Blisters and bad form

startingupagain

Barefooters
Jul 9, 2010
40
0
6
I've read all I could on blisters and form on these forums, but still have a question: Are blisters always a sign of bad form, or are they possibly just a rite of passage?

I have been running all summer in VFF's with very little full barefoot. Then last Saturday, I was running with my wife, but since she is coming off a muscle pull, she wanted to run slowly. So rather than run alone, I decided to work out my feet and ran 4 miles barefoot at about a 10 minute/mile pace. These were pretty harsh suburban streets and bike trails. When I was done, I had no blisters (in fact, I felt great!) except I was bleeding on the pad of the toe next to pinky toe, where the skin had been ripped off most of the pad. Again, it didn't seem like a big deal. I was aware of this the whole run, but it wasn't very painful.

Then on Monday, two days later, I ran 4 miles at a nine minute pace with some colleagues at work through city streets, full barefoot again. Same toe was a little bloody again at the end, most likely since it didn't have time to heal. It seems I also may have a blister behind the middle toe (on the main part of the foot). It doesn't feel bad, but there is a dark spot there.

So again the question: Is there really a problem here? Part of me says that this is just a rite of passage, I should give my toe a little more time to heal next time, but otherwise just get out there and run. My feet will toughen up. But from what I'm reading here, it looks like this could also be indication of a form problem.

So what do you recommend? Forge on, or analyze?
 
Going from nearly all VFF to

Going from nearly all VFF to 4 miles barefoot sounds like a huge and sudden change, no matter what the speed. You probably need to give something (your skin? your form?) a chance to adapt. My guess is if you transition slower you'll be fine. (Though pictures of mysterious foot problems do add an element of entertainment to this site. :) )
 
   (Though pictures of

(Though pictures of mysterious foot problems do add an element of entertainment to this site.
smile.png
)

 
 look sort of like you just

look sort of like you just jumped in the deep end of the pool. vffs are great for helping with form and getting you more accustomed to ground feel but they are not the real thing as you have now learned. giving your skin time to heal and "toughen" will probably eliminate your problems and if not then you can start to look at your form.

good call stomper
 
To me blisters are a sign of

To me blisters are a sign of doing something wrong. Either too far, which is most likely the case here, or bad form. Let those blisters heal and then get back out there and see what happens.
 
Forge on AND analyze.I

Forge on AND analyze.

I happen to believe that in the beginning, they develop as part of the conditioning phase, thickening, etc., as well as bad form. If they are still happening later on, after you've been doing this a while, then it's a sign of poor form.
 
after about 15 barefoot runs

after about 15 barefoot runs (only every other day or so for about a month) of 1/2 to 1 mile max, my feet are just now becoming adjusted to the feel of running barefoot with good technique to where they don't hurt after a run. I think the TMTS (too much too soon) rule applies here. Welcome to the club. I started with heel blisters, then moved to forefoot blisters - at only 1/2 mile, mind you - before getting down to focusing on form before time or distance. Maybe the same would work for you. Good luck!
 
I think you just went too far

I think you just went too far too soon. I have not had a single blister. I started really slowly. My first BF run was about a block, then I built up from there. I just did my first 5k last weekend all BFR and still no blisters.



Use some rubbing alcohol on the blisters. It pulls the moisture out and helps to heal it pretty fast.
 
Obviously your skin has to

Obviously your skin has to toughen up some, and you will be more susceptible to blisters before your skin is conditioned, but I don't think you can ever rule form out. If you're feet are still tender and thin skinned, then you are definitely a new barefoot runner, and no beginner has perfect form. Even if you ran in vibrams for years and never had any problems while wearing them you could, and probably would have some problems running barefoot, because they're different. I know people don't like to admit it, and I'm not saying one is better than the other, but they ARE different. I can't think of any possible scenario where someone with perfect form would have tender skin, and that would be the only case in which form wasn't the issue.

So focus on your form, as well as not overdoing it (it sounds like you might be). Your skin will take care of itself, but form is up to you.