Just because summer has come and gone doesn’t necessarily mean that those stubborn blisters on your feet will suddenly disappear just as quickly. The most common location for a blister is the bottom of the foot, but they can theoretically occur anywhere on the foot. The recipe for disaster is: a hot environment plus poor fitting shoes, along with increased physical activity-this is why blisters are more common in the summer months when people are outside exercising more often, which creates excess friction between their feet and their sneakers. A blister is a fluid filled sac, present within the epidermis. Blisters actually develop in order to protect underlying structures within your foot from becoming injured, so they act as a defense mechanism. Unfortunately, the blister is usually painful and in the eyes of patients seems to do more harm than good.
Causes of blisters:
Other than the bottom of the foot and toes, blisters can also form on the top of toes as well. Hammertoes create a condition where the toes are propped up against the shoe which increases rubbing, friction, and pressure, this tends to lead to blister development. The blister fluid may contain blood or even pus if it happens to be infected. Other causes of blisters include: burns, allergic reactions, or diseases. Athletes, especially runners and tennis players, are notorious for developing blisters on their feet. Hiking is another activity that can generate blisters.
Now that you know what causes blisters you will need to know how to treat and prevent them in the future. Our next blog will explain these two important topics.