Just started running again after a long sabbatical, feeling the curse of chafing on my right foot. Slowed down then packed it in, sure enough two nasty painful blisters have formed. I’ve ran before in the shoes and socks I used and been just fine, so I’m guessing it’s just a result of slacking off. Googling says that putting some Vaseline on the effected area will decrease instances of foot blisters - do any Doper runners have any experience with this? It makes sense, but I get a feeling it might just end up a slippy mess. Thanks for answers, my feet thank you in advance.
Vaseline is way messy. Try Bodyglide or something similar.
There are also double layer socks designed to prevent blisters.
You might have altered your stride due to the layoff or the shoes have aged during that time.
Silk sock liners work well, then standard socks on top of that. The rubbing/chafing will then occur between the liner and your standard sock, protecting your feet. I’ve found silk to be the best material. The liners also help keep your feet cool when it’s hot out, and keep you warmer when it’s cold out.
Almost sounds too good to be true, but it does work that way.
they sell it in most drug stores. you rub it on the skin and it creates a barrier and so helps to prevent blisters. I think it’s silicone or something like that.
Hikers use duct tape to prevent blisters from forming. It works surprisingly well!
I have worn knee high pantyhose (scrunched down) inside my socks and they work great.
How well did your shoes fit? Were they tight and snug (and possibly a little uncomfortable)? Or were they a little looser (and perhaps more comfortable).
It’s counter-intuitive: The tighter shoes tend to produce less blister trouble, because they are tighter and your feet don’t move around inside them (which produces the rubbing that leads to blisters). With looser shoes, your feet have some freedom to move around inside the shoe, causing rubbing, causing blisters.
I learned this years ago when the world and I were younger, when I was into ice skating.
ETA: Wearing more or thicker socks, as suggested in some posts above, may have the same effect as wearing tighter shoes, namely, filling up any loose space, making the overall shoes/socks combination tighter on your feet, thus reducing rubbing, thus reducing blisters.
ETA[sup]2[/sup]: And, of course, you don’t want shoes toooooo tight, lest they be really uncomfortable and interfere with blood circulation. And they need to fit the shape of your foot well, otherwise there might be specific overly tight rubbing spots instead of uniform tightness all over your foot.
I can vouch for vaseline. Not really that messy. The key is to put gobs of it on so that it soaks into sock and shoe. Less effective after you have got a blister. Works well for treating “hot spots”.
I have done this on running shoes, but more commonly for hiking. I used to always carry a tube of vaseline when leading a hiking trip. Never had a blister on anyone who treated the area early.
I can also vouch for duct tape. It has to be good qulity tape. You do need to apply it carefully with no wrinkles or potential for wrinkles to develop. Done well it can last for days.
I have use it with hiking boots and to me it is the greatest preventative for known blister areas. Far better then special socks and various blisterpads/moleskin/ducttape (as those coverings always seem to not stay where they are needed.
Will it do the same for running, I’m not sure, but it’s certainly worth a try.
My running partner swears by a liberal application of Vaseline under her socks to prevent blisters. I’ve never had a blister problem, so I can’t say.
I do not think duct tape works very well.
Ive done a lot of hiking and backcountry skiing (hiking with heavy stuff on your feet. in the snow.) My experience is that I suffer through some blisters at the beginning of the season until my feet toughen up. When I have tried duct tape I have ended up with HUGE duct tape shaped blisters. Horrible.