Symptoms: You've probably seen them before: Small bubbles of skin filled with clear fluid that can appear anywhere on your foot.
Cause: Blisters on the feet are usually caused by friction, typically between skin and sock. Excessive moisture due to sweaty feet or wet conditions can also lead to blisters.
Prevention: To prevent blisters altogether, make sure your shoes fit properly. Your running shoe should be at least 1/2 a size bigger than your street shoe size, since your feet swell when you run. You should have a little room in your toebox.
Buy socks specifically made for running, such as WrightSocks. Look for socks made of synthetic fabrics (not cotton!) such as Teflon or CoolMax, which wick moisture away from your feet, preventing the sock from bunching up and causing blisters. Also, buy socks with no seams and a smooth surface. Some runners wear double-layer socks created to deter blisters. The idea with those socks is that any friction occurs between the two sock layers instead of your skin and the sock. You can also spread BodyGlide or Vaseline on problem areas. But go easy: Too much and you'll be sliding around in your shoes.
Treatment: If you already have a blister and it's not painful, just leave it alone, since the skin serves as protection. It will eventually break and the fluid will drain. If the blister is painful, then you should boil a needle for 5-10 minutes in water and once cool, carefully pierce the blister. Press the fluid out and use an antiseptic cream on it. Cover the area with a band-aid or synthetic skins (sold over the counter) to protect against infection and provide cushioning.
