Time to Look After Your Feet

By Michael McColgan, Podiatrist and part of the PelliTec® development team

We’re obviously interested in feet, especially me, but we wanted to understand people’s understanding of blisters and the real issue they can pose if not treated properly.

It turns out that 15 per cent of people who suffer from blisters choose to ‘pop’ them which increases the risk of infection, and if not treated correctly – possible sepsis!

While people can be blasé and think a blister is simply an irritation and inconvenience there is a really serious risk attached to having a blister.

A blister is caused by skin rubbing against a static surface like the inside of a shoe. The friction causes the skin layers to separate and fill with fluid. If they ‘pop’, the body’s natural defence is opened up to infection which is some extreme cases can lead to sepsis – a life-threatening condition.

If you’re reading this – there’s a reasonable chance you are into your fitness – walking especially – and you might think ‘you don’t get blisters’. What you don’t realise is that the structure of your feet changes during exercise and responds differently in different conditions, so could swell more than ‘usual’ resulting in a blister.

So, we think ‘prevention is better than a cure’. Wear the right size footwear before you undertake any exercise – take rests when your feet begin to tire – and focus on the conditions your feet are in during the exercise in case you need to change your footwear.

The PelliTec® Blister Prevention Pad can be inserted to the inside of your shoe and left in for several weeks and still work effectively.

For further information on Blister Prevention Pads, please visit the website https://pellitec.co.uk/