Popped blister help

[blathercamino]

Hi there. I’m on the Camino Portuguese and have a popped blister outside my big toe. The roof is still there. I walked today with a donut my wife made from lambswool. It was tolerable, but now is pretty painful. Today it was pretty dry, but then I read blisters heal when wet, so I put a second skin on it. That gave me some relief, but now it hurts more to walk and really hurts in my shoes. Dry it out again? Any other suggestions? I’m considering a trip to decathlon for hiking sandals (in O Porrino and could go to Vigo).

 

[Bradypus]

All sorts of conflicting opinions. My own practice with blisters is to drain them and keep them as dry as possible. I have found things like Compeed which keep the blister moist just prolong the healing process and increase the risk of further damage. Other people will no doubt say the opposite.

 

[Grousedoctor]

Open up your blister so it can drain. Make sure the opening is large enough, like a slit, so it won’t close right up. Keep it clean so as not to get infected. Go to a pharmacy and purchase paper pharmaceutical tape . When not walking, keep the blister open and unwrapped to dry out. When walking wrap the blister with the paper tape. It should heal up pretty nicely in a few days. When a new hot spots starts, immediately wrap it with tspe to prevent it from turning into a blister. Enjoy rest of your Camino.

 

[blathercamino]

Open up your blister so it can drain. Make sure the opening is large enough, like a slit, so it won’t close right up. Keep it clean so as not to get infected. Go to a pharmacy and purchase paper pharmaceutical tape . When not walking, keep the blister open and unwrapped to dry out. When walking wrap the blister with the paper tape. It should heal up pretty nicely in a few days. When a new hot spots starts, immediately wrap it with tspe to prevent it from turning into a blister. Enjoy rest of your Camino.

I think it hurt less today when it was dry, so that makes sense.

 

[mochilaverde]

You will be more comfortable in hiking sandals.

You can easily take a bus from O Porrino to the Decathlon in Vigo - I did this with a camino friend last year who also had terrible blisters. Spoiler: the bus stop nearest the Decathlon is on the top of a hill with a magnificent view. Instead of taking the bus back to O Porrino, we took another bus into Vigo and walked on the Coastal route to Redondela. It's pretty much the same distance as walking from O Porrino to Redondela and the sea view is spectacular.

 

[Graham-R]

I would be tempted to de-roof completely, soak it in iodine/betadine, allow to dry then pop on a compeed.
Because of the place you may need a bit of tape to keep it in place…

 

[blathercamino]

You will be more comfortable in hiking sandals.

You can easily take a bus from O Porrino to the Decathlon in Vigo - I did this with a camino friend last year who also had terrible blisters. Spoiler: the bus stop nearest the Decathlon is on the top of a hill with a magnificent view. Instead of taking the bus back to O Porrino, we took another bus into Vigo and walked on the Coastal route to Redondela. It's pretty much the same distance as walking from O Porrino to Redondela and the sea view is spectacular.

That’s a great idea about walking from vigo. I’ll suggest that if I start walking tomorrow and decide I need sandals.

 

[Robo]

Seek a professional medical opinion.
Any Farmacia or local medical centre should be able to help you.
You'll hear many opinions here, some of which may cause more harm.

 

[VNwalking]

allow to dry then pop on a compeed

You'll hear many opinions here, some of which may cause more harm.

Here's another one, strong one from bad experience under similar circumstances:
No Compeed.

Regardless, sandals are a very good idea.

 

[David]

Replace footwear. Trekking sandals or good trail runners.

 

[JabbaPapa]

There is no one-size-fits-all here, though in hot and sunny weather, after arrival in the Albergue, I personally would recommend putting your naked foot (no compeed etc) out in direct sunlight, preferably with the rest of you comfy with a cool drink in the shade, and leaving it there for a bit to let the fresh air and Sun help heal it up.

If there were one single best solution for walking with a blister valid for everyone, there'd be a sticky thread describing it.

 

[kelleymac]

That toe is rubbing up against the shoe. Your shoe is the wrong shape for your foot. One danger of making a doughnut of mole skin or lambswool, is that the foot is then pushed over and your foot may get a blister elsewhere from your shoe. (I speak from painful experience on my first camino.) I recommend getting different footwear. Hiking sandals this time of year can be good, or a pair of hiking shoes that do not rub. And! Always Always Always! Stop and check your feet as soon as you get a hotspot. Don't keep walking another half hour or even five minutes. Get the spot protected!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Always Always Always! Stop and check your feet as soon as you get a hotspot. Don't keep walking another half hour or even five minutes. Get the spot protected!

Hindsight now for the OP, but the very best suggestion going forward...for everyone!

 

[blathercamino]

Lambswool (no donut) taped around the toe worked to get me from O Porrino to Redondela with not too much pain, no worsening issues, but some funky pains in feet and legs from walking funny (despite my best efforts not to.) Once in Redondela we went to the shoe store, not a ton of selection, but I put on a New Balance Fresh Foam X and it didn’t hurt my toe at all. Seems to be a better fit than my Hoka Stinsons - which I wore on my long walks at home without a problem. Not sure the difference. I was stopping for hot spots, this blister formed under moleskin I think. Maybe lambswool. Not sure. But I am hopeful I have a solution to get me through. Going to go put my foot in the sun now.

Thank you all for your help!

 

[obinjatoo]

Hi there. I’m on the Camino Portuguese and have a popped blister outside my big toe. The roof is still there. I walked today with a donut my wife made from lambswool. It was tolerable, but now is pretty painful. Today it was pretty dry, but then I read blisters heal when wet, so I put a second skin on it. That gave me some relief, but now it hurts more to walk and really hurts in my shoes. Dry it out again? Any other suggestions? I’m considering a trip to decathlon for hiking sandals (in O Porrino and could go to Vigo).View attachment 174877

Go see a doctor. An online community forum is not the best place to seek medical advice. Doctors are inexpensive in Spain. If it gets infected, it could get really bad. Keep it clean and keep it covered UNTIL you seek a medical professional.
Also. For everyone: AS SOON AS YOU FEEL A HOT SPOT, STOP!!! Do not keep walking. Protect the hot spot BEFORE it becomes a blister. Also, drink water and water and water and more water.

 

[JerryStroebele]

Too late now, but on your next Camino carry some Engo patches. They are super slippery. You affix them to the inside of your shoe wherever your foot is rubbing. Buen Camino

 

[Bradypus]

Go see a doctor. An online community forum is not the best place to seek medical advice.

That might be an overreaction to what looks like a very straightforward blister with no visible signs of infection. I think that the goodwill and professionalism of the Spanish health care services would soon be strained if pilgrims regularly present with trivial injuries that could reasonably be treated with common pharmacy items. A simple blister per se may be uncomfortable but it is not a medical emergency.

 

[blathercamino]

That might be an overreaction to what looks like a very straightforward blister with no visible signs of infection. I think that the goodwill and professionalism of the Spanish health care services would soon be strained if pilgrims regularly present with trivial injuries that could reasonably be treated with common pharmacy items. A simple blister per se may be uncomfortable but it is not a medical emergency.

Yes, I don’t think I need a doctor. It seems to be healing well.

 

[blathercamino]

There is no one-size-fits-all here, though in hot and sunny weather, after arrival in the Albergue, I personally would recommend putting your naked foot (no compeed etc) out in direct sunlight, preferably with the rest of you comfy with a cool drink in the shade, and leaving it there for a bit to let the fresh air and Sun help heal it up.

If there were one single best solution for walking with a blister valid for everyone, there'd be a sticky thread describing it.

Did this today!

 

[SureFtWayEli]

Buy a pair of hiking sandals with good tread & a pair of Wright socks with soft liner. Some Camino shell Wright socks don’t have a real soft liner, so put your hand inside one to see. Larger towns have better selections. Hiking sandals is the only way to go for me because my feet get too hot, especially between the toes, in which case I also take a pair of Ininji toe socks. I wish you the best.

 

[patriciafross]

Hi there. I’m on the Camino Portuguese and have a popped blister outside my big toe. The roof is still there. I walked today with a donut my wife made from lambswool. It was tolerable, but now is pretty painful. Today it was pretty dry, but then I read blisters heal when wet, so I put a second skin on it. That gave me some relief, but now it hurts more to walk and really hurts in my shoes. Dry it out again? Any other suggestions? I’m considering a trip to decathlon for hiking sandals (in O Porrino and could go to Vigo).View attachment 174877

I had a large popped blister on the ball of my foot last year on Le Chemin de Saint Jacques and actually saw a doctor in Condom to make sure it wasn’t infected. This is what I did based on his recommendations:
Do not use a compeed bandage, it will stick to the skin and when taken off, will take the top layer with it.
The doctor had me use antiseptic spray every morning and evening with a sterile gauze wipe.
Then I put a padded bandage on the blister
Then I wrapped foot over bandage with sterile gauze.
I used Nuk crème, an anti friction cream on both feet.
After about 5-7 days, the new skin underneath was appearing and it was no longer raw.
At night, I would take the bandage off to let the old skin dry out and in the morning, I would repeat my routine.
After about 7 days, I was able to walk pain free but I kept a padded bandage on that spot. I would carefully trim off dried skin.
I did buy a pair of Keen closed toe sandals that did not have the same pressure point as my Altas did and I switched off shoes depending on terrain.
Good luck and Bon ( Buen) Camino.

 

[patriciafross]

Hi there. I’m on the Camino Portuguese and have a popped blister outside my big toe. The roof is still there. I walked today with a donut my wife made from lambswool. It was tolerable, but now is pretty painful. Today it was pretty dry, but then I read blisters heal when wet, so I put a second skin on it. That gave me some relief, but now it hurts more to walk and really hurts in my shoes. Dry it out again? Any other suggestions? I’m considering a trip to decathlon for hiking sandals (in O Porrino and could go to Vigo).View attachment 174877P.S. I also changed socks. I realized it was too hot for my darn tough wool socks which I think contributed to the blister so I went to the Camino store and got some great French non wool socks!

 

[blathercamino]

I had a large popped blister on the ball of my foot last year on Le Chemin de Saint Jacques and actually saw a doctor in Condom to make sure it wasn’t infected. This is what I did based on his recommendations:
Do not use a compeed bandage, it will stick to the skin and when taken off, will take the top layer with it.
The doctor had me use antiseptic spray every morning and evening with a sterile gauze wipe.
Then I put a padded bandage on the blister
Then I wrapped foot over bandage with sterile gauze.
I used Nuk crème, an anti friction cream on both feet.
After about 5-7 days, the new skin underneath was appearing and it was no longer raw.
At night, I would take the bandage off to let the old skin dry out and in the morning, I would repeat my routine.
After about 7 days, I was able to walk pain free but I kept a padded bandage on that spot. I would carefully trim off dried skin.
I did buy a pair of Keen closed toe sandals that did not have the same pressure point as my Altas did and I switched off shoes depending on terrain.
Good luck and Bon ( Buen) Camino.

This has essentially become my routine- cover/pad/protect in shoes and air out at night. It is definitely healing. I have a much smaller unpopped blister on the opposite toe- same routine, but zero pain.

 

[Bothydave]

Sounds as if your shoes are too tight at the toe end. Try a pilgrims hitch (half hitch knot ) which allows the toes to be free from the show but allows you to tighten the shoe further up the foot and thus ensures stability. Worked for me in 2022.

 

[Guateboston]

A pharmacist in Spain showed me that if you drain your blister with a syringe and fill it with iodine it will dry and heal much quicker.