Blisters
Blisters are a common cause of pain and discomfort when playing sports. They are caused by a shearing movement, created when the skin slides over the underlying bone. There are a number of factors that contribute to blister formation. Skin on the feet is thicker, making it more susceptible. Excessive heat and moisture causes skin to stick to the shoe or sock, explaining why blisters are more common at the start of the football season in summer, and also on very wet days. During a football game, you will often stop and change direction suddenly, so the bones of the feet are constantly moving relative to the overlying skin. The more of these factors that are at play, the more likely a blister is to develop. How do we stop them? By wearing football boots that fit correctly, changing socks regularly, wearing orthotics to stabilise the bones of the feet and adding ENGO patches to the inside of your shoes. ENGO patches are thin blue patches with an extremely low friction coefficient that are very successful in preventing blisters.