U20C_Katherine
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That’s new info - thank you - I’ll look into itWalked 4 Camino's blister free. Used Leukotape P (ordered on amazon ) to tape all my toes, my heels and any other sensitive spots preventative. Then some good socks. (I wear Thorlo medium padded socks ) Works like magic. TAPE before you start walking every day. It helped me. best wishes
Possibly the best advice is to wear the shoes and socks that you will wear on Camino on multiple 10klm+ walks well before your Camino so that any potential issues are sorted before you go.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
Thank you. I don’t even know how campeed works, but two of you already made me cautious of this stuff so there must be a reason for thatNever use Compeed. It encloses moist and makes your blisters worse. Air and antiseptic cream is the best healer.
Absolutely not something I would choose. My daughter lost half the skin of her pinky toe with compeed. it was partially her fault by taking it off too early....but still...a NO for me .Thank you. I don’t even know how campeed works, but two of you already made me cautious of this stuff so there must be a reason for that
I havent needed to use hikers Wool, I make sure my shoes are loose enough not to cause toe rubbing. But I know people who swear by it, wrapping it around susceptible toes to prevent chafing. I think the shape and length of your toes makes you more prone to blisters or not.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
Didn’t think of it… just put “glide” into my backpack (I use it for running so the bra doesn’t rub against my skin) … thank youA lubricant or foot glide applied liberally on your feet and toes before you put on your socks will also help prevent blisters.
Omnifix is magic.I apply Omnifix tape to blister prone parts of my feet daily.
Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused…
I agree. And it's too expensive to use as a preventative when simple tape works. As I mentioned above, I like Omnifix or the similar Hypafix (both widely available in farmacias in Spain) because it's a thin, slightly stretchy tape that conforms to the contours of your foot. It adheres well, but removes easily - especially in the shower. I like the 4" wide version because it fits well across the ball of my foot (my trouble spot), and can be cut to fit any place that you need it.Colloidal dressings like Compeed should only be used to treat de-roofed blisters. They can do more damage than good on intact blisters, as previous posters have suggested. Have a look at Rebecca Rushton's website https://www.blister-prevention.com/ for a better explanation than I can give here, including a pretty forthright explanation of the limitations of this type of dressing.
She also addresses some of the issues with common blister prevention techniques like powders and potions such as Glide and vaseline.
One general comment I’d make about researching and planning your Camino. Reading or hearing about others wonderful experiences fills us with so many possibilities - it can make it difficult to choose. As in other aspects of life, you can get a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) - I’ve experienced it. A voice that says - if go this way, I won’t see that. If I stay in this town, in this albergue - where I’d like to stop - I’ll miss that one 8 kms on that someone said was the best they’ve stayed in etc. etc. But whatever choices you make, I can almost guarantee you’ll have wonderful experiences, stay in memorable places and meet interesting people.
Take the path that calls you the most.
I'm sorry, but this method can cause infection of the blister. There is no way that you can completely disinfect the thread that goes into the blister, and it becomes a superhighway for bacteria to enter the wound.Needle and thread!
Some alcohol or other disinfectants. Only if you tend to get blisters.
Excellent post, @Pilgrim9!Immediately* after first sensing a hot spot, I take off my boot and sock, let my foot air dry for several minutes, and then apply any type of slippery tape** to the full bottom of my foot (behind the toes) and around the heel curve and about 10 cm up the heel to just under the top of my sock, so that it remains invisible to sniggering bystanders. When applying the tape, I bend my foot upwards as far as possible to stretch the skin at the heel. This ensures that the tape will not be under tension at the heel. After the foot un-flexes, the tape wrinkles a bit at the heel but that does not matter as long as the tape is firmly adhered to the dry skin.
*In my experience, one must take action immediately after sensing a hot spot. Walking e.g. 5 additional paces in the forlorn hope that the hot spot will go away on its own is not advisable: the hot spot indicates immediately-impending skin de-lamination and blister formation. Stop walking right away.
** The purpose of the tape is to facilitate sliding movement between the sock and the tape, and to prevent shear forces from arising between the layers of skin.
After applying the tape, I never attempt to remove it until it peels off by itself in the shower. Of course I carefully wash my feet with hot soapy every time I shower, and dry them carefully, but I do not interfere with the tape. No testing to see if it is ready to come off.
It can take several days of hiking for the spontaneous-self-removal-in-shower of the tape to occur. The tape is a bit tattered and grubby by then. Disgusting? Maybe, but my feet have not complained.
When the tape does fall off in the shower, of course I carefully wash and dry the newly-exposed skin. There are usually a few stripes of adhesive left on the skin. I just leave them alone. The newly-exposed skin always looks healthy and glowing after its few days of vacation from friction.
I have tried all sorts of tapes including moleskin, surgical paper tape, duct tape, clear polyester cardboard-box-sealing tape, etc. My practical field experiments have convinced me that:
- my feet cannot read the brand names or prices marked on the rolls of tape; they are down-to-earth fellows and do not care about marketing hype; and,
- the tape adhesive must be sufficiently sticky to reliably prevent any movement between the tape and the skin; and,
- the outer surface of the tape must be slippery so that there is no friction between tape and sock. This reduces the shear stress between tape and foot, and helps to prevent de-lamination between skin layers.
I have had great success with both 3M clear polyester cardboard-box-sealing tape, and with duct tape. Polyester cardboard-box-sealing-tape is more slippery on the outside and I would prefer it except that it is difficult to find and grasp the end of the tape on the roll, and difficult to tear off a length without using some sharp tool. In my experience, duct tape is easier to unwrap from its roll in the field, and easier to tear off from its roll.
I keep a supply of my favourite tape rolled up on each walking stick, just under the hand grips where it is out of the way, but can be accessed immediately after sensing a hot spot, without needing to fuss about with my pack.
Of course one need not wait for a hot spot: just apply the tape on the first morning before starting to walk.
Thank you Tom. I like that idea so much.Katharine
Evidently it was Benjamin Franklin who said ‘Failing to prepare is preparing to fail’. Military/Business types will tell you that you can’t have too much preparation.
Actually on the camino there’s a risk that you can read too many forum posts before you depart for the first time. Blister treatment is a classic example where everyone has a story and advice - but you’ve no real way of knowing whether it applies to you.
Some common-sense preventative action is good, but beyond that our limbs each respond in different ways - and you’ll have to actually start walking to find out how yours do.
I’d say that I see about a third of fellow pilgrims treating their feet/blisters in the evening and morning - which means that generally there are about two thirds that don’t. But also it means you’ll find plenty of people to offer advice and assist when you are ‘in situ’ - if needed.
What you need to know is that there are farmacias in all small towns and some villages. So these are accessible every few days on the Primitivo, should you do need to source vaseline, compeed/equivalents, medical tape or whatever.
It’s lovely for us forum regulars to have a polite and interested newbie to unload on, but we will give you more than you actually need to be optimally primed for your journey. I’d just like to reference Jenny@zen’s post on your primitivo thread, which I think is the most useful take-away from all of this:
I’d just add:
The camino is like a book, with each stage-day a fresh chapter. You read it but you also write it.
The challenge is to be brave and go with just a few lines written - and allow the camino itself to help you create the rest.
I’ve used compeed when I’ve had a hot spot and that did prevent it turning into a blister.Never use Compeed. It encloses moist and makes your blisters worse. Air and antiseptic cream is the best healer.
Absolutely. And Compeed makes so much more than the bandaids. I really love their anti-chafing product — it’s much nicer than my mum’s diabetic foot stick from Life Brand…. And much nicer than Body Glide — which is to say: I just really like the smell of the Compeed Stick. It makes me think of getting ready each morning on a camino. Body glide foot stick has no scent (So others may prefer that, and it does the job just great).Compeed/mole skin gets a bad rap from many here, but if you keep it OFF your blisters it's been a great product from my experience.
Campeed is NOT for blister prevention. It is to help to heal a blister that has lost its crown. If you use Campeed on a blister that still has a crown, Campeed will take the crown off and make the situation worse.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
I have been very lucky with my feet on my Caminos. The one time that I had a blister then I found that compeed was a great help. To avoid any foot problems I have 2 bits of advice. 1. Your shoes....have at least a months worth of use in them while training. 2. Socks. I do not have enough experience of other types to advise you but the two most expensive pairs of walking socks from Decathlon have never let me down. The day that I had a blister was when I used a pair of my wife's walking socks (also Decathlon but the really cheap option). The other completely useless observation that I have is that there is no logic for who has foot trouble and who doesn't. Good luck.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
I agree with Leukotape. Great stuff as a preventative! Also using a lubricant such as Glide along with good socks and sock liners has worked well for me. I realize some folks do not like sock liners.Walked 4 Camino's blister free. Used Leukotape P (ordered on amazon ) to tape all my toes, my heels and any other sensitive spots preventative. Then some good socks. (I wear Thorlo medium padded socks ) Works like magic. TAPE before you start walking every day. It helped me. best wishes
We have walked three caminos and I am a huge fan of compeed before a blister occurs. Off at night so akin doesn’t stay moist. I have literally never had a blister. Just stop and inspect if hot spots are even a possibility.Thank you. I don’t even know how campeed works, but two of you already made me cautious of this stuff so there must be a reason for that
Hi Katherine,At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
Totally agree with this, though I do know many Spaniards in particular who swear by the thread method and have never gotten an infection.I'm sorry, but this method can cause infection of the blister. There is no way that you can completely disinfect the thread that goes into the blister, and it becomes a superhighway for bacteria to enter the wound.
I have never used Compeed, but the Hiker's Lambswool helped with shoe hotspots, places that rubbed from my pack straps, and I shared some with others as well. I liked it because you could use a lot, or a little, and mold it into the type of padding that you needed at the time. I definitely will carry it again.....along with duct tape and on most of my travels.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
Compeet is working fine if you have a blister and want to continue walking. Just keep in mind, Do Not take of the Compeet at the end of the day. Leave it on for a few days and remove it when your blister is no longer bothering you. Yes, this can indeed take a few days.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
All feet are different, I personally preferred the old school Moleskin brand that I brought from Canada over Compeed. But the best protection for my feet was when I switched to Injini toe socks with a light smartwool sock over top.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
OH... I'v never used the wool for pack straps! How do you avoid losing it?I have never used Compeed, but the Hiker's Lambswool helped with shoe hotspots, places that rubbed from my pack straps, and I shared some with others as well. I liked it because you could use a lot, or a little, and mold it into the type of padding that you needed at the time. I definitely will carry it again.....along with duct tape and on most of my travels.
It's true...there is always another experience. I have had amazing results and protection from Compeed and never travel without it. The trick is to let it come off by itself. Do not take it off forcibly. Love the stuff.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
Alex, I doubt there is nothing left to "keep it coming" after the 43 replies already given. It seems we have "crossed every T and dotted every I".Nobody will win this discussion. Ever! Keep it coming!
PS: IMHO: Compeed is one of the Devil's masterpieces. DS.
Yes, and when reading about all the obscure substances (Vaseline, Compeed, iodine, and even some outlandish ones) people are smearing on their feet, my personal sleeping bag will always travel with me: No more albergue linen/blankets for me, thank you! Blisters need desinfection and air. At least mine (few) ones...Alex, I doubt there is nothing left to "keep it coming" after the 43 replies already given. It seems we have "crossed every T and dotted every I".
I have used Leukotape as well when I am going for long walks in summer. I find it helps. I also agree with a good pair of socks. I am a newbie and looking forward to do my first CF, hopefully in 2023.Walked 4 Camino's blister free. Used Leukotape P (ordered on amazon ) to tape all my toes, my heels and any other sensitive spots preventative. Then some good socks. (I wear Thorlo medium padded socks ) Works like magic. TAPE before you start walking every day. It helped me. best wishes
I walked 2 Caminos (30 days + 10 days) with a single blister on my first, after a lot of rain. The key is prevention! Moisture + friction = blister.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
"And the beat goes on." (Cher)Having read most (not all) of the answers on this thread, there is NO way the OP will know how to make head or tail of it!
Know your feet before you walk. That's my best advice. I am now 74 and have walked whole and part Caminos since 2013. My feet keep changing! See what works for you. Lots of good advice here on the forum do just make sure you leave yourself time to see what works for you. Enjoy.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
So basically, one should train enough to get blisters in order to avoid blisters?If you are not walking enough in training to get a blister, then you are not training hard enough!
You can then practice taking care of you blister that you acquired during training. Training also allows you to experiment with various ways to avoid blisters. Socks? lubricant? others? Find what works best for you.
Don't wait until Spain to acquire this knowledge. Why spend all your time in Spain worrying about blisters?
-Paul
As far as my experience goes and I swear by my solution. Do not use any stuff which could stick to a potential blister or blister spot. Except for Hansa plast Sport Tape. No blister yet or afraid for potential blister spot, than protect that spot with the above and do not remove it at all until it falls of by it self after walking or after having a shower. It will protect that spot from getting a blister because the skin does not rub against a sock or shoe. As far as I am concerned, when you are to late with your protective action and you have a blister do NOT open up the blister but protect the blister with the (hansa plast) sport tape and NEVER remove the tape until it falls of. Then attach a new piece of tape. Your blister will be protected and eventually dry out and the skin will be ok. Also continue to use the tape for protective measure until you arrive in Santiago.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
Err…. You can train all you like at home and not get a blister… It’s different though when you walk EVERY DAY all day. Day after day. In heat or rain…If you are not walking enough in training to get a blister, then you are not training hard enough!
You can then practice taking care of you blister that you acquired during training. Training also allows you to experiment with various ways to avoid blisters. Socks? lubricant? others? Find what works best for you.
Don't wait until Spain to acquire this knowledge. Why spend all your time in Spain worrying about blisters?
-Paul
Hikers wool will protect against getting a blister. If you can get some fleece from a sheep, that also works. Compeed should not be used on intact skin as a prevention. It is great for blisters which have already have the "roof" off but it causes healthy skin to become soggy and then prone to breaking down.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
Magnificent advice Doughnut. Have a bit of compeed and wool in the bag. But these things are found at a lot of places along the way, so don't carry too much. Buen Camino!Possibly the best advice is to wear the shoes and socks that you will wear on Camino on multiple 10klm+ walks well before your Camino so that any potential issues are sorted before you go.
Then, when on Camino, walk at your own pace rather than someone else's pace and listen to your feet and the rest of your body.
Hikers wool is just thatHikers wool will protect against getting a blister. If you can get some fleece from a sheep, that also works. Compeed should not be used on intact skin as a prevention. It is great for blisters which have already have the "roof" off but it causes healthy skin to become soggy and then prone to breaking down.
Exactly. Hiker's wool or sometimes less expensive dancer's wool are for prevention, as are tape and things like Vaseline, Body Glide. Compeed is a blister treatment, and while some people like @Camino Chrissy use it for prevention, in my opinion, it's not any more effective than tape or moleskin for prevention, and a lot more expensive.Hikers wool will protect against getting a blister. If you can get some fleece from a sheep, that also works. Compeed should not be used on intact skin as a prevention. It is great for blisters which have already have the "roof" off but it causes healthy skin to become soggy and then prone to breaking down.
I agree with you.Nobody will win this discussion. Ever! Keep it coming!
PS: IMHO: Compeed is one of the Devil's masterpieces. DS.
I saw sheep wool on the fences and always left it there. I had no idea it could be used.Hikers wool is just thatI picked wool from sheep (from fences) before my first caminos as I had no idea it could be bought
Just don't wash it with soap or you will remove the lanolin. It is okay, though, to pick the sticks and other debris out.I saw sheep wool on the fences and always left it there. I had no idea it could be used.
This made me chuckle(Q: What's the collective term for a group of walking pilgrims? A: A blister!).
Hi Katherine, I was very fortunate I had no problems with my feet at all. I visited a podiatrist to check my feet & took along my hiking shoes. They were excellent. Informed me not to have a pedicure within month of leaving therefore allowing my feet to be hardened. My Keen shoes were a perfect fit with room from toe to tip of shoe to move and my feet were relaxed & comfortable in shoes. Keens are a wider fit than many others. I also wore very good socks. I carried 2 spare pairs in backpack & each day washed my socks when finished my walk. I then wore therapy thongs and most nights as getting into bed I placed vaseline on the soles of my feet.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
Smear your feet with Vick, vaseline or umguentum de peregrino every morning. Combined with good socks, you should be blister free. I prefer Vick because I can get it in any farmacia. I found vaseline to be uncommon and the specialist umguentum was expensive. I will throw in an unsubstantiated rumour about vick. Apparently it repels bedbugs but I have no evidence to support this. Just a rumour that other pilgrims have repeated. If you are European based, Lidl sell really good hiking socks. Every time they have them in stock, I buy a few pairsUntil coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
I have walked enough that I know most of my feet's sensitive areas. I use "MeFix" ("Hypafix" is similar) tape as a preventative on one or two areas. It can easily be removed at the end of the day in the shower. I also use "HikeGoo" between my big toe and adjacent areas. Also a smear of that on a few areas that tend to form calluses. I also use a sandpaper-like "file" to smooth out callused areas on my feet as that's where I tend to get blisters.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
Err…. You can train all you like at home and not get a blister… It’s different though when you walk EVERY DAY all day. Day after day. In heat or rain…
I know, I’ve been there
Compeed is NOT for putting on blisters!! It is for preventing blisters! If you put it on a blister, when you try to pull it off, your skin will come with it, leaving what remains of the blister to get infected! I don't know how many pilgrims we bandaged up because someone had told them to get comped for their blisters without explaining this fact.Never use Compeed. It encloses moist and makes your blisters worse. Air and antiseptic cream is the best healer.
Exactly! I have done many damage control jobs on pilgrims who thought Compeed was a good idea on blisters. Some of them were so bad I suppress the sights...Compeed is NOT for putting on blisters!! It is for preventing blisters! If you put it on a blister, when you try to pull it off, your skin will come with it, leaving what remains of the blister to get infected! I don't know how many pilgrims we bandaged up because someone had told them to get comped for their blisters without explaining this fact.
Alex, sounds like you are @David's little helper with first aid.Exactly! I have done many damage control jobs on pilgrims who thought Compeed was a good idea on blisters. Some of them were so bad I suppress the sights...
He, he; I actually have had a few good conversations with him on the subject. We have met on a couple of occations. A good man.Alex, sounds like you are @David's little helper with first aid.
The duct tape helps with that, or if you are female, you can tuck it under a bra strap under your shirt if the pressure point is in the right spot. I have sensitive ankle bones that stick out on the inside of my foot, and my higher topped OBOZ rubbed on those unless I had exactly the correct sock combo (didn't realize this ahead of time). The lambswool padded that spot as well. It can also be used for a metatarsal or ball of the foot extra pad.OH... I'v never used the wool for pack straps! How do you avoid losing it?
I had horrifying chain on my first camino on my clavicle bones and on my iliac crest. Strangely the identical pack on 2 subsequent walks did not produce the same result, but I still carry thin pieces of foam (from smart-phone boxes!) to give to others who might experience the same problem that I did initially.
I do wonder if I will face it again if I ever get out there again, as I have regained weight on COV that I hadn't seen since 2014...
In other words: I think there might be more of me to rub against parts of my pack...
Sitting at my desk, wishing to have the opportunity to test my theory!!
Why do people perennially trot out this 'natural' and entirely wrong piece of advice? As anyone with an understanding of human biology, and every doctor, knows, healing is a cellular process. Your body marshals a highly sophisticated response to damage, bringing leukocytes (white blood cells) to fight infection and other resources to repair damage. This can only happen in the presence of moisture. Compeeds work, and as a five-time pilgrim I have experienced on more than one occasion that they do, by creating a moist, sealed environment around the wound. As a doctor once explained, giving a wound air is a good way to get a scar. I honestly think the anti-Compeed crowd are like a subset of anti-vaxxers.Never use Compeed. It encloses moist and makes your blisters worse. Air and antiseptic cream is the best healer.
Beware though if you are sensitive to adhesives. Some I can handle, and things like duct tape, or regular ECG stickers, the tape they put over the cotton ball after a shot… all give me hives.The duct tape helps with that, or if you are female, you can tuck it under a bra strap under your shirt if the pressure point is in the right spot. I have sensitive ankle bones that stick out on the inside of my foot, and my higher topped OBOZ rubbed on those unless I had exactly the correct sock combo (didn't realize this ahead of time). The lambswool padded that spot as well. It can also be used for a metatarsal or ball of the foot extra pad.
Compeed is NOT for putting on blisters!!
On one of my Caminos a young woman that I was occasionally walking with was putting on her boots in the morning after bandaging up multiple blisters. I spotted some hiking sandals in her backpack and urged her to wear them instead of the boots until her blisters healed.I can recall seeing pilgrims with terrible, painful blisters on their feet yet they continued to wear the same shoe/sock combo. Quite obvious based on the actual physical injury it caused, that combo does not work. Something has to change. Perhaps both have to be changed.
Compeed as a prophylactic blister treatment - you must be made of money. There are many more effective preventative treatments, most of them already discussed in this thread. More, the very fact that someone tries to remove a Compeed patch, in spite of the clear instructions to leave it on until it comes away by itself, indicates that it isn't been used properly, and one might expect the very result that the patch removes the material underneath it.Compeed is NOT for putting on blisters!! It is for preventing blisters! If you put it on a blister, when you try to pull it off, your skin will come with it, leaving what remains of the blister to get infected! I don't know how many pilgrims we bandaged up because someone had told them to get comped for their blisters without explaining this fact.
I see no harm in using Compeed as you describe - as padding on blister-free skin, especially since you leave it on until it comes off by itself. But as @dougfitz points out, it is a rather expensive method of prevention.I use Compeed and can cut it into any shape I need. I only use it on hot spots and have always had good results. I leave it on for three days and it sticks well while showering. I do not get blisters.
I've never had more than two hotspots on any Camino so for me Compeed has not been expensive at all. The same small piece sticks for the three days and I'm done. I don't use it for the "what if" day after day on good skin.I see no harm in using Compeed as you describe - as padding on blister-free skin, especially since you leave it on until it comes off by itself. But as @dougfitz points out, it is a rather expensive method of prevention.
If you live in flat area say sea level it is difficult to train the mountains and hills build up your endurance with the shoes and socks you will wear . Learning to lace and tie your shoes can make a difference blisters or no blisters. I have over the years used a silk sock liner and smartwool socks and had no issues with blisters. I am walking the Portugese Camino right now wearing running shoes and Injinji toe socks and have had no issues with l blisters. My wife gets blisters regularly. Ask at the albergue for vinegar and salt needle and thread the blister and soak it will dry up the blister. A hospitalero in Gronon taught us this when we were walking a winter camino.Possibly the best advice is to wear the shoes and socks that you will wear on Camino on multiple 10klm+ walks well before your Camino so that any potential issues are sorted before you go.
Then, when on Camino, walk at your own pace rather than someone else's pace and listen to your feet and the rest of your body.
Interesting piece of advice. I have not seen vinegar and salt mentioned on the forum before (to my memory).Ask at the albergue for vinegar and salt needle and thread the blister and soak it will dry up the blister. A hospitalero in Gronon taught us this when we were walking a winter camino.
Thanks for asking the question; I look forward to learning from the answers you get!Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
Thank you for sharing this link!Colloidal dressings like Compeed should only be used to treat de-roofed blisters. They can do more damage than good on intact blisters, as previous posters have suggested. Have a look at Rebecca Rushton's website https://www.blister-prevention.com/ for a better explanation than I can give here, including a pretty forthright explanation of the limitations of this type of dressing.
She also addresses some of the issues with common blister prevention techniques like powders and potions such as Glide and vaseline.
Please, please, please don't do this. Vinegar and salt is even worse than trying to sterilize with alcohol or a flame.Ask at the albergue for vinegar and salt needle and thread the blister and soak it will dry up the blister.
Hello I read many things how compeed is bad , in my case it helped me to through two Caminos without it no idea . So it did not get stuck at all , and you put it the minute you feel a little burning spot before blister is visible much , sometimes blister continues growing too but compeed still helped me with friction . I never open my blisters ,I let them go back naturally . Another tip always use fat foot cream or Vaseline everyday , if you have to clean a bit where is compeed I used desifective wet vipes. I also know by now where my blisters grow this time I even put compeed to prevent it , it still happened but it was more under control. If. You really really have multiples blisters always good idea to rest one day , situation gets much better after.Until coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
Just remembered another simple tip, always take off your shoes when you are resting , this way your feet swelling goes down a little also shoe and socks dry outUntil coming to these forums, I had no idea what compeed or hikers wool are… now I do, but I’m still confused… I don’t know if they address the same problem or different problems… should get either or … or both? If both - when to use which? Anything else I should know about foot care? At the end of the day - this seems to be the most important aspect of preparation… please advise.
Anything else I should know about foot care?
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