Preparation of feet prior to taping

• File calluses so that if a blister develops it can be treated. 

•  Trim toenails (square) file smoothly

• Apply “silicon body glove” (by avon) to ball of foot before taping to make tape removal of that area easy.

• Spread tincture of benzoin to edges of area to be taped.  Allow to become tacky.

• Micropore on toes and to seal edges of elastikon

• Elastikon on balls of feet and heels

• Seal edges

 Tape ~ then cover feet with socks and sleep with them to seal tape to foot. Cut off any loose edges in the morning of race and reseal with tincture if needed.

Treating blisters after they develop

The three causes of blisters

Ø      Heat

Ø      Friction

Ø      Moisture

What this means is that you need to be sure your socks work and that your shoes fit properly. Any extra movement within the shoe or sock will cause blisters. Keep feet as dry as possible.  

v     Clean area with alcohol as well as hands. Use rubber gloves.

v     Drain blister by cutting a “v” shaped hole. Make sure it’s a hole otherwise it will re-seal and fill with fluid again. Try to cut the blister on the side rather than the top opposite the direction your foot would travel.  Keep blister “roof” intact. Catch fluid with gause swab. Apply antibiotic ointment.

v     Place second skin burn gel over the top of the area and apply tincure around edges of drained blister. Tape over the top of area and seal edges with micropore.

v     Re-powder feet and put socks back on , preferably clean socks.

v     Consider cutting area of shoe if toes feel too swollen. Only do this after you’ve exhausted other treatments. Make sure you have extra shoes of the same size and one size larger.

v     Make sure you have enough socks and have socks which