Getting exercise on a regular basis is very important and a major contributor to both your physical and mental health. One exercise that is very common, because it can be performed by most people, is walking.
While walking is typically a good idea for all ages and physical builds, injuries and irritations can still happen. One common irritation that can occur is foot blisters, which are characterized by painful spots on your skin that occur when fluid builds up between skin layers.
What Causes Foot Blisters After Exercise?
Foot blisters can occur due to virtually any type of exercise. The most common cause of blisters on the feet is excess friction and rubbing of the skin. This can occur due to the skin rubbing against your shoe, socks, or any other item that your foot comes into contact with. If you are exercising in freezing weather, the blisters could also be due to frostbite, although this is far less common.
While blisters are common and normally something that you can recover from without any serious medical attention, it is still important that you pay attention to skin irritation. Even a small blister on your foot can grow and develop into something larger, which can be painful and difficult to walk on in any situation. In extreme situations, it can even lead to an infection.
If you do not pay attention to blisters, skin irritations and overall discomfort in your feet, you could even experience a training setback.
Generally, it is advised that you stay off your feet and avoid aggravating the blister until it is healed. Due to this, avoiding the development of blisters to begin with is always a good idea. You can do this by wearing proper attire and addressing any discomfort.
Blister Care Tips
If you are already experiencing blisters on your feet, caring for them properly is very important. Some common blister care tips you can follow include the following:
7 Ways to Prevent Blisters on Your Feet from Walking
Blisters on your feet from walking or any other type of exercising can be challenging to deal with. Not only can they be painful while exercising, but they can also be problematic when working or engaging in social activities. Fortunately, blisters on your feet are almost always preventable. Below are 7 tips to follow that can help you prevent blisters.
1. Wear the Right Shoes
One of the most important tips that you can follow to help avoid the development of blisters on your feet while walking is to wear the right shoes. After all, the most common cause of blisters is shoes that are not properly fitted.
Whether they are too short, too narrow, or too large in certain spots… poor-fitting shoes can cause additional friction on your skin in certain places. If you wear the shoes long enough, it can quickly lead to the development of blisters. Due to this, it would be wise to have your feet properly measured and fitted for good exercise shoes.
Even if you have shoes that are the right size, you should work your wear into them. Any new pair of shoes will need to be broken in to give you a comfortable and safe fit. You should try to wear and walk in your shoes several times before you wear them for a long walk or run.
2. Build Up Your Exercising
While not having the right shoes can cause blisters, they can also develop if your body and feet are not used to the exertion. When many people start exercising for the first time, they can make the mistake of starting too fast and too strong. While you may feel motivated to take a long walk and burn more calories, you could end up setting yourself back as it will increase the likelihood that you will be injured.
A common injury for novice walkers and runners is the development of foot blisters. To ensure you are able to avoid this, you should try to build up your walking distance by following a plan set for beginners. This could help you avoid blisters and other injuries as it will help to build up your skin’s resistance.
3. Keep Feet Dry
As you are looking to help prevent blisters on your feet, you also need to ensure that you are keeping your feet as dry as possible. The main reason why your blisters can form is because of excessive friction. If your feet are wet while you are walking or running, it can increase the amount of friction.
While you may start your exercise routine off wearing dry shoes and socks, you could find that they will get wet as you run or walk due to the accumulation of sweat. If your feet tend to sweat a lot while you run or walk, you should wear shoes that are designed to keep your feet cool and socks that can help get rid of excess moisture. This could then help you avoid the development of painful blisters. Using an antiperspirant designed for your feet can also help to keep them dry while exercising.
4. Wear Socks
While it is important that you are able to keep your feet dry and have a high-quality pair of shoes, wearing socks routinely will also help you avoid the development of blisters when you are walking, running, or completing other forms of exercise.
Quality socks and other quality walking and running gear can help prevent the development of blisters in several ways. First, the socks will provide you with an immediate level of protection against your shoes. This can help reduce the likelihood that you get a blister from excess friction. Socks can also help to keep your feet dry and protected when you are exercising.
5. Wear Padding or Protection Around At-Risk Areas
As you are looking to protect your feet and avoid the development of blisters, it is also a good idea for you to wear padding and protection around areas that are at a higher risk for the development of blisters. If you have gotten a blister in the past, the same spot is more likely to develop blisters again.
Other areas of the feet that are likely to develop blisters include around the base knuckle of the toes and above the heel. If you notice pressure or friction in any of these areas, wearing band-aids or another protective padding can be helpful and could reduce the likelihood that you will develop blisters.
6. Change Actions When Feeling Irritation
When you are wondering how to prevent blisters on feet from walking, another tip to follow is to change your actions when you do begin to feel irritation. Blisters tend to form due to repetitive action.
While the blister may feel the most painful when you are done exercising and for a couple of days after, you will often feel the rubbing and irritation while you are walking or completing another type of exercise. If you do notice a rubbing or painful sensation in your foot when walking, you should take any necessary action to fix the situation. This can help prevent a small blister from turning into something worse.
7. Follow Proper Care Tips When Done Exercising
When it comes to the protection of your feet to help avoid the development of blisters, a lot of the work needs to be done to ensure your feet are properly prepared for your walk or run. However, there are also habits you can follow that after you are done exercising that can help you avoid the accumulation of blisters.
Some things you can do to prevent blisters are to keep your feet moisturized when you are not exercising, avoid the buildup of calluses, and keep your feet clean in-between runs. Further, if you do notice the development of a blister on your feet, following the proper care and maintenance for foot blisters can help ensure the issue does not get worse.
Final Thoughts on Ways to Prevent Blisters on Your Feet
Ultimately, foot blisters can be a painful inconvenience experienced while walking, running or completing any other type of exercise. By ensuring you have the right shoes and socks, caring for your feet properly, and looking out for the symptoms of blisters… you can help avoid them and prevent them from getting worse.
The tips here should provide some help when it comes to preventing blisters, which can cause an unwanted and annoying setback to any new exercise plan. You can find additional fitness tips here, which can help you learn more about exercising, eating well, and having a healthy overall lifestyle.
