Help with blisters

[Eebee]

Hi!
I'm on day 3 of my journey.
I have managed to get pretty bad blisters on the tips and bottoms of both of my little toes. The rest of my feet are doing okay, with preventative compeed blister plasters and good socks. But these two toes are making walking really difficult.

I've tried blister plasters, I've drained them (properly) but then they just keep getting bigger and have refilled with fluid. I have tried everything I can think of.

Just to clarify, they're not from friction/rubbing it seems to be more just the pressure from walking.

Help. I feel like giving up!

 

[Flog]

Dont give up!
Do you have crocs or sandals that you wear in the evenings? If you walk, even for part of the day in them, it would give you some relief from tight shoes/boots? No harm to keep popping blisters, but get a small tube of iodine and apply it afterwards to avoid getting them infected (I'm lucky, I dont seem to do blisters, but have seen the results of others not taking care of them)!

 

[mochilaverde]

Blisters are the worst! For small blisters, Compeed plasters can make a blister more comfortable. Could you walk in hiking sandals for a bit to give your toes a break? If you don't have sandals and can't borrow a pair, you might look for a Decathlon.

Once your toes have had a chance to recover, it might also be worth looking at experimenting with another pair of shoes that have a wider toe-box, especially if you haven't walked long distances in your current shoes before.

 

[Telelama]

Don't give up, it will get better!

Have you tried tape? I tape my little toes for the same reason, and it helps to prevent blisters or cover existing blisters so I can walk more comfortably. It helps if you use fun colored tape!

Buen Camino!

 

[Grousedoctor]

Blisters, argh! Open up those small blisters and drain them. Make sure the opening is large enough, like a slit, so as not to close up and fill again. Clean them so they do not get infected. If you don’t have any, go to a pharmacy and buy some paper pharmaceutical tape. In the morning before walking, make sure there isn’t any liquid built up in those blisters. Then wrap them with tape. They may still hurt for a while, but they shouldn’t get any worse before starting to heal. On breaks when walking, take off your shoes and socks. Even change socks mid-hike. If you notice a new sensitive spot, tape it immediately. Preventative care is important to keep hot spots from changing into blisters. In the evenings, take off the tape and let the blisters continue to dry out. A couple days down the trail you should feel much better. Bom Caminho!

 

[VNwalking]

No need to give up, but, yeah - ouch!
If they haven't broken open, do your best to keep the skin intact. You could use sandals for a few days to give those toes some air and space. Don't use Compeed, or you'll make things worse - they rip the tops off blisters. But taping the toes with paper tape (or even better omnifix - which you can leave on) might be really helpful.
Good luck and buen camino!

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola @Eebee, I will agree with @VNwalking, do not give up. But I think you are going to need two or maybe three days off walking. First, if you have not already done so, seek professional assistance. The pharmacies/chemist/drug stores in Spain act like local medical centres for most minor aliments.
Take whatever treatment they recommend/prescribe for if your blisters become infected then it maybe hospitalisation and your camino will definitely be over.
The two or three days rest - feet allowed to dry in the warm sun. No socks - maybe open toed sandles or flip-flops. Limit your walking to essentials.
Once the blisters have dried and walking is again possible I recommend getting a pair of thin "liner socks". The go on first before your regular socks, they form a barrier between your feet and your boots/shoes. Its a "feet on sock, sock on sock, sock on boot" process. Once you do resume your Camino I recommend stopping every two hours to rest, take off your boots and outer socks. Make the stop 10 or 20 minutes (for a coffee say), this allows your feet and socks to "breath" lets the perspiration evaporate.

Best wishes, Buen Camino.

 

[David]

Ouch! It is from being compressed or rubbing, even if only when you are going downhill, so the ideal is to change footwear, go for trekking sandals.
For now? Take the laces out of your footwear and then put them back but leaving out the first two, or even three depending on shoe style, pairs of eyelets.
This will then allow you to lace up firmly but leave the toe box unlaced so that it is free to open and flex. Also, when putting your footwear on kick your heels right back before lacing.

Those poor toes? Absolutely cleanliness. Keep them drained and then cover well. The ideal would be to then pad between, above, and below those toes with cotton wool, or lambswool. Any soft padding you can so that each toe is isolated and protected.

 

[wynrich]

No need to give up, but, yeah - ouch!
If they haven't broken open, do your best to keep the skin intact. You could use sandals for a few days to give those toes some air and space. Don't use Compeed, or you'll make things worse - they rip the tops off blisters. But taping the toes with paper tape (or even better omnifix - which you can leave on) might be really helpful.
Good luck and buen camino!

On early Caminos I had terrible blister problems until I discovered taping my toes and heels with surgical (paper) tape as a preventive measure. But, it has to be removed and reapplied pretty often. I haven't heard of Omnifix. @VNwaking, is something like this what you are referring to: https://www.amazon.com/Omnifix-Dressing-Retention-Tape-yards/dp/B001ANS1YS/ Thanks!

 

[trecile]

I use Omnifix, but I prefer the wider roll. I use it to take the balls of my feet.

 

[P Steeper]

Hi!
I'm on day 3 of my journey.
I have managed to get pretty bad blisters on the tips and bottoms of both of my little toes. The rest of my feet are doing okay, with preventative compeed blister plasters and good socks. But these two toes are making walking really difficult.

Take a day or two off and reduce the number of kilometres you are walking. The pharmacies along the route are a good source of help. When I had major problems with my feet I went to the emergency department where they drained and injected my blister with an antiseptic and taped it up. There was no charge for the service which surprised me.

 

[lt56ny]

Dont give up!
Do you have crocs or sandals that you wear in the evenings? If you walk, even for part of the day in them, it would give you some relief from tight shoes/boots? No harm to keep popping blisters, but get a small tube of iodine and apply it afterwards to avoid getting them infected (I'm lucky, I dont seem to do blisters, but have seen the results of others not taking care of them)!

I would also go see a pharmacist and show them your blisters and ask if you need to see a doctor. The pharmacists in Spain and Portugal have a wealth of knowledge. They are an excellent resource.

 

[AR1965]

Hi!
I'm on day 3 of my journey.
I have managed to get pretty bad blisters on the tips and bottoms of both of my little toes. The rest of my feet are doing okay, with preventative compeed blister plasters and good socks. But these two toes are making walking really difficult.

I've tried blister plasters, I've drained them (properly) but then they just keep getting bigger and have refilled with fluid. I have tried everything I can think of.

Just to clarify, they're not from friction/rubbing it seems to be more just the pressure from walking.

Help. I feel like giving up!

Your best bet is to get to a Farmacia ASAP. They are skilled at dealing with pilgrim maladies, especially blisters. Get rid of your Compeeds, as they will tear your skin off when you remove them or when they fall off. They sold me some antiseptic spray and some blister balm that is literally magic! It’s sold in Fromista at the Juan Ramon Rodriguez farmacia. You rub it on your new blisters, almost blisters, and healing blisters 2-3 times per day, and it promotes the growth of new skin.

Also, check your shoes. I did the first 12 days of my Camino in Goretex hiking boots. They made my feet sweat terribly, and the toe box was so narrow that my toes were rubbing against one another and against the boots. So in Santo Domingo I stopped in a great little shoe store and swapped them out for a great pair of Altra trail runners. Wide toe box, breathable, not a single blister since then.

 

[Nelle]

Have you checked your toenails to see if they may be contributing to the problem? My toes curl under a bit and after a lot of problems with blisters on my left little toe, I was able to avoid a similar problem on my right foot by filing down parts of the nail that were creating extra friction points when I walked. Switching to a heel lock method on my shoes (you can find it online) also helped keep my feet from sliding forward on the downhills. Good luck and buen camino!

 

[jsanwe]

Hi!
I'm on day 3 of my journey.
I have managed to get pretty bad blisters on the tips and bottoms of both of my little toes. The rest of my feet are doing okay, with preventative compeed blister plasters and good socks. But these two toes are making walking really difficult.

I've tried blister plasters, I've drained them (properly) but then they just keep getting bigger and have refilled with fluid. I have tried everything I can think of.

Just to clarify, they're not from friction/rubbing it seems to be more just the pressure from walking.

Help. I feel like giving up!

I had a similar problem, except it doesn’t sound as severe as yours might seem to be. I decided to visit a sports shop (Decathlon) and buy some Merrell trekking sandals that are one size larger than I normally wear. I already have some toe socks, which help wick moisture away from my feet and therefore prevent blisters from forming. I also purchased additional socks to wear on top of the toe socks. The combination of toe socks, an additional pair of socks, and proper trekking sandals seems to have done the trick for me.

I would also maybe check with a pharmacy to see if they can sell you some foot cream. I brought my own CCS foot cream and I apply it every day after I shower, and it keeps my feet in good condition.

Once the pain from the blisters settle and your feet and legs get used to the daily exercise, you will probably find walking much more pleasant. Buen Camino.

 

[mismiki]

Hi!
I'm on day 3 of my journey.
I have managed to get pretty bad blisters on the tips and bottoms of both of my little toes. The rest of my feet are doing okay, with preventative compeed blister plasters and good socks. But these two toes are making walking really difficult.

I've tried blister plasters, I've drained them (properly) but then they just keep getting bigger and have refilled with fluid. I have tried everything I can think of.

Just to clarify, they're not from friction/rubbing it seems to be more just the pressure from walking.

Help. I feel like giving up!

Maybe you should try toe socks, if not, put some cotton between your toes, what it is important is that you drain the blisters all the time, otherwise, you are going to be in pain all the time

 

[VNwalking]

VNwaking, is something like this what you are referring to

Yes, that's the stuff. It's easy to find along the camino - most pharmacias have it.

 

[Leemac40]

As a fellow blister magnet I have yet to find a way to prevent them, I would definitely try sandals as they have made a huge difference to me. After walking the West Highland Way I only suffered 1 blister which is a big improvement on my usual blister count! Got lots of strange looks and still lost a toe nail however I see it as a win! Take a break and be kind to yourself and your precious feet, Buen Camino

 

[Furrglaun]

Little toes? That's my problem area too. Last year I didn't act quickly enough and had to walk shorter distances in hiking sandals for a few days once I'd nicked and drained significantly sized blisters. This year, as soon as a very small bleb appeared I drained it, put sheepswool between my little and adjacent toes (having donned my Injinji liner socks) and then put more sheepswool as a buffer around my little toes between liner and oversocks, creating a fluffy cave, very cute and very effective. I bought a brand called Carnation, a company that has a wide range of footcare products on the market in Britain and Ireland.

 

[robproct]

Blisters are most unpleasant and quite crippling. My life was transformed with the use of Scholls silicone tubes. These are readily available in most pharmacies. Simply cut the length required and pull it onto the affected toe. Problem solved. Take it off each night for washing and allowing it to dry out. Good merino socks are helpful for the feet generally but for blisters the Scholls silicone tubes give instant relief. I had some spare so gave some to a suffering French girl who was hobbling painfully with blisters and came across her again a few days later when she reported thatch had no further problems.

 

[Itsnever2late]

Blisters are most unpleasant and quite crippling. My life was transformed with the use of Scholls silicone tubes. These are readily available in most pharmacies. Simply cut the length required and pull it onto the affected toe. Problem solved. Take it off each night for washing and allowing it to dry out. Good merino socks are helpful for the feet generally but for blisters the Scholls silicone tubes give instant relief. I had some spare so gave some to a suffering French girl who was hobbling painfully with blisters and came across her again a few days later when she reported thatch had no further problems.

Thanks @robproct, Never Seen before - are Scholls silicone tubes available in Spanish pharmacies. ?

 

[Itsnever2late]

As a fellow blister magnet I have yet to find a way to prevent them, I would definitely try sandals as they have made a huge difference to me. After walking the West Highland Way I only suffered 1 blister which is a big improvement on my usual blister count! Got lots of strange looks and still lost a toe nail however I see it as a win! Take a break and be kind to yourself and your precious feet, Buen Camino

Hey @Leemac40, fellow blister magnet
Suffered from chronic blisters for years, all changed after testing recommendations from this forum.
Changed from hiking shoes to well vented trail running shoes with 1cm added toe space (length),
Replaced my cushioned hiking socks with a slim pair of darn tough hiker socks
Stopped regularly to air out the feet
Completed the Portuguese in May24 without a single blisters.
Take time to experiment and find a solution that works, best of luck.

 

[Ella L.]

Wow! Some really good advice...and not one needle and thread suggested! Changing socks (every 10kms or so...they don't have to be clean, just dry, and take the opportunity for the air to caress those hard-working feet)...brilliant! Covering the blister (once it is dry and clean)...that's brilliant, too. And finally, leave them alone to heal. It seems counter-intuitive, but keep the blisters covered, sealed from the rest of the world, and you will be rewarded with pink baby skin!

 

[trecile]

Thanks @robproct, Never Seen before - are Scholls silicone tubes available in Spanish pharmacies. ?

Perhaps not the Scholls brand, but silicone toe tubes are available. I bought some that were a few inches long that you can cut to size.

Like these:

 

[Leemac40]

Hey @Leemac40, fellow blister magnet
Suffered from chronic blisters for years, all changed after testing recommendations from this forum.
Changed from hiking shoes to well vented trail running shoes with 1cm added toe space (length),
Replaced my cushioned hiking socks with a slim pair of darn tough hiker socks
Stopped regularly to air out the feet
Completed the Portuguese in May24 without a single blisters.
Make time to experiment and find a solution that works, best of luck.

I've been trying everything for years, last year during my Camino I decided it would be my last as there seemed to be no hope! As soon as the blisters cleared so did my defeatist attitude, visited a podiatrist who discovered I have no padding on the soles of my feet which makes them more vulnerable! Due to feet overheating anything with a lovely soft, spongy sole causes discomfort! Used gel pads inside my socks, toe socks with merino socks on top and hiking sandals which definitely helped! Will try sheeps wool round my little toes on next Camino in the hope of joining you in defeating the wee blighters

 

[Kirkie]

Hi!
I'm on day 3 of my journey.
I have managed to get pretty bad blisters on the tips and bottoms of both of my little toes. The rest of my feet are doing okay, with preventative compeed blister plasters and good socks. But these two toes are making walking really difficult.

I've tried blister plasters, I've drained them (properly) but then they just keep getting bigger and have refilled with fluid. I have tried everything I can think of.

Just to clarify, they're not from friction/rubbing it seems to be more just the pressure from walking.

Help. I feel like giving up!

A glance at replies urges me to say: no, please do not give up.
No matter what anyone says here, in my experience, never mind my opinion, show your poor feet to a pharmacist! (Or have an experienced walking companion with medical background help out!)
Additionally, sheep's wool, either from Northern Europe or New Zealand (do an internet search using your search engine of choice), is such a relief, and far superior to any commercial sticking plaster that tears away the wounded skin.
Buen camino.

Warning: Other opinions will contradict me.

 

[deanoo]

Ouch! It is from being compressed or rubbing, even if only when you are going downhill, so the ideal is to change footwear, go for trekking sandals.
For now? Take the laces out of your footwear and then put them back but leaving out the first two, or even three depending on shoe style, pairs of eyelets.
This will then allow you to lace up firmly but leave the toe box unlaced so that it is free to open and flex. Also, when putting your footwear on kick your heels right back before lacing.

Those poor toes? Absolutely cleanliness. Keep them drained and then cover well. The ideal would be to then pad between, above, and below those toes with cotton wool, or lambswool. Any soft padding you can so that each toe is isolated and protected.

Sounds like trekking sandels are the best way to go from the start?

 

[David]

Sounds like trekking sandels are the best way to go from the start?

I wear Keen Newport H2 trekking sandals, and have done for many years - very wide toe box, perfectly (for me) well shaped foot bed, great grip. I wear all weathers, and my feet always feel 'happy' and free - I have clown-wide feet (4EE) and these are the only footwear I have ever worn that five minutes after putting them on I am unaware that I am wearing them - I have even looked down after leaving my house to see if I am still wearing my slippers!

Note: I wear the fabric ones. I did try their leather ones but found they were too rigid and rubbed so went back to fabric - also, they are the ugliest footwear in the world!

This is me of course, we each have unique feet - but I do note that in the last few years there has been a sea-change on Camino with so many pilgrims dropping away from boots and moving to good trekking sandals (and good trail runners) - and those folk don't seem to have feet problems.

Doing first aid on Camino I can't number the times I have persuaded 'feet casualty' pilgrims to tie their boots to their pack and wear their evening footwear instead - meeting them a few days later (I move around) every single one has had their feet problem disappear and most were waiting to get to a town where they could buy proper trekking sandals.

 

[TashH]

I got two blisters. One on my little toe, from wearing slides around town one evening and one on my fourth toe, other foot. I did not do anything to them. The one on my little toe - the fluid eventually reabsorbed, skin dried and peeled and revealed new, healed skin underneath. The bodies natural healing process. The one on my other toe eventually burst, but again, I left it alone. It dried and healed. I think it depends sometimes on where the blister is but I’m sure the more you play with them, the more issues you get.

 

[trecile]

Sounds like trekking sandels are the best way to go from the start?

Hiking sandals have been my choice on six blister free Caminos.
That said I only had one blister on the two Caminos that I wore trail runners. The main difference for me is that my feet feel so much better at the end of the day when I wear sandals.

 

[NicolaWyke]

Thanks @robproct, Never Seen before - are Scholls silicone tubes available in Spanish pharmacies. ?

I saw some silicone toe protectors in Astorga - I don’t think they were Scholls though. I use ones for my second toes - as they are longer than my big toes and it stops them feeling sore from walking down hills. They would also work for blisters.

 

[K_Lynn]

Perhaps not the Scholls brand, but silicone toe tubes are available. I bought some that were a few inches long that you can cut to size.

Like these:

View attachment 174908

These things saved me! I had thankfully packed nail scissors instead of clips so it was easy to cut these to size. I have a few in my hiking kit now. Love, love LOVE them!

 

[SureFtWayEli]

Hi!
I'm on day 3 of my journey.
I have managed to get pretty bad blisters on the tips and bottoms of both of my little toes. The rest of my feet are doing okay, with preventative compeed blister plasters and good socks. But these two toes are making walking really difficult.

I've tried blister plasters, I've drained them (properly) but then they just keep getting bigger and have refilled with fluid. I have tried everything I can think of.

Just to clarify, they're not from friction/rubbing it seems to be more just the pressure from walking.

Help. I feel like giving up!

The only other suggestion that worked for me on first Camino after getting terrible blisters was to buy a pair of hiking sandals that had a gel type insole & good tread. My second Camino I wore a new pair of same kind & never had a blister or hotspot using Ininji toe socks inside Smartwool socks on cold days & Wright socks on warmer days. Depending on where you are, a larger town has better selection. I wish you the best!

 

[Judy's Way]

Once the blisters have dried and walking is again possible I recommend getting a pair of thin "liner socks".

Blisters are awful and liner socks is a good preventative, especially the Injinji “toe” socks - like gloves for your feet.

 

[cledbet]

Don't give up, it will get better!

Have you tried tape? I tape my little toes for the same reason, and it helps to prevent blisters or cover existing blisters so I can walk more comfortably. It helps if you use fun colored tape!

Buen Camino!

Taping up toes with paper medical tape as a preventative worked for me as well!

 

[jsanwe]

Hi!
I'm on day 3 of my journey.
I have managed to get pretty bad blisters on the tips and bottoms of both of my little toes. The rest of my feet are doing okay, with preventative compeed blister plasters and good socks. But these two toes are making walking really difficult.

I've tried blister plasters, I've drained them (properly) but then they just keep getting bigger and have refilled with fluid. I have tried everything I can think of.

Just to clarify, they're not from friction/rubbing it seems to be more just the pressure from walking.

Help. I feel like giving up!

I had a similar problem with my left little toe. I solved it primarily by purchasing some Merrell trekking sandals from a sportswear shop (Decathlon). I bought them a size larger than I normally wear. I already had merino wool toe socks, and an extra pair of hiking socks to go on top of the toe socks (hence the need for larger footwear).

I didn’t do the tape thing, but I wish I had, it might have meant fewer days of limping, so I would take that advice for treatment of what you have now. The footwear change will, in my view at least, prevent what you have from becoming worse, and particularly from recurring once healed.

All of this is just my opinion based on my experience. Others here may have better advice.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Blisters are awful and liner socks is a good preventative, especially the Injinji “toe” socks - like gloves for your feet.

I have been wearing “toe socks” for about 10 years. Thoroughly recommend them! Cheers

 

[C clearly]

In my experience, blisters on the outside of my baby toes are caused by the shoe being too narrow.

 

[Ella L.]

In my experience, blisters on the outside of my baby toes are caused by the shoe being too narrow.

That certainly can be a cause, but also look at the shape of the insole of the shoe. Most of the trail runners come with hard insoles that cup the foot and therefore provide a number of rubbing spots. There is no reason that you can't clip those away with a handy pair of scissors!

 

[Handsome_Canuck]

Maxi pads. Treat the blisters as everyone has indicated and then cut a thin maxi pad onto pieces that cover or wrap around the affected area.

I did this on my Camino for very large blisters along with two rest days ( or 1 , can't remember) along with changing footwear from hiking boots to hiking shoes.

Last 3 weeks of my Camino were blister free

 

[Camino4meCdn]

Day 4 of my Portuguese Camino I had walked 27 km along the Atlantic in extreme wind and rain. I only saw one place to stop early in the day and just forced myself to continue. Big mistake. I ended up with a blister encapsulating my little toe with and infection below the toe nail. I did go the hospital where they attempted to drain the blister but the nail had already detached. They bandaged my toe with lots of gauze so fortunately I had hiking sandals which I wore for three days. I did see a pharmacist who recommended the tubing which ended up being extremely comforting and helped other toes as well.
I honestly thought that my Camino I had researched and planned for months was over. Thanks to the pharmacist who said, "It is just a toe nail, I have seen much worse", I continued and finished my Camino including the Spiritual Variant 10 days later.
I did try Compseed for my blisters and learned the hard way that it must stay on till it falls off. It was good and bad because it does tear off the blister if you do not leave it. I also did the needle and thread through the blister which allowed the blister to weep and not fill again. That did seem to help.
I then met a man who was in the Canadian Military who kindly tended to my feet in the middle of my Camino. I asked to see his feet and they were perfect! not one blister. I asked for his secret and he said NOK cream every night for 2 months prior to walking the Camino and while walking the Camino. This cream can be purchased on Amazon and it thickens the dermis on your feet. Plus he wore Darn Tuff Socks with a liner.
Another man I met had to purchase larger shoes with a wider toe box and was gifting his Hokas to another man who was suffering in the next city.
My Merrill hiking shoes had a wide toe box but when I do another Camino I will definitely use NOK cream two months prior and purchase a trail running shoe such as Hoka or Altra with a wide toe box. I know they will be thrashed by the end but feet are so important. I ended up purchasing a pair of Hokas in Santiago at the end and my feet thanked me. I am now hooked on Hokas.

 

[Kirkie]

Did I miss a reply yet from the OP?

 

[JenCook]

Hi!
I'm on day 3 of my journey.
I have managed to get pretty bad blisters on the tips and bottoms of both of my little toes. The rest of my feet are doing okay, with preventative compeed blister plasters and good socks. But these two toes are making walking really difficult.

I've tried blister plasters, I've drained them (properly) but then they just keep getting bigger and have refilled with fluid. I have tried everything I can think of.

Just to clarify, they're not from friction/rubbing it seems to be more just the pressure from walking.

Help. I feel like giving up!

Not sure if you can get at a pharmacy in Spain but there are these Toe Gel tubes/socks in 2 sizes, small for toes and large ones for the big toe. I was getting incredible pain just in my left foot on me little toe and the middle toe and I bought these and it made all the difference. Like little gel tubes. You can cut them down if they are too long.