Blisters and breakages: Even professional athletes aren't immune
Is it just me, or did the sporting world have a bit of a crazy time of it last month with foot pain and breakages??
Wimbledon Woes
Like many of you, I sat at home and watched Marin Cilic struggle through his Wimbledon final match against Roger Federer. There is definitely split opinion as to whether he struggled because of his blistered left foot or whether it was because he didn’t have what it would take to match the Swiss Supremo. Either way, there’s no doubt in my mind that he would have found those blisters to be crippling.
What are blisters? They’re a common issue and one we deal with at Five Little Piggies almost every day (but often not to the extent we witnessed at Wimbledon last month...). They’re fluid filled pockets of skin that occur due to friction or heat, as a result of wearing inappropriate or badly fitting footwear, moisture imbalance, or repetitive trauma. In most cases, blisters will heal on their own and whilst they can be painful there are steps you can take to avoid getting them in the first place:
Keep your feet dry
So if you’re an active person and on your feet a lot, make sure you change your socks regularly. Double-layer socks are trusted by many athletes and worth considering…
If the shoes fits…
Yes, we know those shoes that are a half-size too small were in the sale but are they going to be worth it? They’re only going to rub and cause you pain.
What’s on the inside matters…
It may sound daft, but sometimes the lining or the stitching on the inside of the shoe can come away or loosen and cause friction so be sure to check inside the shoe too.
And if you have a tendency to blister in the same place then blister plasters can protect that area of the skin and prevent the blister from forming at all.
If your blister looks inflamed or if it fills with pus, it could be infected, then seek out a qualified podiatrist (wink, wink ;-)) for professional help and advice.
Oh and one final thing on blisters: don’t be tempted to burst them.
Suffering Surfer
A couple of days after Cilic’s defeat I read online about the 11-time world champion surfer, Kelly Slater, breaking two metatarsal bones in his right foot. He posted the x-ray of his shattered food on social media and compared the injury to “smashing [his] foot with a big hammer as hard as [he can]”. Ooouuuuch.
Each foot has five metatarsal bones and in terms of foot functionality, they’re responsible for propulsion and support; they help share the load of the body and they move position to cope with uneven ground.
Metatarsal fractures are probably the most common traumatic foot injury and are prominent across a number of amateur and professional sports. It’s nigh on impossible to put a timescale on recovery (as Chelsea player Scott Parker learned in 2004 when he was benched for a whopping 34 weeks after breaking his second metatarsal) but rest in the first 6-8 weeks is crucial.
If you’re suffering from a sports-related injury then make an appointment to see Blair. She’s an Associate Podiatrist here at Five Little Piggies and has worked all over the UK and Australia fixing feet!
Whether you’re suffering is caused by blisters or not, don’t ignore your foot pain any longer. Get on the road to recover and contact Five Little Piggies via our website or call us on 0141 613 1113. We're handy for the M74 and M77 motorways and on the bus route in Rutherglen, Glasgow.
