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Hiking with bad popped blisters

Z

Zellyzel

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
August-October 2023
Hey, so this is my first Camino (Le Puy) and I've just finished my first day. It's going to sound so naive, but even though I really enjoyed the walk and really didn't find it challenging at all (just a long day!), I developed the biggest blisters on my heels that I've ever had. And I did all the typical hot spot treatment too!

I realised that even though I used these boots a fair amount last year for hiking, I never hiked in them for a continuous 6-7 hours. So my guess is that the heat and hiking have caused my feet to swell up and now the boots are too small, causing blisters in the heels. When I bought them I was sure they were the right size!

Does anyone have any advice for hiking (especially in hilly areas for 7hrs) with open blisters in shoes too small? I'll be buying better shoes at my next stop and I'll wear thick socks, liners, and a bunch of lamb's wool tomorrow...but I'm sure it'll still be absurdly painful. I guess I'll just have to grit my teeth and maybe take a zero day after...any words of wisdom or similar stories are encouraged! Thanks!
 
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I don’t think you should walk any further in the shoes you currently have if the blisters are already that bad. You could put yourself in a position if not being able to walk at all in the next few days after that. Take a taxi if you have to, as others have suggested.
 
Taxi or bus somewhere as others have said.
Don't make the blisters worse.
Slap some Compeed on them and NEVER take it off until it falls off.
Get hiking sandals or trail runners.
Good luck!
 
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It will work out, but you need to sort it out. Let the members here know where you are tonight/ tomorrow morning. Some may have recommendations re where to buy hiking sandals, pharmacy etc.
 
As said above, if the blister are that bad with one day of walking, looks like the shoes are a problem. Send them home (or to santiago) and get sandals or a very cushioned pair of trail runners, but do not walk with those blisters! The last thing you need is a risk of infection!

Cover them completely with a large Compeed and resist the urge to poke (the blisters and the compeed). Let it there until it all falls by itself.

Hopefully it gets solved soon. Better some adjustment in the start of the Camino than a problem that lasts weeks!
 
Zellyzel said:
I'll wear thick socks, liners, and a bunch of lamb's wool tomorrow
Click to expand...
I agree that walking another 7-hour day in these boots is a bad idea. Wearing thick socks may be worse than wearing thin ones, provided that you have padding on the actual blister spot.

Do you have (or can you borrow) some crocs or other footwear without heel enclosure, until you get new shoes? Even when you get new shoes, you might be wise to take a day or two off, to let the blisters heal before continuing.
 
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Guys, as has been discussed many times on the forum, Compeed and other hydrocolloid gel dressings are intended for open wounds (originally developed for the battlefield). In the case of blisters, they are used when the blister roof has been torn off or removed resulting in an open wound subject to infection. If the roof is intact, then basic disinfectant together with a conventional dressing is the recommended treatment.

If I'm wrong, do not hesitate to enlighten me.
 
These are open "popped" blisters per the OP. I would use Compeed if they were this bad. They were apparently not drained by the OP, but by the action of his boots and socks.
 

You made me really curious, so I went to the Compeed website: https://www.compeed.co.uk/treatment-advice/blister/

Should I pop my blister before putting on the COMPEED® patch?​

You do not need to burst the blister to use Compeed®. If it does open, clean it with mild soapy water, soak it in a saltwater foot bath for 10 minutes and cover with a protective plaster such as COMPEED®.

Can I put COMPEED® on an open blister?​

COMPEED® Blister plasters can be used at the stage when the blister is open, creating a wound. COMPEED® will protect from infection, dirt, and water, and creates a moist environment which helps the healing. COMPEED® should be applied after the wound has been cleaned and dried.
 
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Again, is the roof intact, whether popped or drained?

If the underlying tissue is exposed, then that is an open wound and Compeed is appropriate.
 
I know that Compeed says that you can use it on a blister with a roof, but I always refer to podiatrist and blister expert Rebecca Rushton's excellent site for best practices:

How To Use A Hydrocolloid Dressing... Properly!

A hydrocolloid dressing is brilliant at getting a certain type of blister to heal. So why do so many people hate them? Avoid these common mistakes.
www.blister-prevention.com

 
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In 2014 my situation was similar...partly owing to the floods we walked through the second day of the pilgrimage. The blisters were awful, and when they healed they were replaced by athlete's foot.

The larger shoes are critical. Also, try out the simple treatment of: alcohol to clean, gauze to pad, paper tape over the gauze and over hot spots, do this in the morning before leaving, if it's not raining take shoes off for 20-30 minutes to dry the feet while sitting at lunch (presumably you're eating in the middle of nowhere) and at end of day take off the boots, the sox, and the bandages. Well, my feet sweat a lot and the tape is loose and flying off by itself.
Do not attempt to walk in the Compeeds. Yes, they take the pain away, but the glue is supposed to stay for days and in the hot bote environment the glue gives out, the bandage rolls up into a ball, and you're worse off than you were to start with. If you put the Compeeds, take a couple of zero days.
BC
 
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I know that I'll sound like a party pooper, but you should not continue to walk with the blisters in the shoes that caused the blisters, as it will only worsen the problem.

If it is already that bad after only one day of walking, I'd get back to Le Puy now that you're still close, and solve the problem (buy better shoes+hiking sandals, then let the blisters heal for a few days) before re-starting the walk.

Personally, I wouldn't put compeed on an open blister - certainly not one that has opened by itself and wasn't opened in a sterile way. Dirt ect. has probably already contaminated the wound, and I wouldn't want it to fester below a compeed.

I simply clean and disinfect, then put wound dressing that will not stick to the wound (not the woven kind!) on it and fix it with lots of kinesio tape (flexible). Silver coated wound dressings help to prevent infection and do not stick to the wound, those should be available in pharmacies.

That way I can still check, clean and disinfect the wound.

Then a couple of zero days (or short / slow days, depending on the kind and severity of blisters) until the blister starts to heal. It needs to be dressed/protected continuously until it has fully healed, especially if the "roof" has come off.

Now, this is just what I personally do, not medical advice. Maybe you should see a doctor if it is as bad as it sounds. You certainly don't want to risk an infection!

If you need to travel back to Le Puy, the Compostel'bus is a good, not too expensive, option.

If you keep walking now, it will be difficult to buy new shoes, as most towns/villages you pass through are tiny and have a bakery or small épicerie at most. Le Puy is your best chance right now to find shoes that work for you.

Hopefully you can sort this out quickly and then continue blister free! Bon chemin!
 
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Thank you everyone for your suggestions! They're all super helpful.

Not to mention - turns out I'd been using blister pads like compeed wrong for years. When I first felt the hot spot I put compeed on and taped it in place with sports tape, which is why when the tape was peeling off after a shower, the compeed and roof also came off when I tried to remove just the tape.

I've decided to return to le puy to fix the shoe situation and wait for the blisters to heal a bit, as suggested. Rather frustrating, but probably better than it happened at the start rather than in the middle when I'm further from a town with a shoe store.
 
Hi Zellyzel, that's a tough one! I've seen no mention of walking poles yet - so if you aren't using them then get some ASAP as these will really help and allow you to distribute the weight slightly differently when your foot comes down to the ground each time.
I've come across a few people who have had a similar issue and then switched to sandals - and never went back!
In terms of all the other advice - well different things work at different times for different people, so you may have to try a few things out. If you are going to continue to wear boots try applying a liberal amount of vaseline on the contact area even if it's on top of whatever type of dressing you decide to go with.
Psychologically we are all inclined to push on, especially if we have accommodation booked, but you need to play the long game - Santiago (or somewhere before?) is your goal, don't jeopardise that by being macho on your first few days! Re-strategise, adapting to your current (and hopefully improving) capabilities and go forwards accordingly. Good luck.
EDIT - ha! posted seconds after yours, but I guess it still applies...
 
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Why do you say thick socks would be worse?
 
Haha brilliant. I do have poles and am indeed intending on walking as far as my brain and body allow (maybe Santiago?).

Unfortunately sandals aren't really a walking option for me (I have crocs as "camp shoes") because I wear orthotics and will get knee/hip pain if I'm not able to wear them (especially with a pack).

Regardless, thank you for the commiseration! It's frustrating to stop so early on a thru-hike I'm so eager for, but you're right - better for the long game.
 
donalomahony said:
It will work out, but you need to sort it out. Let the members here know where you are tonight/ tomorrow morning. Some may have recommendations re where to buy hiking sandals, pharmacy etc.
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Good idea - I was going to go to La boutique de sports loisirs and/or Decathlon in le Puy-en-Velay.

Regarding future prevention:
- double socks
- moleskin donuts I've heard are good
- gauze and paper tape over hot spots
- Vaseline or compeed blister sticks
- shoes off at lunch

Any other tips?
 
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The last two sound good. Not sure about the others. Actually, shoes off every two hours is good - damp skin is more prone to blisters than dry.

Lamb´s wool (aka hiker´s/tramper´s) wool is a good preventative. If you come across any Australians or New Zealanders they will more than happy to share it with you - it is their patriotic duty to do so, in fact. The trick is to work it into a wad, then manoeuvre it inside your sock into position over the hot spot. Once there, it will shape itself to your foot and stay in place. If you put compeed over an existing blister, leave it there until the new skin has formed and hardened. If they are really bad, all you can do is rest up and wait for them to heal.

Thick socks may exacerbate the problem if your shoes are already a tight fit by increasing the friction between something soft (your skin) and something hard, (e.g. ill-fitting or too rigid footwear).
 
There is some conflicting advice on this thread, so perhaps the OP could post a picture of the said popped blister? This would help understanding in terms of current seriousness.
 
Zellyzel said:
I was going to go to La boutique de sports loisirs and/or Decathlon in le Puy-en-Velay.
Click to expand...
Zellyzel said:
Unfortunately sandals aren't really a walking option for me (I have crocs as "camp shoes") because I wear orthotics and will get knee/hip pain if I'm not able to wear them (especially with a pack).
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Full disclosure: I have orthotic insoles in my everyday sandals and they work just fine! If you are going to take a time-out in Le Puy-en-Velay you'll be able to explore a variety of options, so you might want to try that.
 
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thejoker said:
There is some conflicting advice on this thread, so perhaps the OP could post a picture of the said popped blister? This would help understanding in terms of current seriousness.
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Feel free to ignore that. A bad blister is a bad blister, and we have all seen lots of those. If anyone can give better advice by looking at them, they are a health professional. Incidentally, when you say ´popped´, did you pop them yourself or did they burst?
 
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In these circumstances, in my early walks, as many have said before I used Compeed with great effect but also cover the Compeed with zinc oxide tape to prevent any movement and to act as additional cushioning. That enabled me to walk pain-free without having to take a rest day - the blister wouldn't recover in one day in any event so you would need to take a few days off if this were to be your preferred option.
 
I actually am Australian and do have hiker's wool, which I usually use!
 
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One of the blisters burst of it's own account, but when I took the tape off last night the compeed and blister roof came with it (on both feet) after reading the link posted above, I see that was an inevitable outcome, having put compeed on blisters before they were popped/open.

I spoke to the pharmacist here and he said I could just leave the compeed on, it'll likely come off on its own when hiking, and then I can either put another compeed on if it's still very red, otherwise just gauze and tape to protect it or prevent further blisters.
 
Zellyzel said:
I spoke to the pharmacist here and he said I could just leave the compeed on,
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Smart pharmacist (tautology, all pharmacists are smart). The idea of compeed is to protect the new skin until it is hardened. If you rip off the compeed too soon, all you are doing is removing the protection that the new skin needs to grow. The reason I asked is that some people pierce the dead skin and drain the pus. Some even thread cotton or dental floss through to assist the draining process. This is a risky process as there is a very real chance of infection. I hope you heal soon.
 

Good advice. However hydrocolloid bandages have been developed to promote healing. They are intended to be used on clean non-infected wounds. I found an article that gives a abundance of information about these bandages. It starts:


What Are Hydrocolloid Bandages Made Of?

Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI
By Corey Whelan on November 1, 2022

Ingredients
How they work
When to use them
How-to
Use duration
Risks and side effects
When to avoid
Summary

Open areas of skin, such as scrapes and oozing pimples, heal best in moist, sealed environments. Hydrocolloid bandages, patches, and dressings can be used for this purpose.

Unlike standard bandages, hydrocolloid bandages contain an ingredient that turns into gel when it absorbs fluids, such as oozing pus. This provides an effective healing environment for certain conditions.

Let’s go over how hydrocolloid bandages work and how to use them for wound and acne care.


The article continues at

[URL's link as text] https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-in-hydrocolloid-bandages

[Fancy link]

What Is in Hydrocolloid Bandages, and How Are They Used?

Hydrocolloid bandages are used to treat open, superficial wounds and open pimples. They create and support wound healing.
www.healthline.com
 
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Zellyzel said:
Why do you say thick socks would be worse?
Click to expand...
Adding to what dick bird said, the thick socks take up the not-enough-space inside the bote. I personally walk in Injinji sox, as they keep my toes from getting into each others' business, and often the Injinji I am wearing on the trail is a liner one. *Do not put good hiking socks into the dryer* as they often shrink.
 
Compeed are not designed to be changed daily like other bandages. The glue is on the whole thing and when it gives out under normal conditions the blister has healed. Not so much on hot, sweaty feet inside an enclosed boot/shoe.

As a counterpoint to your pharmacist that maybe doesn't realize the work environment of your particular Compeeds, when I was really bad in Pamplona the pharmacist looked at my shredded feet (in shower flipflops) and said, air is good. Don't walk (she meant hike all day as we do) in Compeeds. It's possible that you encountered a pharmacist who wasn't as familiar with the inside-bote conditions.
 
Agree with the others, get new shoes after treatment. Don't feel bad, it took me two Caminos to realize the simple solution of getting trail shoes that were a size larger and wider than normal. After that, three Caminos with no blisters.
 
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If purchasing new hiking boots, make sure to wear two pairs of socks, as is the best practice for hiking. Always make sure the toe box is very, very comfortable. If not, blisters can be the least of potential foot problems.
 
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Oh god, too many decisions for a single 24 hours. I bought new boots a size larger that seem fairly comfortable - after yesterday I wonder if I should be getting a half size up from that so I have plenty of wiggle room but the guy at the shoe store in le Puy-en-Velay said it would be *too* big. I guess too-big shoes also cause blisters?

I'm itching to start hiking again tomorrow. Frustrating how subjective this topic can be, because I almost need a definitive "it's okay/you'll destroy your feet if you do".
 
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Blísters … the constant reminder of the Camino. I suggest going to a pharmacy and purchasing a product called Compeed. They are a stretchy adhesive plastic you use to cover the open blister once cleaned, drained and dried. They worked magic on all my Caminos … I get blisters every time no matter what. Good luck and Buen Camino.
 
Zellyzel said:
So my guess is that the heat and hiking have caused my feet to swell up and now the boots are too small, causing blisters in the heels. When I bought them I was sure they were the right size!
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trecile said:
If you have brought sandals with you, wear them. If not, I'd buy some hiking sandals at your earliest opportunity, or taxi someplace to purchase them.
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C clearly said:
Your boots are too small. Thick socks will make your feet bigger.
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I have often said that in my experience and my scientific study (my eyes) I have seen more blisters and more severe blisters with people wearing boots. I have walked from Le Puy and started in September. It is hot and of course your feet are going to expand. Thick socks are completely unnecessary and as C clearly points out it will make your foot bigger and your boots tighter. Your feet are going to sweat even more so that can cause more rubbing and maybe more blisters. If I were you I would go back to Le Puy and get some sandals like trecile suggested. There are lots of stores including a Decathlon which has everything. Having walked from Le Puy I can assure you that you do not need boots unless there is some structural reason that you need them. In fact of all the caminos I have walked I have never once said I wish I had boots. I would recommend buying a pair of good trail runners. One size larger than your normal foot size. Walking in August will probably see your feet even swell more. Get some good Merino wool socks. Light ones will do just fine. Rest for a couple of days and see a doctor who can clean and dress your blisters properly. Then walk in sandals for a few days until they are dried out and healed and then switch to your trail runners. Trail runners need no break in. They are good to go immediately. I use Brooks Cascadias. Do not know if they have them in France. Hokas are really great too. My wife loves her Hokas and I know many other people on this forum do also. But of course it is a personal choice and find a pair that you feel great in.
 
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Be very careful of infection. Maybe go to a pharmacy for advice. Infected blisters can halt your Camino. Good luck!!
 
People often trivialise blisters but they can be significant injuries through multiple layers of skin. Imagine a burn on your arm that was that size and that deep. You would be going to get full medical attention and would not be going anywhere the next day until healing (pun intended) had begun properly.
i last had significant blisters on a long distance foot path. They were everywhere all over the feet with the heels being significant injuries. It took me weeks to walk properly again. Take care
 
Happened to me my first Camino. Now get hiking shoes 2 sizes larger than normal. But on the trail, honked into a clinic. Doc popped the blisters, bathed in Betadine, taped 1/4 inch foam pads to blisters. Cushioned my walk - but I still took a cab for 2 days till the pain subsided a bit.

Doc said to redress every day, making sure blisters stayed popped. Hurts like hell to walk on, but only way they’ll eventually dry & heal.

Now when I’m walking and feel a twinge, immediately take shoes off, find red spot & tape with a Johnson& Johnson tape called ELASTICON. It sticks like glue and WON’T MOVE. That’s the secret - most tapes relocate as you apply friction. ELASTICON won’t. At the end of the day, my feet look like a paper maché kids project, but I leave it on and it prevents blisters from the get go.

And yes, always pack sturdy hiking sandals - helps when the shoes are too painful. Tevas are great or any brand similar. Forget flips flops - fall apart pretty quick. Good luck - we feel your pain!!!
 
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Don’t use a taxi until you have checked out the Compostelle bus…you can also arrange transportation with La Malle Postale but you need to be in contact with them by 7pm of the previous evening. Don’t try and force your feet into your boots, and your sandals may not be appropriate for the next stage. There is a good hiking store in Saugues. Best of luck with your healing.
 
I'm going to take a second day off just to be safe - but with compeed staying on for days until it falls off (and being advised online to not touch it until it does), it seems counter-intuitive to see a doctor.

Also the last time I saw a doctor in a small town they weren't very experienced, which led to me going back to Australia for medical testing (under duress - not my choice) and a huge loss of money.

I guess I'll just see how they look/feel tomorrow night and make a call then...pain and colour is the best indicator of infection as far as I know, anyway.
 
Zellyzel said:
Also I found hiking sandals that are ugly as hell but also the most comfortable I've ever worn in my life
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Good! Wear them, not the boots! Then your blisters will have a chance to heal. On one of my Caminos I met a girl who was crying from her infected blisters every night. I went with her to buy sandals and she never looked back!
 
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This also happened to me on my first Camino. I drained and disinfected the blisters every day. I dressed them using a gauze pad and tape. This was not ideal as the dressing moved a lot causing the tape to bunch up. Unfortunately I used Compeed on the advice of other pilgrims but that only exacerbated matters as I ended up removing the skin and exposing the wound. I eventually did a short day and was lucky to be allowed into the albergue early. I bathed my feet in salt water and then applied a betadine equivalent that I got at the pharmacy. Having my feet exposed to the air for a day really helped dry them out. I then used a DermaRite a self-adherent soft silicone foam dressing. You should be able to get this or something similar at pharmacies in Spain. It has a huge advantage being self-adhesive once you place it on your foot and tape it in place it doesn’t move. The larger size 6 inches by 6 inches can cut and be shaped to fit the damaged area. Being padded it really cushions the blister. It made a huge difference for me and I was able to finish my walk. I hope that helps. Buen Camino.
 
Zellyzel said:
When I bought them I was sure they were the right size!
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Get a larger pair ASAP.

Could be socks too though -- woollen ones are good overall, though some pilgrims prefer technical hiker socks instead. I still say 100% wool is best, but that could be anything between thin merino and thick Alpine/Army ones.
 
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C clearly said:
Your boots are too small. Thick socks will make your feet bigger.
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Not if your shoe size is chosen with regard to feet + socks. Which it always should be of course !!

Be careful with "one size larger" -- in US/UK terms etc that's often two sizes in Continental European ones.

Some need only the smaller Euro size difference, others might need US/UK.
 
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JabbaPapa said:
Be careful with "one size larger" -- in US/UK terms etc that's often two sizes in Continental European ones.

Some need only the smaller Euro size difference, others might need US/UK.
Click to expand...
You guys are all so smart, I love it!

Re: the EU/UK/US/AU sizes, I noticed that and went 2 sizes up by EU standards, 1 by US. It was pretty telling that the shoes I ended up getting today are the same brand as the ones I had before and feel like they fit well - it's insane that I thought the previous boots were okay. But then again, I bought them in Canadian spring, which was *far* colder than the Australian winters I was used to.
 
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JabbaPapa said:
Could be socks too though -- woollen ones are good overall, though some pilgrims prefer technical hiker socks instead. I still say 100% wool is best, but that could be anything between thin merino and thick Alpine/Army ones.
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Mmm yeah it's an interesting point. I've heard a lot of pros/cons between the different makes. I have Bridgedale and Smartwool socks for this trip, the lightweight hiker versions. I misspoke by saying "thick wool socks" - it's just that the Bridgedale socks seem more padded than the Smartwool ones, and typically more comfy for me. Of course they're not 100% wool - about 50%, from memory? I was told by the gear store that merino socks tend to wear out more quickly and as I'm hoping to walk 1-2 months, I'd rather have hiker socks that lasted as long as possible. But obviously wool is better at wicking so
 
From my experience it’s best to soak the piped blistered foot in a bucket of warm salt water for 40 min a couple times letting them dry out well in between.. then cover with Vaseline and a cotton bandage overnight. You could rest a day and try again tomorrow. Make sure your raw wound is covered with vasoline and a bandage while walking and remove the boot every hour to air out any recover some . In hot weather I wear Teva sandals and never get blisters ( any more)
 
M2ME said:
I bathed my feet in salt water and then applied a betadine equivalent that I got at the pharmacy. Having my feet exposed to the air for a day really helped dry them out.
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That sounds absolutely brutal. Just based on the pain of washing my exposed blisters after the roof ripping off, this is hard to read I'm impressed you finished your walk!

There seem to be two teams of thought - either diehard compeed fans ("don't let it dry out! Let it do it's thing!") and those advocating for letting air and antibiotics take the lead.

Compeed seems pretty good so far for me, but Dermarite sounds good as an alternative. Maybe I should do compeed on one heel and gauze/antibiotics/salt soaks on the other as an experiment
 
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Zellyzel said:
But then again, I bought them in Canadian spring, which was *far* colder than the Australian winters I was used to.
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Ah !! -- colder weather > less swelling > smaller feet.

That explains it.
 
Stage four of my last Camino I had my typical French Army socks which I think are ~65%-85% wool or something like that ? (used to be 100% decades ago grrrrrrr ... )

Anyway eight months, 3,000K and no problems ; though they do eventually wear out in the much longer run.

Though post-that, feet have gotten back into a better shape, less swollen generally, so now I'm using my 100% woollen Alpine socks instead, which is lovely. When purchased, they were a smidgeon too small for my feet + boots combo.
 
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Rick of Rick and Peg said:
The difference in length between full US/UK shoe sizes is one barleycorn . That is one third of an inch or almost 0.85 cm.
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My feet are so ginormous that UK and US sizes for them are actually pretty divergent.

UK : 14½ -- US : 15-16½ (think in practice that US shoe sizes vary somewhat, hence the range ?)

Non-ginormous US & UK sizes are I think nearly identical.
 
I won’t lie it wasn’t much fun but very effective. Good luck on your walk. I’m planning to do Le Puy next year looking forward to hearing how you get on.
 
Rick of Rick and Peg said:
They are intended to be used on clean non-infected wounds
Click to expand...

I know.

Which is why I wouldn't use it on a blister that has popped by itself during a hike. Because that wound certainly is not clean.

It's inevitable that some sort of dirt and germs will get into such a wound. It is already contaminated, and therefore the likelyness of infection relatively high.

Once the compeed is applied, you can't take it off again easily, you can't check the wound for infection signs, you can't clean and disinfect it again. You'll only see the damage a potential infection has caused when the compeed comes off (as in the op's case it often comes off with the skin/"roof" of the blister and makes the injury worse than it was).

It might work well sometimes, but I have seen some nasty wounds on pilgrims who had exactly that problem.

For a very superficial tiny blister the risk is probably lower and it might work well, but for a big, nasty, deep, potentially infected or at least contaminated blister - I'd never use compeed on that.

Personally I prefer a foam dressing for something like that, but that isn't easily available in every pharmacy and it's expensive, too. My second best choice is everything else but compeed .

But we all have different experiences of course.
 
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One item I don’t see mentioned is how you lace your shoes. If you have heal blisters you probably have your heals rising up and down while you walk. Add moisture and bingo a blister. I tie my shoes in two parts . Once down the bottom to secure the toes but another lace up higher that can be tighter to pull your heal tight against rear of the shoe/boot. It’s best to have the shoe bend with your foot not slide up and down.
 
Zellyzel said:
There seem to be two teams of thought - either diehard compeed fans ("don't let it dry out! Let it do it's thing!") and those advocating for letting air and antibiotics take the lead.
Click to expand...
I think that those who hate it have not used it properly. If you use the tips on the website and video that I posted above you should be fine.
 
Yesss, I've been taught about lacing a couple of times but I always forget how, so I just tied it like a normal shoe haha. I definitely didn't think much about remembering to push my heel into the back of the shoe and tie it in an ideal way for hiking. Off to watch some videos and actually learn about lace-tying for me! Thanks for the reminder!
 
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You can try “corn pads”. You have a strip of protection but cut out a hole so the blister is not touching anything. Then a light dressing (not touching the blister. I also recommend lots of Vaseline as a protection against further damage. I learnt this a lifetime ago. I was able to play football with blisters. It also came in very handy on my first Camino. Good luck
 
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JabbaPapa said:
My feet are so ginormous that UK and US sizes for them are actually pretty divergent.

UK : 14½ -- US : 15-16½ (think in practice that US shoe sizes vary somewhat, hence the range ?)

Non-ginormous US & UK sizes are I think nearly identical.
Click to expand...
Shoe sizes can be very confusing with a number of complicating factors but when comparing one specific US brand to one specific UK brand the sizes should go up consistently with each other with a difference in length of a barleycorn for each size from the smallest size to the largest.
 
Should one bring a barleycorn with them when they shop for shoes so that they can refer to it?

 
I'd guess so, but with my foot size it seems not so in reference to the US sizes.

Is it possibly because US sizes tend to be more complex than length alone, but also consider width and shape ?
 
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JabbaPapa said:
I'd guess so, but with my foot size it seems not so in reference to the US sizes.

Is it possibly because US sizes tend to be more complex than length alone, but also consider width and shape ?
Click to expand...
I looked at a load of size charts. Both UK and US sizes increase only by length, both by one size per barleycorn. The charts I've seen do vary in the conversion though; sometimes for a given length the UK size is a full size less than the US and other times a half size. I've seen it mentioned that the US size is based most often on the length of the foot while the UK size is based on the length of the shoe last. The last used for forming the shoe varies by manufacturer so it appears that the UK sizing has the most variance in the size conversion. This makes sense to me because everywhere in the US where I've seen shoes sold I've also seen the same Brannock device which measures shoe size by the length of the foot.
 
I had a similar issue, just my left heel, both sides. Compeed, when it stayed on, was all I used. When the compeed fell off, and the blister wasn't heeled I would do the following

Each night I would Lance the blister and work out all of the fluid. I would coat it with neopsporin and used circular makeup pads, found at a super market for 1 or 2 euro. Tape it up and then go to sleep. In the morning, I would apply a lot of Vaseline to the area, fresh pads, 2 of them, and tape up. It was difficult putting my shoe on and the first 2km were rough until things settled into my shoes. I changed my socks every 2 hours and would tend to blister as needed. Most of the time I didn't have to address until the end of the day. I've seen the advice and I went this route b/c I had limited time and was determined to get to Santiago. I didn't realize that my evening shoes, which were water shoes, made it worse. So, I bought slides that left no pressure on my heels and they helped the healing, I even walked the cathedral roof in those slides.

Bob
 
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So long thread.

I don't get blisters, but I also stay on top of my foot health. Get foot cream and establish a routine. Every night you apply foot cream after you shower. You only wear crocs or similar loose fitiing foot wear after you finish walking, that promotes good air exchange.

So I guess you already know your boots/shoes aren't good. But you want a couple of sizes larger that you take. Any walking shoes will do (within reason). Secondly, get a decent inner sole. Decathlon sell both gel and sorbothane inner soles. Pick one. I like the sorbothane running inner sole. But either way replace the inner sole in your shoes or boots with something really soft and springy.

Decathlon do a trail shoe / sandal (shandal / NH150). they are what i will be using when i walk this year. Might be worth trying them. Good air exchange, but also good hiking shoes.

Good walking socks are the next thing, with extra protection on heels and toes. Decathlon as usual do them. Walk for a max of four hours and then swap them for a clean pair. At the end of the day, wash every pair you wore ready for the next day.

If you have pain, don't walk. If you are walking and develop pain, don't push through. Address it straightaway before it becomes a worse problem.
 
I suffered from many bisters on the Camino. Even ended up at the hospital to have one looked after. Many many people had suggestions about what to do. All I can say is, you have to find the one that works for your feet.

What worked for me feet:
  • two pairs of socks, the first pair were toe socks. the second pair were wool.
  • THE MOST IMPORTANT >> Every 5km stop rest, dry your feet and change the socks. Dry your socks on the outside of your backpack attached with pins.
  • 2ND MOST IMPORTANT >> Buy shoes that are 1-2 sizes bigger than you need.
  • Do you need boots? no. Get runners if you can. They don't provide ankle support but they will breath easier.
  • DO NOT POP your blisters. I did. Big mistake. (my mom told me I should after she did 3 Caminos!)
  • Toe caps for those toes that have blisters. bandaids for the ones on the heels (compeed just rolled off the very same day and left my blister even worse! I would tape my bandaids on so that they would stay (I have VERY sweaty feet).
  • Reduce what's in your pack. Your weight could be contributing to your blisters.
Best of luck. You got this! And take a day or two off if you need to recoup!
 
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Just checking how you ended up after your Rocky start?? Did you complete your Camino?? Cheers Anne
 
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Anne G said:
Just checking how you ended up after your Rocky start?? Did you complete your Camino?? Cheers Anne
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Heya Anne, nice of you to ask! I completed the Le Puy trail and am continuing on the Camino Frances in a couple of days!

I ended up catching a taxi back to le Puy-en-Velay, buying bigger hiking shoes and hiking sandals, and staying 2 days to heal the blisters. When I returned to the trail I hiked in sandals for 2 days before swapping to boots and haven't had a single blister problem since! The advice given here was invaluable!

As for the method, I ended up using compeed on one heel (which did work remarkably well and healed super quickly). On the other heel I unintentionally left it open too long so it dried out too much to use compeed, so I cleaned it, used anti-biotic cream, and bandaged it every morning and evening. The compeed blister definitely healed way faster and was a bit comfier overall than the other.

For prevention: sports tape on skin, double socks, vaseline/compeed speed stick on the toes/base of my feet, shoes off on breaks, and occasionally lamb's wool on the heels. Now I'm not having blister problems I just wear double socks and that's good enough for me!

Since then I'm more concerned with stretching my calves and massaging my feet a couple times a day to avoid any muscle problems. Hope that helps any future pilgrims reading through this!
 
Thanks for the tips. I arrive for the Frances ( my first camino) on 10/3 and am dealing with a significant new blister now. Concerned and need as many tips as can get. What kind of sport tape do you use ?
 
MPF said:
Thanks for the tips. I arrive for the Frances ( my first camino) on 10/3 and am dealing with a significant new blister now. Concerned and need as many tips as can get. What kind of sport tape do you use ?
Click to expand...
Heya, good luck on your camino!

I used leukotape, but honestly, any sort of sport tape works for me. I've used lots of different types. They work superbly if you need to tape your foot or knee for muscle support as well. Just be aware of allergic reactions - some tape I have to take off before I sleep or it irritates my skin.
 
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