The new year is upon us and resolutions have been made. If you're like so many others around the world, running your first marathon or half-marathon is on your list. And if you're like so many others and starting to get blisters in your training, this case study is for you. Kerry had been a casual runner since she was 20 yrs old. Thirty years later, she was training for her first half marathon. While usually a minor issue, toe blisters had now become a major problem. Wearing Injinji toesocks helped with some of them. And she bought the ENGO 6-Pack for the others. When I emailed Kerry 6 weeks later, she said the patches had stopped some of her blisters but not the ones under the callouses. She needed a half marathon blister prevention plan, and fast! I was keen to help. So Kerry sent me photos of her feet and the ENGO patches on her innersoles. That way, I could check she had used the 2-Patch technique to apply the patches. I can’t believe how helpful you are. Yes my feet are problematic. Too many years in high heels. I’m 51 and only retired last year. My feet have been crucified over the years having held corporate roles most of my career where I have had to dress the part. Kerry wears orthotics and has bunions – one was worse than the other. Interestingly, the foot with the bigger bunion had less blistering. I suspected there was an issue with foot function and joint stiffness (functional or structural – it was impossible to tell from the photos alone). So we came up with the following action plan:
Kerry's Half Marathon Blister Prevention Plan
- See the podiatrist to find out what kind of stiffness existed at the bunion joint. A functional stiffness can be lessened with an orthotic modification (to facilitate the windlass mechanism)
- Consider buying men’s running shoes. They're a wider fit for the same length
- Reposition one of the ENGO Patches
- Calf stretching & the importance of technique – under-rated for problems on the toes and under the ball of the foot!
- Consider a gel toe sleeve to cushion the big toe if pressure continues to be a problem
Kerry’s Podiatrist Was a Big Help
And he trimmed all the callouses which I was happy about. I didn’t know they did that... lol. Anyway thanks for all your advice it’s very much appreciated. Kerry got new shoes that give her feet the room they needed. Combined with the orthotic alteration, the ENGO Patches and improved self-maintenance of her callouses, Kerry was on her way to running a blister-free half-marathon.
Wrapping up
Are you on top of your blister situation? If you’re not 100% sure what you’re doing or where you're going wrong, I encourage you to take a look at the Fix My Foot Blisters Fast program. I'll walk you through building your own marathon or half marathon blister prevention plan. Or use the search function on this website to find answers to the questions you have.
