AF&A Blog

Blisters on your feet are a common injury, especially for the athlete. A foot blister results when frictional forces cause layers of your skin to separate and fill with fluid. Shoe and foot types, increased moisture, and increased activity can all increase chances of this happening. Since we all need to stay fit, similar to any athlete, tricks for preventing a problem like this are useful for all of us.

Making sure that you have the proper shoe fit is the first thing you can do to avoid blisters. Blisters on your toes can often be avoided by checking that there is a thumbs width of distance between the tip of your shoe and your longest toe. Walking around in your shoes should allow you to notice any problem areas that may be associated with your foot ‘type’. If there is no apparent problem with the shoe other than making a particular part of your foot uncomfortable, you should talk to Dr. Thomajan about a custom orthotic. This may help your foot to function better and avoid future blisters.

It is important to examine your insoles as well. They may simply be ‘worn out’ and replacing them with new, more protective insert, may eliminate the problem. Moisture also increases the chances of blister formation. By wearing socks that wick away sweat or using proper drying agents, you can help decrease your risk of blister formation. Lastly, slowly working up to extended activities can not only help your feet adjust and prevent blisters, but can also prevent a wealth of other acute injuries.

Until next time, keep those feet healthy and stay happy Austin!

With summer in full swing, we want to use this blog to talk about prevention. You can prevent many foot problems by taking steps to protect the skin of your feet. One step, which has been mentioned before, is the use of sun block. Another we would like to discuss is the use of moisturizer. By taking care to keep the skin of your feet healthy, you can avoid damage and drying that can lead to more serious problems.

As we mentioned in our “By the skin of your feet..” blog a few weeks ago, sunscreen is as important to the skin of your feet as it is to the rest of your body. Use a sun block with an SPF factor of at least 15 and be sure to reapply if you are in the sun for prolonged periods of time. The three types of ‘skin cancer’ are all associated with increased exposure to the sun. Take the easy step of applying sun block and keep the sun from damaging your skin.

The warm weather may have you wearing more open backed shoes and sandals. These types of footwear allow the padding of your heel to spread out and hasten drying or callus formation. You may have applied lotion to your dry feet with little resolution. This can be especially troublesome if you are living with diabetes, kidney disease, or circulation problems. Dry heels can lead to fissures, poor healing and further complications in these situations. Lotions are typically inadequate to moisturize the thick and dry skin of your feet. Creams and emulsions made specifically for feet are often the better choice. Keep your feet moisturized and your skin intact by utilizing some of these products.

The use of sun block and moisturizers can do a lot to maintain the integrity of the skin covering your feet. If you already have thickened, cracked heels, it is important to see a podiatrist. Dr. Thomajan will need to remove some of the thickened skin for proper healing to occur in this case. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Until next time, keep healthy and happy Austin!