Ask the Practitioner: Blisters!
For this installment of Ask the Practitioner, we connected with Michelle Toy, Assistant Athletic Trainer at Santa Clara University. Michelle has worked with the cross country teams at Santa Clara, as well as high school athletes as the Strength and Conditioning Coach at Woodside Priory school. This summer, Michelle will again serve as a trainer for the Bay Area Running Camp. In short - she's seen some blisters!
RC: Why do runners typically get blisters?
MT: The most common reasons that runners get blisters are: their shoes don't fit right, they aren't wearing thick enough socks, they are running with improper mechanics, they are running on uneven surfaces, or they are running in new shoes that haven't been broken in long enough.
RC: What can you do if you develop a blister, but still need to get out there and run?
MT: If you have a blister, you can help protect it by wearing a band-aid over it or wearing a gel pad called second skin or skin lube.
RC: What are some good ways to prevent blisters before they occur?
MT: Good ways to help prevent blisters are to wear shoes that fit properly, wear thicker socks, run on even ground, break new shoes in over the period of a week, or wear skin lube over hot spots.
