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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Proper Care and Feeding of Blisters

Every once in awhile, I like to do something really stupid.  First, it keeps me humble.  Second, it gives me the opportunity to experiment with situations I don't normally encounter in normal training.

What did I do today?  I ran three miles.  Fast.  On hot asphalt.

Without any previous adaptation, I decided to test my limits.  The problem- the hot asphalt limited my perception of the development of hot spots and susequent blisters.  The result- the heat and friction caused a sizable blood blister to form on my right foot.  

It's not a serious issue... it will keep me from running tomorrow and likely force me to wear minimalist shoes for about a week.  Blisters usually aren't deal-breakers... you can train through them.

This particular blister was creating significant pressure, which made it difficult to walk.  As I usually do in this situation, I decided to drain it.  And take pics of the process.  Now I'm posting the gory details for your viewing pleasure!


The blister:














 The alcohol wipe used for sterilization:














Sterilizing the skin:














Sterilizing the needle:














Popping the blister:


















BLOOD!


















More popping:


















A little squeezing:


















One last poke:


















...And a band-aid.














The moral of the story:  Don't leave pictures of your amateur blister draining on your wife's new camera without telling her.

9 comments:

  1. What a hoot, Jason, I just posted this one:
    http://odence.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/heat-on-the-street-under-feet/
    I'm feeling better about just being a little sore.
    A couple weeks ago, I came up with a small blood blister under similar conditions. Wasn't sure it was the heat.
    So what do you think...do the feet adjust by mid-summer?
    Barefoot Phil

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  2. Ugh. Blisters were my nemesis for a long time...I was too anxious to run after popping them and ended up getting infections. I eventually learned I had to take at least a day off, or wear something minimal for protection. How soon do you run after doing this?
    Barefoot LaD

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  3. I do the same procedure with blisters, but with one exception; have you tried that liquid bandage stuff? You only need the tiniest dab on the pin hole and it's WAY more durable than a regular band aid.

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  4. Yuck......but I looked anyways :)
    I do the same thing with my blisters, if and when I get them. Its amazing how fast they heal especially after the pressure is removed.

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  5. Ooooo, blood blisters. Thankfully my first scorcher run earlier this week didn't result in blisters. I do however find that just pricking the blisters doesn't drain them sufficiently and I find covering them also slows the healing process (for me at least). Here's what I do.

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  6. Thanks for posting this. My first blisters were brutal. I ended up bandaging them, putting on socks, and walking around in crocks on my heels for the rest of the day. I was able to walk "normal" the next day, but it was still painful.

    Oh btw, your captcha made me laugh.
    http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Gh81tWfsfIuWRI8mcFKt4Q?feat=directlink

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  7. Dude! Thanks for sharing... LOL... We ALL need a does of HUMILITY once in a while, eh?!!?

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  8. I've been battling a blood blister myself. Hubby said not to pop blood blisters as blood is a great place for bacteria growth, so I didn't. Ran on hot pavement with it not fully healed last night & had to stop after 15 minutes. Am back to minimalist shoes for a bit:(

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