ENGO® Blister Prevention Patches are most commonly used to prevent and relieve troublesome hot spots and blisters in athletic, casual and dress footwear. However, one commonly overlooked application for these slick blue “blister stickers” is to patch areas within fabric-lined footwear (running, hiking and other sports shoes, most commonly) to extend the footwear’s useful life and also prevent irritation and blisters.
Thomas from Queensland Australia shared these wonderful photos with our Australian ENGO® marketing and distribution partner, Esperance Podiatry, who operates the informative foot care site, called Blister Prevention.
As you can see, the fabric on the inside heel of Thomas’ footwear is badly torn, due to repetitive rubbing (friction) after MANY miles of use. If a person didn’t have particularly sensitive skin, they may not initially experience hot spots or blisters. However, this is a friction-induced breakdown of the shoe liner and it’s certainly not uncommon for the shoe’s liner to begin wearing through or tearing after a few hundred miles of wear.
The most common reaction is to replace the shoes because they are “worn out”. However, if the sole and other aspects of the shoe still appear to be solid, a much more affordable solution is to pick up a pack of ENGO® Blister Prevention Patches from your local specialty running store or online.
Applying ENGO® Blister Prevention Patches is incredibly easy. Simply select the appropriately sized patch for the area of coverage (choose from small or large oval patches, heel patches, or rectangles for custom trimming), place the adhesive side against the inside of the shoe liner, and press firmly to secure. We suggest using a hair dryer or heat gun to soften the adhesive a bit after applying the patch; then pressing firmly around the perimeter to create a long-lasting bond between the patch and shoe liner. This extra step is not required, but will help ensure the patches are well-adhered for lasting blister protection.
For more information about ENGO® Blister Prevention Patches, or to find a specialty retailer near you or online, visit www.GoENGO.com.
If you live in or near Australia, New Zealand, the UK or surrounding area, or Scandinavia, you’re in luck. We have a team of excellent international distributors to help ensure that our customers around the world are able to access the product nearby.
International ENGO Blister Prevention Patch Distributors
Esperance Podiatry (Australian and New Zealand): www.blisterprevention.com.au
London Orthotic Consultancy (UK and surrounding countries): www.goengo.co.uk
ULTRARUN (Scandinavia): www.ultrarunshop.com