Runners log in dozens of miles each week in preparation for their next race. They often suffer from runner’s foot problems such as calluses, especially on the toes.
As a runner, you may be proud of your running time and mileage except to when you are facing yellowish patches on your feet. You also want to wear sport sandals but are not able to do so because of unpleasant calluses formed on your feet due to running.
What are calluses?
Calluses are thick patches caused by repeated friction or pressure on the bare skin of the hands and feet. Calluses usually develop on feet from running. However, foot calluses can result from any type of sport in which your feet suffer recurrent pressure.
How Calluses form while running?
You get calluses from friction but if you’re running in proper form, then you will not face any friction between your foot and your shoes. Therefore, a recurring callus is a flaw in your running form. This causes your foot to slide a little backward when your weight is on that spot. This generally happens because you may have a stiff torso that doesn’t shift easily off the front of your foot.
The Upside: How Calluses Help Runners
The Benefit of having ugly calluses on your feet is during sandal season. The repeated pressure and friction from contact between your foot and your shoe during running causes the skin on your foot to harden into a protective surface. This hard layer protects the area from repetitive friction results. This is how ugly calluses function as a guard on these long runs. Moreover, if you are suffering from runner’s foot problems such as calluses, and it isn’t painful then it is best to leave it alone.
How do Calluses affect Runners?
A runner’s feet naturally toughen up the course of training due to calluses. Calluses are rough and thick patches form due to frequent rubbing. Mostly they are painless but if they get large enough, they may need to be filed down to ensure that your running shoes fit properly.
Although calluses are not among the most feared running injuries. But these are annoying and make you feel a sneaking suspicion that there’s something wrong. That suspicion is longer-term calluses form from poorly fitting shoes. If it is a persistent problem that comes from your running form, then it’s a warning sign to treat it soon.
Ailments such as bunions, bone spurs, and hammertoes can increase the amount of friction your feet experience in your shoes and put you at higher risk for developing calluses. If your running routine is causing existing callus irritated and inflamed. It’s necessary to consult your doctor before starting to run or running a marathon so that you get immediate help for treating it. They will minimize the size of calluses so that you can run comfortably. Also Read: 7 Quick Ways To Get Rid of Foot Calluses and Corns
How to Treat Calluses?
Sometimes calluses are painful. So, to prevent them you must read the below points.
- Firstly, get the shoes of the right size that fits you properly. Because shoes that are too tight cause calluses on the top or sides of the toe box.
- According to the American Academy of Dermatology, soaking your feet in warm water for five to ten minutes cleans and soft calluses skin.
- A pumice stone can also be used on your wet callus for two to three minutes. This stone is helpful in scraping off the dead, hard skin that has formed on your foot. You should be careful while scrubbing your skin because removal of too much skin can cause bleeding or infection.
- You can also use the Callus Performance Remover Tool for removing extra callus build up that is bothering you. Don’t take off too much of your callus because you still want protection which it would prevent it from creating a wound.
- With this always use moisturizer foot cream to keep the callus area soft. You can use Callus Performance Healing Salve which includes salicylic acid, ammonium, and lactate which helps in healing your Calluses. Use it regularly for moisturizing the hard skin. However, it prevents you from cracking, bleeding, or infection.
Final Words
Remember, calluses are normal for many athletes in sports. They often protect them against runner’s foot problems. You should not let calluses get too big because they can crack and become infected. But if your calluses are not treated with the help of the above-mentioned ways and you are suffering from thick, painful calluses continuously then you can consult a dermatologist and sports-oriented physician to treat them.