blisters
Is there anything I can do to toughen up my heels to help prevent blisters. Taping them pre-blister? sand paper? I kinda guess you're gonna say put you boots on go walking.
Thanks!
You could try walking a few miles around your neighborhood each night. My first day walking around my neighborhood my feet had some blisters but after a week or so my feet had started to become calloused and no more blisters.
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You might want to make sure your heels aren't lifting too much when you walk...that's assuming you are talking about blisters on the back of your heels. Try a tongue pad to keep the lifting down or a pad under the insole heel. Both methods should reduce the volume of the boots and reduce slippage. Also, a thin liner sock, not of cotton, may work, too. Good luck.
Is this a question of getting your feet used to hiking, or the need to break in a pair of boot?
I found that with a new pair of boots, the shape of my heel is such that I'm GOING to get blisters until the boots have a chance to get broken in. It doesn't mater if the boot has been properly fitted nor the use of liner socks. I get blisters until the boot has had a chance to get broken in and conform to the shape of my foot. Placing almost any sort of tape (1st Aid tape, mole skin, duct tape) over my heels prevents the blisters until the boots are broken in. Once broken in, the tape is no longer needed.
Last edited by HooKooDooKu; 11-13-2013 at 17:11.
The trouble with trying to prevent blisters is that you don't know where they are going to pop up. You can't wrap your entire feet beforehand. If you do know from experience where they will pop up on your feet you can put some moleskin on and that will help some. Early in the season before my callouses build up, I rub a small amount of Vaseline over my feet and ankles. This helps prevent blisters which may form from simple friction. If you always get blisters in the same spots, you probably have some kind of issue with your shoes and/or how they fit. Assuming your shoes fit you properly, the best and only good prevention is, of course, lot's of hiking which will build up callouses.
For long distance hiking, the biggest culprit is usually moisture. Wet feet, especially from sweating, will destroy tender feet. Stay away from Goretex shoes early in your hike and bring at least two spare pairs of socks and change them out every day. You'll probably get some blisters anyway but your battle will be to minimize the damage.
when i wore boots,if i had a problem with heel blisters, i would line the inside of the heel with duct tape, so that your heel slides without the friction. i still maintain good fitting shoes/boots should need no break in period. i think its mistake to tighten enough that your heel cant move at all. they will anyway, and you end up restricting the blood flow.Originally Posted by HooKooDooKu
bryce , i think you need to experiment a little more with different types of shoes to find the one that fits your feet properly.i havent had so much as a hot spot since i switched to trail runners last year.
You are worried about developing 911 feet during the first week on the trail. That is when most of us learn about our feet. You can learn this now before your thru hike or you can learn it later on your thru hike. If you want to learn it now I suggest you take a long weekend and go hiking with the same boots and backpack load. After a couple 15 or 20 mile days you will learn something about potential blister areas on your feet. You may be one of those hikers who pre-tape and pre-pad areas on your feet.
Start walking barefoot as much as possible right now. Don't wear shoes unless you have to. It will strengthen both skin and muscle.
and this toughens the skin on your heels how?
The bottoms of your feet.
I have planter fasciitis from a cut nerve mid calf. I don't even walk bare foot around my house.
I'll expand on walking a little. A very fast walk does a lot more for me. Fwiw, jogging is totally different for my feet.
You need adequate footwear for starters. Heel blisters mean your shoes are not fitting you properly. Get fitted by a professional.
I understand you are planning a thru next year? That planters could be a much bigger worry then blisters. But I think you mentioned somewhere that you're a nurse so I bet you know more about it then I do. If I was you, I'd focus on staying on top of the planters, find some comfortable trail runners, and deal with blisters if and when they present themselves. Some mole skin and a little Leukotape wrapped around a tube of chap stick should do the trick.
I've heard of folks trying to toughen up their feet by soaking them in rubbing alcohol. Don't know if that works, if it does, it would seem that it would toughen them simply by drying out the skin. Unfortunately some people are just more prone to blisters then others. I get heal blisters with boots but nothing with shoes, unless they become too small. Moisture is a huge deal with blister prevention. I met people on my thru hike that changed socks during the middle of the day to help keep their feet dry. I seemed to do okay just drying them out at night with some gold bond powder. However I walked through 30+ days of rain in the north and ended up slathering my feet with vaseline in the morning and again at mid day in an effort to keep from absorbing too much moisture. Seemed to work for me.
I agree with Rasty. Watch for those thorns, wasps/bees and barb wire though.
Try toughening up the heel skin by lightly burning it under a flame and then quickly cooling with Pistachio ice cream. Works for me every time. Try acetic acid as well. Bathe feet in something that's akin to acetic acid like vin-gar.
During your hike apply Body Glide to your feet 2-3 times a day. Works wonders.
Get to know your feet and get to know your boots/shoes. You do this by walking using the shoe your going to hike it. Do it nonstop for 6+ miles and do it several days in a row. No 1 you will toughen up your feet and No 2 you will find the likely hot spots. And you will enjoy it
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Ditto on the BodyGlide. Since I've been using it during my training walks (4 miles a day) and practice hikes, I haven't had any irritation at all, and no blisters. That said, I know where I'm prone to blister, so I only use it on those places, but they do include the bottom, sides and backs of my heels. On the other hand, maybe I'm not having any problems because I finally found boots that fit my short, fat feet!
Speaking of rubbing alcohol to toughen skin, I'ld think that might help to dry out your feet after a long wet day.
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