Blisters and swellings - The Toronto Weekend to End Women's Cancers

kazalicoley · Member

Blisters and swellings

Didds · Veteran Member

The best thing for swelling is RICE - rest, ice, compression, elevation. And an anti-inflammatory like advil, if you want to medicate.

davidsmum · Member

I have the same problem...my left toe nail is much worse than my right.
I did see a Dr. tonight and he said that he thought I would lose the nail because it has lifted so much.
It is very tender and painful :(

I know how you're feeling.

I also have a terrible rash over my feet and ankles...I saw a few ladies with the same thing on their legs..."walkers rash"

my feet and legs look awful right now.

a freind suggested that if I lose my nail to ask for 10% discount when I get a pedicure!!!!

crash · Member

I actually find heat works better. I find heat loosens everything up and cold makes everything tighter. Which ever works better as it is an individual thing. If you have access to a hot tub, beg the neighbours! Or a hot bath. I stretch while in the warm water and I find this makes a ton of difference.

Naamphong · Senior Member

I just looked at my feet after changing the dressings on my blisters and OMG ROFL LMAO my big toes and the ones next to them do NOT touch the floor! I can get my fingers under them like a bridge! LOL I will be a real site at work tomorrow, my pink shower flip flops I guess are the shoes of the day! I could barely get into them today.

LoriMarie · Newbie

This was my first year walking and it was a fantabulous experience. I would of loved to go without the 2 huge heal blisters. haha. I have never had blisters like this before and am looking for some advise from other people what I should do. I have read that I should drain them and then I have also read that I should not.
Let's just say that I wore slippers to the office today and will for sometime as I can't get any shoes on or let anything tough my heals. They are the size of toonies. lol ( also between my toes on on the baby toes)
My calves are screaming as on Day 2, I compensated for my blisters by walking on the balls of my feet. Did I sign up for next year?? hell ya...
biggrin

Lhiggs · Newbie

This was my first time walking and as much as I hate to say this, I am glad I am not alone in the suffering of blisters and swelling. I was really scared when I saw the size of my toes today, since I can barely bend them due to the fact that they look like Vienna Sausages about to explode. I too am losing a nail, it seems to be hanging on so I am hoping I don't lost all of it. At least after reading all of these posts I know what I am experiencing is normal and we all will heal in a few days I suppose. Thank you for a wonderful weekend and I will see you all again next year.......ya I registered already...LOL

Randy- Think Pink Direct · Senior Member

a few things you can do to help those achy muscles...epson salt baths, especially the one with lavender will be soothing to those sore muscles.

As far as draining the blister, do it carefully and do not pull the skin off Just prick the skin enough to drain the liquid. Make sure to clean it really well before and after with rubbing alcohol.

You're probably going to lose the toe nails (sorry) don't worry, they will grow back, I promise! But do not pull the nail off or cut it back too far, that nail needs to be there to protect your nail bed and help the new nail grow without being damaged. If you have a blister under your toe nail, which is very common, lance it with a pin and drain it and again lots of alcohol (on the blister-LOL) it will help relieve the pressure on your nail and keep it down. The last thing you want to do is catch that nail on something and have it pull up, it is extremely painful.

Advil for sure helps, Aleve is a little stronger.

I know it's hard, but make sure to keep stretching. If you're at a desk, get up and walk around every half hour to keep from seizing up.

I promise you will all start to feel much better, and the fatigue will start to pass by Wednesday.

Congratulations to all of you!. THis is my 7th year walking, and each year brings new moments of joy and tears, and each walk is so special in it's own right, and this year was wonderful!

So...who's in for next year?! Start your fundraising early, take advantage of October and breast cancer month...

rest up, and welcome back for 2010!
Randy

LoriMarie · Newbie

Thanks for the tips Randy... Co-workers today asked me if I would do it again next year as they watched me hop along and in pain... I told them yes and they were shocked. I told them that my blisters will heal along with my calves. This is nothing compared to chemo and radiation... I was the lucky one. They all nodded and agreed with me...
At the last 2.8 yesterday I woud of said no to doing the walk again, but... like I said above, I will heal in no time....
Take care smile

Naamphong · Senior Member

I must say I got a chuckle reading the above posts. My blisters are sore, but not as sore as some you seem to be dealing with. Sausages, that is what my toes look like! thank you for the clarification! LOL Slippers I did not think of that...am going to find a pair right now for work today.
smile

CherylA · Newbie

Great advice, Randy & everyone else!

I lost toenails last year due to blisters under my nails. Honestly, it wasn't all that bad. The old nails stayed there... they just weren't holding on all that great. Then the new nails grew in. This year I've been doing a lot of running, and am seeing loss of toenails in my future. (sigh)

I walked one day this year & then did medical on the 2nd day. I saw many walkers that are probably going to lose some nails... but most didn't complain about pain, etc... they just wanted their feet bandaged so they could walk again. All I can say is you guys ROCK! Hoping everyone's feet feel better soon!

The only thing I can say is people seemed to feel that their feet were even more swollen than expected & so maybe didn't have big enough shoes & socks. Also, next year just inspect your feet & try to get blisters popped under toenails (ouch!) as soon as you can. However, sometimes it's just too late... once the toenail starts moving, you're in trouble!

~cheryl

tferus · Veteran Member

I've named each baby toes' blisters: Vader and Squishy. biggrin

All of my blisters FINALLY stopped draining over night and I'm walking alot better today.

But my feet are understandibly still puffy and my toes look like chubby toes on babies. So funny.

I'm so proud of everyone getting through it with grace! Way to go!

Corynn · Veteran Member

Wow. I'm a bit embarrased to admit that I got through it without a blister.

My knee however, though no longer swollen seems to have some larger problems. If it doesn't feel better soon I'll head to th doctor on Friday. I just hope it doesn't interfere with next year!

Crystal · Member

LOL. My calves were the most sore spot on my body. I did end up with three blisters on my right foot, one on my little toe and the two really big ones on the inside edge of my heel and ball of the foot. Yikes! I had one drained at lunch on day two at the medical tent. I found a huge blood blister when I got home and finally took of my shoes. It looked like a giant bunion! I did use a pin cleaned with peroxide to help with the draining and cleaned the area with rubbing alcohol. The two big blisters are actually fine and healing really well. Thankfully I didn't get any blisters under my toe nails. I feel bad for all of you that did; it must be so painful. cry

I would recommend the epsom salt bath as well. As soon as I got home Sunday I took a nice long bath with the salts. It really helped ease the muscle pain, and I was mostly ok on Monday except for the tight calves, which made me walk like Frankenstein lol

I'm a first time walker as well and found the experience amazing. There were some emotional moments for me as I just lost my mom in October '08, but it was all worth it. It may seem crazy but I can't wait until next year!

Crystal

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

My first year walking in this event was in 2007. That was the year I started to lose toe nails after each walk. I also had an insane amount of blisters on my feet but after battling the pain and walking the 60 + kms to the finish line, I was soooo proud of myself and what we all accomplished. And since then, I continued to sign up and continue(d) to battle the blisters. After 2007, I added this (cute) little poem to my page and I thought I'd share it with you all

"If it will Save a Sister
Give me a Blister
If it will Save a Mother
Give me Another
If for a Cure to Unveil
I must lose a Toenail
Then Take all Ten
And LET THE CURE BEGIN!!!!"

Walker1 · Veteran Member

Well said, Ashley!!!

Didds · Veteran Member

just a tip - if you want to avoid losing your toenail take your shoes up a half size. I got this advice from the guy that sold me my shoes at the running room.

Crystal · Member

Great poem :)

caringspirit · Member

Great poem Ashley. This was my first year walking 60 km. Got a couple hot spots on the sole of my right foot but not one blister. The moment I felt a hot spot coming on, I went to the next pit stop and taped my feet up really well. The front of my thighs were sore and calves were tight from all the hills. WOW those I am not used to. Flat grounds here in Windsor. There is only one hill I have to walk over delivering my papers one day a week. Under that hill is a railway. Time to start my training for next year. Back to delivering papers tomorrow and putting another 21 km or 13 miles under my feet yet again. LOL

tferus · Veteran Member

Sweet poem, Ashley. If it's okay, I'd like to share it with my team. :)

Ashley Costa · Senior Member

Of course Tania!

(I believe I got it from someone on the message boards before too anyways)

-- Edited by Ashley Costa on Thursday 17th of September 2009 10:57:15 AM

Doreen H · Veteran Member

Loved the poem, Ashley.
I think there were more toe injuries caused by swollen feet this year due to the extreme heat. I have a bruised toe and an iffy toenail myself on one foot. I always buy my walking shoes 1/2 size larger, and have never had this problem before, but I did notice more swelling this year. The heat rash, or walkers rash as it has been called, was quite rampant also. But this too shall pass, and is only a minor inconvenience, not a fight for life.
I'm pretty sure I will be doing this all over again in 2010.

Doreen from Ajax.

kazalicoley · Member

Thanks for the tips everyone... and lovely poem Ashley.

I tried the epsom salts for my blisters after draining them first which my pharmacist recommended, and had a long soak in an epsom salt bath too but it made my feet swell even more lol

I sit down too much at my computer so that doesn't help... I do try to get up every so often as Randy suggests... honest I do... so it's going to take some time for the swellings to go down and the aches to pass... but if it's a choice of cancer or blisters, swellings and losing a couple of toenails... I'll take them all, no question about it.

And will be doing it all again next year.

Ashley... great to see you joined the Walkers on Bikes team!!! Will see you there next year!

Didds · Veteran Member

Heat makes swelling worse, that's why I said ice :)

Heat is good for sore muscles, but you want to ice any swelling.

When my feet were swollen I put a bucket if ice water under my desk. It totally worked - soothing and brought the swelling down.

-- Edited by Didds on Friday 18th of September 2009 10:50:25 AM