Why Pretaping prevents blisters on feet
Blisters are caused by rubbing the skin against a bone from a shoe and repetitive activity such as running, hiking, any sport that you are twisting and turning. Socks and shoes can also cause blisters, but there are a few different ways you can protect yourself.
Pretaping holds the tissue down and an interface between your skin and shoe. You can add a low dye taping for plantar fasciitis , or stirrup and spur taping for heel pain while you or your physio or podiatrist is also taping for blisters.
Make sure your socks are not too loose. See if the seams are against where the blisters. Have shoes that fit. Not too loose or too tight. Go to your local running store to be fitted.
Steps To Pretape A Foot before a Hike or Run against friction blisters -blister prevention routine
| Cut a piece a wide micropore tape/ fixumull/ hypfix/ mefix . tape across heel area where you want to prevent a heel blister |
| Overlay by a third. Do not stretch tape or tension it. |
| Overlay tape in this order. Shape the tape at the webbing, some prefer not to overlay but just butt it up against the previous tape. |
| Cut a piece a wide micropore tape/ fixumull/ hypfix/ mefix . tape across heel. Heel blisters occur at the back or at the edges. |
| Use zinc oxide and do not add tension. Push the ball of the foot up in the middle when applying tape to mimic weightbearing. Finish zinc oxide below the toes and slightly below the white tape. You can continue zinc oxide over heel with tension to help tie down tissue if you have heel pain. |
| Apply wide tape across the top as well. with no tension. Test by walking on the foot and feel for tightness or tightness and loosen |
Mefix/ leukoplast tape against foot blisters
Mefix/ leukoplast tape or similar can be used for pre taping under foot before a run , overlapping by half
Felt Between Toes To Stop blistering on hikes, running, ballet etc
Apply felt, gauze, melolin, silicone or tape between toes to prevent toes from rubbing. One can also use fingered socks.
If you have a blister or sore area between the toes, you can use foam , sheeps wools silicone gel, gauze or melolin dressings.
If there is an open wound don’t use hydrocolloids or blister plasters, as it will make the area too sweaty, white soggy looking and open up the blister to possible infection.
Roll a one inch gauze bandage around the toes to hold felt or dressings.
