg/hip muscles aren't use to it and your leg bones and joints aren't used to all of the stress running causes (both of which can lead to injury).

DandelionCupcakes

Fabulouss Thanks everyone!

If/when I buy some new shoes I'll get fitted for sure. I'll also make sure to pay attention to lacing my shoes tonight before I go out.