KENDO FOOT (Part 2) - healing process with pictures

This is a follow-up to the original (and WiLdLy popular!) KENDO FOOT entry I made back in 2007 here: http://memphiskendo.blogspot.com/2007/08/kendo-foot.html

In this sequel, I'd like to show a fairly common, albeit wimpy, blister as it goes through the healing process. The purpose of this is perhaps to give folks an idea of what to expect over time.

Much appreciation goes out to one of the newest members of Memphis Kendo who was kind enough to provide these pictures and document the progress.

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DAY ONE (click to enlarge photo) - Saturday
After two classes, here we go....



So, the picture above is the aftermath of a two-hour class on Saturday afternoon.

Very, very common place for blister formation, especially for new folks who are just learning proper kendo footwork. It never hurts to state the obvious, so I'll take that opportunity now. This blister in the crease underneath the big toe of the left foot is caused by standard kendo footwork (okuri-ashi), pushing the whole body with the left foot/leg. It's also common to see blister formation(s) form in the center of the foot, just beneath the toes in the middle.

Above, the blister appears to have ruptures on it's own. The foot's owner has cleaned the damaged area (note: his foot is in the sink) with tap water, followed by hydrogen peroxide (rinse and repeated three times, I'm told). Did not immediately dress the are for the rest of the day. Later that night, the foot's owner went out to dinner, having prepared the damaged area with Neosporin, band-aid, socks (clean ones, obviously) and good-breathing tennis shoes. Upong returning from dinner and just prior to bed for the night, he rinsed the area again with tap water and hydrogen peroxide.


DAY TWO (no picture available) - Sunday

Cleaned the area again with clean water and hydrogen peroxide. Did not bandage. Left to air dry all day.

DAY THREE (no picture) AND FOUR (pictured below) - Monday and Tuesday

Repeating the same cleaning process, Neosporin and band-aid for work all day, followed by removal of the band-aid after dinner. Decided to cut away the skin flat at this point.

The above doesn't appear to portray a whole lot of progress after four days.

My suspicion is that this is because the skin flap was not removed on Day One. Had the skin flap been cut off at that point, it's possible the area would not look as fresh/red as it does. This is not to say that what he did was necessarily bad or wrong. The foot's owner reported no pain/stinging on Day Four in any case.

DAY FIVE - Wednesday (Kendo practice night) (no picture available)

Foot's owner reports he simply rinsed the area clean with water before heading to class.

Did not feel it necessary to tape up the toe and had no discernable problems throughout the standard beginner's class (approx. 40 minutes of a lot of basic footwork).

DAY SIX and SEVEN - Thursday and Friday

Foot's owner reports he has not done any further treatment of the area since Wednesday evening. Continues to have no issues with the damaged/healing area (no burning/stinging sensation normally associated with blisters).

DAY EIGHT - Saturday (Kendo practice at 10am)

This picture was taken immediately after getting home from practice.

The blister area has dried out very nicely. Practice room was very, very cold and remained so throughout class. Worth noting in the picture above is that the skin has split. That doesn't always happen, but it's not uncommon. Taping up the toe prior to practice might have prevented this from occurring, but it's hard to say. In any case, you will experience this at some point.

This picture was taken after showering. Foot's owner reported a sharp stinging sensation in the shower (that's normal). As you can see, though, the area has healed quite nicely and the skin split is actually not at all very deep.

Taping up the toe for the next practice should not be necessary.