Blister Fixing Article

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Blisters-how I fix them-Michael Gillan Ultra Marathon Recovery Specialist Blisters and how I fix them Since I work with long distance runners and walkers I am often ask how I fix them-this is a relevant question for many runners and walkers-and my experience of them in totally unhygienic conditions makes conventional ways of working with them difficult to use without opening the wound up to infection Blisters can be debilitating, fatiguing, painful, and performance affecting and in an ideal world, the person who develops one should deal with it using the accepted and recommended methods. In my world, of course we can be a long way from any medical care so we have to be more independent and deal with things in our own ways There are many schools of thought when it comes to blisters, so you have to find the way which is most suitable to use in your circumstances, but always keep an eye on what everyone else is using-if that works better than the one you are using change over to that one With a blister most of the pain comes from the area where the dead stretched skin meets the healthy skin; pressure on the fluid filled sac forces outwards to the join and causes pain. Fluid filled bubble protecting the tissue underneath

Pressure applied to this area as the fluid is compressed makes things uncomfortable My runners and walkers do not have time for doing things the conventional way; they cannot suddenly drop out just because a blister has formed; so they usually keep going and stop when they feel it is convenient to them Shoe pollution

The skin acts as a barrier to protect the body and associated tissues from harmful bacteria, if there is an opening such as a broken blister; germs can enter the body and cause infection Shoes are notorious germ and bacteria breeders, and the oldest, most comfortable ones have the most bacteria in them-the only shoes free of bacteria are new ones; and they are the ones most likely to cause blisters in the first place. While the blister is forming and when it has formed, the biomechanics or the way the body moves is being altered; unless it is dealt with quickly it will cause muscular problems as the body has to continually adjust to a new way of moving. It affects the balance placing stress on parts of the body that are not used to it resulting in more stiffness and soreness in muscles that are little used, the resulting stiffness this interferes with performance. It means that there is more need for the first aid effects of the Copyright 2009 Michael Gillan

1 ultra marathon recovery specialist http://aching-legs-relief.com

Blisters-how I fix them-Michael Gillan Ultra Marathon Recovery Specialist World Run Recovery System

Blisters - how I approach them Because of legal problems and the fact that I am not able to check on other people’s hygiene, this is where I issue a disclaimer to the effect of; I do not recommend treating blisters this way when there is medical help available. I do know the authorized ways of dealing with them, and I am all for this when dealing with them in a non-competitive sphere; if there are medical people available, they are always given priority even if I know the conventional way of fixing them At some of the runs, I attend, medical treatment may not always be available, and good hygiene conditions do not exist; I have seen every method there is around the tracks for blister management and seen problems with every one of them. They range from padding only to removing some fluid from the blister and replacing it with Betadene to just bursting it, using Second Skin and other skin repair systems. Band aids are fine for a temporary basis but the pad can press into the center of the blister and increase pain; the edges can also ride up and roll over until they are causing more irritation to the area surrounding it. Moist padding also acts as a conductor for bacteria to pass into the freshly opened area increasing the risk of infection. What do I do with them?

In many years and 1000’s of miles I have found that a stabilized protected blister gives less pain while allowing the damaged area to heal quickly. Theory of the approach to blisters-even a little blister is a bad master

A blister normally takes control of the person who owns it, as they run or walk all the pain and discomfort becomes theirs alone and it is very difficult to focus the mind on anything else. Taking control of the blister

Blister control is deciding to deal with it on the athlete’s terms instead of letting the blister do what it wants; by taking control of the blister, a faster healing can take place. Control comes about when the pressure on the bubble is released and the area around it stabilized so that it is unable to move and rub raw tissue-this prevents infection, protects the area and reduces the pain levels. The theory of taking control



First bursting the blister by using a sterilized needle, at the same time leaving a length of cotton hanging out each side to allow the fluid to drain and release the pressure to ease the pain.

The fluid can drain away and stay clear by using the thread as a wick to drain the blister-because of the one-way drainage no infection can go back up into the blister, as the traffic is all one way. •

Putting on a layer of protective coating to help dry out the dead skin so that it protects the

Copyright 2009 Michael Gillan

2 ultra marathon recovery specialist http://aching-legs-relief.com

Blisters-how I fix them-Michael Gillan Ultra Marathon Recovery Specialist underlying tissues while new skin forms •

Overlaying the whole area with protective tape so that the loose skin is stabilized

Blisters – first aid kit: While this appears to be many materials, it actually does not take up much room in a kit and many of the materials have other uses. •

Methylated spirits



Cotton wool balls



Scissors



Black cotton thread



Rubber gloves for hygiene



Sigma Friars Balsam or iodine



Woolfat or lanolin



A new packet of sewing needles



A small bowl



Smith and Nephew Hypafix tape or Bayer Fixomul tape



A packet of jelly beans-preferably pharmacy or drug store type rather than the cheaper variety)

My approach/method: • Put the needle already threaded into the dish of methylated spirits to sterilize it. •

Wash off the hands with methylated spirits and allow to air dry (do the same for the sufferer as they are going to have to insert the needle).



Put on the rubber gloves.



Using a cotton wool ball, wash off the foot with methylated spirits to sterilize the area, this also gives a better grip for the tape.



Take the needle out of the methylated spirits and give it to the sufferer



Get them to insert the needle so that the point goes into one side of the blister and out the other without touching the flesh under it.

Copyright 2009 Michael Gillan

3 ultra marathon recovery specialist http://aching-legs-relief.com

Blisters-how I fix them-Michael Gillan Ultra Marathon Recovery Specialist Now you can do your first aid • Put the needle threaded with black cotton into the dish of methylated spirits to sterilize it. •

Wash off the hands with methylated spirits and allow to air dry (do the same for the sufferer as they are going to have to insert the needle).



Put on the rubber gloves.



Using a cotton wool ball, wash off the foot with methylated spirits to sterilize the area, the cleaned area also gives a better grip for the tape.



Take the needle out of the methylated spirits and give it to the sufferer



Get them to insert the needle so that the point goes into one side of the blister and out the other without touching the flesh under it.

Snip the ends of the cotton so that approximately 1 cm is hanging (This is going to act like a wick draining the fluid into the sock; it cannot go the other way and introduce infection as pressure on the foot keeps fluid draining) •

Using a cotton ball, press the blister flat until all the fluid is out of it.



Wash off again with spirits and let air dry.



Dab on friars balsam (or iodine), this may sting for a couple of seconds but this is nothing compared to the pain and discomfort already felt. (Friars balsam has an astringent affect drying out the skin).



Cut a piece of Hypafix tape larger than the blister area and put it on to stabilize the whole area.



Tell the ex sufferer to put on their sock, give them a couple of jellybeans for energy-Cleanup and replace as necessary-



Pull threads out when new skin has grown under the old.

Copyright 2009 Michael Gillan

4 ultra marathon recovery specialist http://aching-legs-relief.com

Blisters-how I fix them-Michael Gillan Ultra Marathon Recovery Specialist Hygiene is the most important part of this approach to blisters

Blisters - prevention: Before any event, you should be toughening the feet. • • • •

Wash the feet in methylated spirits; it is a good solution for drying out the skin after a wash or shower. Wash the whole foot including in between the toes. Walk barefoot whenever possible. Every 2 or 3 washings with methylated spirits the feet should be massaged with skin moisturizer; this will prevent the skin from drying out and developing micro cracks. When you are on your walk and the feet get hot and sweaty, wash the feet in METHO instead of water, it cools the feet rapidly. • Follow up with the Corn flour or Cornstarch in the fresh socks you are going to put on.

Something, which may assist in helping to prevent them, is to wash the foot off with a little methylated spirits, apply 4 or 5 coats of Friars Balsam and then apply some Hypafix tape over the whole. Pre blister prevention can also include: •

• • •

Put 5 coats of Friars Balsam (or iodine) over the feet-Let each coat dry before putting another coat over. This forms a skin over your skin before rubbing starts. Smear a thin coat of Vaseline over the whole thing to help prevent moisture or wetness soaking the skin, put the socks and shoes back on. If you can get at them before they start, try washing the foot off with Methylated Spirit to disperse the moisture. Put 5 coats of Friars Balsam over the sore area and cover the area with Hypafix to stabilize it.

Shoes: Never wear new shoes for sport. Break them in well before starting out • •



Do not do the laces up too tightly as this will not allow for the feet swelling If only stopping for a few minutes do not take the shoes off as this will allow more fluid to fill them up making it difficult to put them back on again. If they are causing pressure on the feet from the uppers being too tight, cut out the pressure area and replace it with Hypafix or Fixomul Stretch tape. (While paper based they are also very strong and will prevent stones and dust going into the shoes from the openings, it will also allow the feet to breathe.)

Copyright 2009 Michael Gillan

5 ultra marathon recovery specialist http://aching-legs-relief.com

Blisters-how I fix them-Michael Gillan Ultra Marathon Recovery Specialist Socks: • • •

• • •

When the socks become damp change them to keep the feet dry. Wear 2 pair so that one rubs up and down in the boots and one stays next to the skin. Do not have the top of the sock band tight it cuts off circulation to the feet, cut the top of the sock downward. Tight socks let fluid down into the sock but not back up again so the ankles and feet may swell. Swollen feet cause more pressure in the shoes and may increase risk of blisters. Cut off the loose threads on the end of the sock. Wear the socks inside out so that the seam is away from the skin and the smooth part is inside.

Do not run in new running shoes-or in very old ones First aid needed for leg muscles when they are fatigued To assist the legs to recover when they are fatigued they need some form of first aid to empty the depleted flood and lymph fluid out of the legs to make way for fresh blood to flood the muscle tissues with oxygen *Just like the body needs help as soon as it is in distress to benefit from any first aid given- the legs will also benefit if first aid can be applied as soon as practicable Because it relies on gravity to do the work, the legs are just waiting for it to all happen for an unspecified period time that could be spent doing something else. The faster the legs receive help, the faster they recover but it is important they get it as soon as possible before soreness and stiffness limits what can be done with them. So how does the baby boomer (or senior runner) approach this problem?

Many seniors have legs problems such as varicose veins and other age related issues so they cant’ use conventional massage work on their muscles-it is too intrusive and can cause damage Working with the muscles not on them can be done using



Simplicity



Predictability



Consistency

The advantages of working with the muscles are



No disrobing



No oil used



Non invasive



User friendly



Easy to learn

Copyright 2009 Michael Gillan

6 ultra marathon recovery specialist http://aching-legs-relief.com

Blisters-how I fix them-Michael Gillan Ultra Marathon Recovery Specialist What is the World Run Recovery System? It is a Do-It-Yourself method based on encouraging the muscles and tissues to assist in their own recovery-it works with the muscles not on them •

It is not a massage system



It is not invasive



It is not aggressive



It is not time consuming



It does not need disrobing



It does not need oil applied to the skin



It does not need strong hands and fingers



It does not need hand/brain coordination



It does not need equipment



It does not work on the muscles



It does not work on any specific injuries



It does not threaten the integrity of the muscles



It does not use force on the muscles



It does not need more than a few minutes to do



It does not require a long course or workshop

It is a clean-green-recovery machine

Copyright 2009 Michael Gillan

7 ultra marathon recovery specialist http://aching-legs-relief.com

Blisters-how I fix them-Michael Gillan Ultra Marathon Recovery Specialist Below is a chart from when I discovered working with the muscles rather than on them shows how much things did improve for the runners and walkers Results from 1995 Coburg 6 day footrace Name A Krouglikov

Day 1 237.2 539

Day 2 113.6 284

Day 3 130 325

Day 4 106 365

Day 5 126 315

Day 6 108 Kilometers 270 Laps

T Rusek

215.2 538

98.8 247

98 245

139.6 349

138.4 346

122.4 Kilometers 306 Laps

M T aylor

174.4 436

128.8 322

143.6 359

123.6 309

138.4 302

122.4 Kilometers 223 Laps

B Beauchamp

180.4 451

133.2 333

124 310

117.6 294

110 275

93.2 Kilometers 233 Laps

150 375

134 335

105.2 263

94.8 237

111.6 279

106 Kilometers 265 Laps

138.4 346

108.4 271

106.8 267

116.4 274

106 265

107.2 Kilometers 268 Laps

168 420

119.2 298

90 225

116.4 291

106 180

107.2 Kilometers 247 Laps

G Watts

132.2 328

96.4 241

99.2 248

104.4 261

92.8 232

133.6 Kilometers 334 Laps

C Young

142 355

91.2 228

90 225

97.6 244

88 220

92 Kilometers 230 Laps

D Kettle

138.2 332

86.8 217

90.8 227

95.2 238

94.4 236

84.4 Kilometers 212 Laps

R H ill

128 320

80.8 202

99.2 248

70 175

95.6 239

96.6 Kilometers 241 Laps

K Fisher

164 410

91.6 229

50 125

115.2 288

49.6 124

81.2 Kilometers 203 Laps

P Gray

D Parris

I Davis

G Pollard

T Rafferty

120 74.8 73.6 68.4 69.6 61.2 Kilometers 300 187 184 171 174 153 Laps The above group came in for Light Manual Muscle Relaxation The below group did not or had their own recovery people 141.6 112.8 104.8 101.6 98 96.4 Kilometers 354 282 262 254 245 241 Laps

G McConnel

145.6 363

110.8 277

126.4 287

113.6 284

108.4 271

106 kilometers 265 Laps

G Audley

152.8

110.8

126.4

113.6

114.8

95.2 kilometers

S Scanlon

140.8 352

82 205

84 210

J Timms

127.2

98.4

74.8

Copyright 2009 Michael Gillan

34 0 85 pulled out-blisters 0

0

0 Kilometers Laps 0 kilometers

8 ultra marathon recovery specialist http://aching-legs-relief.com

Blisters-how I fix them-Michael Gillan Ultra Marathon Recovery Specialist What they say about the World Run recovery System

Michael’s methods of massage and blister care helped me to stay mobile throughout the race and to recover quickly afterwards. His techniques are safe and gentle. Unlike some treatments, which put the runners and walkers at risk of muscle tears or infection, Michael’s techniques are light, safe, reassuring, and highly effective. They enhance comfort and flexibility, build confidence, and promote success. This booklet will help others to learn and practice Michael’s methods. It is recommended reading for everyone who walks and runs and who wants to go further, go faster, or just to enjoy life more!!' SANDRA BROWN 1996 Ladies 1000 Mile World Record Holder 1999 Ladies 100 mile Race walking World Record Holder “I know that your massage kept a number of competitors in the event. The cold weather of Saturday afternoon and night certainly got to many of the walkers and your prompt action had them back in the race after a short stop. In years past, that would have ended up as a non-finish; a number of walkers were able to keep going for the full 24 hours on the basis of your expert help.” Tim Ericson Secretary Australian Centurions Club 'I have known Michael Gillan for many years and have always got quick relief for my aches and pains from the stretching he performs'. CLIFF YOUNG-Ultra marathon runner

Books I have used in my research

Travell S.G. Simons D.G. Myofascial Pain & Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual Williams & Williams 1983 Travell J. Rinzler S.H. The Myofascial Genesis of Pain Post Grad Med. 1952 Modern Treatment for Lymphoedema Casley-smith Judith & Casley-Smith J.R. 5th edition Touching Montague Ashley Harper & Row ‘Guyton-Textbook of Medical Physiology eighth edition-1991 W.B. Saunders Company-ISBN 0-7263994-0 Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology-Seeley Stephens and Tate-Mosby Year Book ISBN 0-80160227-0 ‘Textbook of medical Physiology” (Physiology- fourth edition-Robert M. Berne, Mathew N. Levy, Bruce M. Koeppen, Bruce A. Stanton-Mosby ISBN 0-8151-0952-0)

Copyright 2009 Michael Gillan

9 ultra marathon recovery specialist http://aching-legs-relief.com

Blisters-how I fix them-Michael Gillan Ultra Marathon Recovery Specialist Resource Box

Michael Gillan is an Ultra Marathon Recovery Specialist who has been a masseur around many ultra long distance events both in Australia and internationally since he was a student in 1993 In 1995 while working at a 6 day run, he changed the approach to recovery of the athletes from the conventional way of working on the muscles using the hands and fingers to increase muscle blood circulation, to working with the muscles and making them work on themselves The results from this changeover can be seen on the Coburg result sheet on page 5 In 1996 Michael went to the Nanango 1000 Mile 16 day event where it was tested and helped the worlds 4-5 and 11th to achieve their distances Other notable events the World Run Recovery System was tested on was World Run 1 with Jesper Olsen www.worldrun.org and the World Run 2 training camp in Denmark in 2007 How can someone with aching legs benefit?

Because the muscles are being worked with they are actually doing the work-this means that the skills needed to do the recovery after training and competition do not have to be as great or as complicated as when they are being worked on Nothing is being fixed nor is any attempt being made to repair anything All that is happening is that the body is repairing itself-we are just facilitating it’s ability to do that by increasing circulation to the muscles

Aching legs should always be checked out by a medical professional before doing anything to and with them because there are many medical reasons why they may be aching-see a physician first If you want more details on Light Manual Muscle Relaxation go to my website at The latest in non-technical, non-invasive 'cutting edge' solutions to fatigued aching legs relief-the World Run Recovery System http://aching-legs-relief.com

Copyright 2009 Michael Gillan

10 ultra marathon recovery specialist http://aching-legs-relief.com

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