You’re consulting with a patient and they mention they’ll be doing a lot more walking than usual. This could be because they’ve:
- started a fitness regime
- signed up for a walking fundraiser event
- going on a holiday and will be walking more than they usually do
During Your Consultation
So there’s an imminent increase in walking volume. During your consultation with them:
- You chat about the shoes they’ll be wearing – all good on that front.
- You chat about some training tips to progressively increase their walking volume.
- You chat about the plantarfasciitis they had last year and agree on a plan to make sure it won’t rear its ugly head again.
- Do you chat about blisters?
If not, you’re doing your patient a huge disservice. Blisters are the most likely injury to occur when someone does long distance walking, especially if they’re unaccustomed to it. And you’re about to let this opportunity slip by.
There’s more to blister prevention than having comfortable shoes. I always start with asking where they’ve had blisters before, because these are the blister locations they can expect to be troubled with. Your patient won’t make the connection – but you could, and it couldn’t be a simpler way to get the conversation started.
By advising on blisters, you’ll be removing the most likely block to their momentum – and maintaining momentum is so important when you’re starting a fitness regime or taking part in an athletic event. And it will help them enjoy the occasion of this event or their big holiday.
As A Podiatrist…
As a podiatrist, you enjoy helping people maximise their foot health so they can enjoy an active lifestyle. So, don’t let this opportunity slip by.
Blisters are a common issue that can affect your patients’ comfort and mobility, so please make sure you discuss them with them.
