Unfortunately, athletes are no strangers to blisters. It doesn't matter what sport you do, how often you do it, or even if you do sport at all!
Blisters can form for all sorts of reasons, but they’re usually due to poor fitting shoes or boots. They occur when your skin gets rubbed for a long period of time or intensely rubbed for a shorter period of time.
A common defence against blisters, is tape. And that's where we come in. Let's talk through some of the best tapes that you can use, as well as some tips to combat them once and for all.
HOW TO TAPE FOR BLISTERS:
What's the best blister tape?
If you're always developing blisters on your runs or hikes, then tape could be the answer that you're looking for. You can use Zinc Oxide Tape and or Kinesiology Tape as a shield to prevent blisters from forming. Let's take a closer look at these two tapes and how they work.
ZINC OXIDE TAPE
Zinc Oxide Tapes are inelastic, which means that they don’t stretch. You can use this rigidity to help restrict and prevent painful movements, or movements that may cause any further injury. They're mainly used to protect non-weight bearing joints; think fingers, wrists and thumbs, from the inevitable injuries sustained playing in contact sports. There are two types of Zinc Oxide Tape - White and Tan.
Zinc Oxide Tan is strong. It's made from rayon cloth and provides unrivalled tensile strength. It's 3x stronger and more durable than Zinc Oxide White.
Zinc Oxide White is made from a cotton cloth. This make it more lightweight, pliable and comfortable to wear.
Given its strength, we would recommend the Tan when it comes to blister prevention. In comparison to K Tape and Zinc Oxide Tape it's softer to the touch, so is more comfortable to wear. However, it's not waterproof and will generally only last 1 day. Both tapes work by preventing your shoes or socks from rubbing directly against the skin.
For longer-lasting results, use K Tape over the top of your Zinc Oxide Tape application in order to waterproof it. As we've mentioned, Zinc Oxide Tape will only last a day, whereas K Tape is waterproof and can last 3+ days on the foot and ankle, if applied correctly.
👆Find out more about Zinc Oxide vs Zinc Oxide Tan 👆
Kinesiology Tape
Kinesiology Tape is a stretchy, cotton (or synthetic) tape designed to mimic the elasticity of the skin. It’s used by athletes and therapists worldwide to provide proprioceptive feedback, pain relief and support to joints, muscles and tendons.
K Tape has rapidly become one of the most used products in sports medicine. Gracing the bodies of athletes and weekend warriors all over the world as they strive to compete injury-free.
They're still commonly made from cotton with various blends of nylon, lycra and other materials to add stretch. Some contain latex (not ours), and the fabric density can vary greatly.
Whilst K Tape may not be as traditionally 'soft' as Zinc Oxide Tape, it does have one big benefit that makes it so popular with blister applications. It's waterproof.
That's why, for longer-lasting results, using a strip of K Tape over the top of your Zinc Oxide Tan Tape application is the perfect combination. As we've mentioned, the Zinc Oxide will only last a day, whereas K Tape is waterproof and can last 3+ days on the foot and ankle, if applied correctly.
What are the best blister taping tips?
Right, you know what tape you're going to need to help shield you against those pesty blisters. Now, we want to make sure you're getting the most out of them. Here are a few of our best tips that we can give you to help you run, climb and train blister-free.
1. TAPE DIRECTLY ON TO THE SKIN
Rip a few small strips of Zinc Oxide. Preferably SPORTTAPE's Zinc Oxide Tan Tape. Then stick them directly onto your skin where your blisters normally form. You want to cover as much skin as needed to prevent any sort of friction (see above image).
Because Zinc Oxide Tape is non-elastic, using too much of it will restrict movement, so only use short strips. From here, cover your Zinc with a short strip of K Tape (see below image). As well as being water resistant, K Tape uses a stronger glue than even the stickiest Zinc Oxide Tapes. Give it 30 minutes to set, and you’re good to go!
2. TAPE YOUR INSOLE
It would be an understatement to say that the insoles in running shoes and walking boots don’t have particularly soft edges, especially on the inside arch.
Insoles are the most common cause of blisters, and can cause real irritation when wearing them for long stretches of time. Especially when your feet are sweating, or getting soaked from wading through streams!
Use SPORTTAPE's K Tape or Zinc Oxide Tape to prevent blisters caused by insole friction. Fold one strip of your chosen blister tape carefully around the inside edge of your insole. This creates a softer and more forgiving surface that your feet will thank you for.
Blister tapes won’t solve the problem, but they may help in preventing the development of a blister. If you'd like any more information or just have a question for, get in touch. We'd love to help!
