09 June 2011

Cherie’s Running Tips: Don’t Know How to Pop a Blister?


Gross, right? People always tell me it’s wrong to pop a blister, but if it’s hurting you, and done right, it will heal quickly and you’re much better off that way.

Note: I wouldn’t recommend doing this during a race. It can become further irritated. You can ask medics at your next ultra to help you, and at the Vermont 100, they did pop quite a few blisters at Bill’s Barn (Mile 88) which helped, but also hurt. Use your own judgement.

Needed:
Safety pin or other pin
Rubbing alcohol
Neosporin or some other medicine like that
Band-aid

1.      
  1. Wash your hands.
  2. Clean the painful blister with alcohol. Don’t be stingy with the alcohol.
  3. Sterilize the needle. You may also wish to light the needle on fire before cleaning it with rubbing alcohol. Thoroughly clean it.
  4. Push the needle into the blister. If it is a big blister, you may need to stick the needle in several sections. Make sure you leave a big enough hole so all the liquid drains and does not re-fill (in which case you have to pop again the next day, which I’ve done). Iliana has these great scissors for cutting open blisters.
  5. After pushing out all the liquid (I push it out into a tissue), clean again with more alcohol.
  6. Put Neosporin or something similar on the drained blister.
  7. Cover with a bandaid.
  8. Wash your hands (because you just got foot blister all over you!).

1 comment:

brian72975 said...

If you have a diabetic friend, see if they have a lancet or two to spare. Already sterile and easier to maneuver than a needle.