SKIN CONDITIONS
Your skin is tough and delicate all at the same time. Skin has the extremely important job of protecting us from the environment. The skin in the area of foot and ankle takes a beating while running. There is repetitive physical contact that aggravates the skin in different ways, and shoes are breeding grounds for germs that get trapped in a warm, moist closed space. Here are some common issues found in runners. Make sure you see a dermatologist or foot doctor early when you are having skin issues.
BLISTER
WHAT IS IT?
Fluid-filled bump where the layers of skin separate from each other.
WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?
Tight or loose shoes, bad socks, wet feet, poorly cut toenails, and slippery terrain cause rubbing and shearing that damages the skin.
SYMPTOMS
Blisters often form within one workout. Early skin redness and mild discomfort quickly progresses to a painful blister that can make running unbearable. The fluid can get tense and uncomfortable until drainage occurs. With the removal of mechanical stress, the blister will heal over the next several days.
TREATMENT
A foot specialist can treat the blister to allow for some continued activity, but once fluid is present, time and rest will be required for the injury to heal.
CALLUSES AND CORNS
WHAT ARE THEY?
Discrete, thick, firm skin bumps commonly found on runners’ feet. Calluses are large and variable in shape, usually on the sides and bottoms of the feet. Corns are small, rounded, and focused, often on the toes.
WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?
Friction/stress/pressure cause gradual thickening in the skin, especially at bony prominences.
SYMPTOMS
Discrete, firm, rough lumps in the surface of the skin. They are often nontender and may be protective, but they can become painful with constant contact.
TREATMENT
Foot specialists can easily trim or excise the hardened skin. Various padding and shoe adjustments can prevent them from coming back. However, corns and calluses can be stubborn, and many runners choose to live with or work around them.
WART
WHAT IS IT?
A wart is a thick skin growth caused by viruses.
SYMPTOMS
Warts are usually nontender but can be painful with running. They are discrete, raised, thickened, hardened skin nodules, typically on the bottom of the foot (plantar wart). They are similar to calluses and corns, but warts have a speckled appearance (black dots). Warts can be stubborn, can spread, and are contagious.
TREATMENT
Foot specialists have various treatment options ranging from topical medications to surgery.
ATHLETE’S FOOT (TINEA PEDIS)
WHAT IS IT?
Common skin rash caused by fungal infection.
WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?
The fungus gets picked up by your foot in any public place. The fungus then grows in your skin aided by the wet, warm confined space of your shoe.
SYMPTOMS
The skin will be itchy, and will appear dry, cracked, and peeling. Fissures can form in the skin. The rash is most commonly on the sole of the foot and between the toes. The rash is usually painless, but the skin can become raw and irritated.
BEWARE!
Eczema has a similar appearance.
Treatment: Fungal infections are easily treated with topical or oral antibiotics.
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