Skin injuries

[Eldritch Knight]

I have calluses all over my feet from doing kendo, but every once in a while (usually after I take a long break from kendo and come back to it) when I start practicing, they tear off and expose the dermis (which prevents me from walking normally). Is there a way to properly cover this so that it can heal while also allowing me to do kendo? On a related note, is there a way to prevent my sole skin from splitting or tearing off?

[Yzakj]

I have calluses all over my feet from doing kendo, but every once in a while (usually after I take a long break from kendo and come back to it) when I start practicing, they tear off and expose the dermis (which prevents me from walking normally). Is there a way to properly cover this so that it can heal while also allowing me to do kendo? On a related note, is there a way to prevent my sole skin from splitting or tearing off?

The sensei's may tell you that you shouldn't worry about it because everyone gets it, and you'll probalby forget about it during practice. If you have like blisters first, what I recently did was just use a pin and poke it so all the liquid will come out. My skin was still there to protect the new skin forming, and it won't pop as long as no liquid builds up alot. I dunno what your feet do though, sorry if I couldn't help.

[Raiza]

We have a regular visiting 3rd Dan from Canton, NY who has this problem too. Every year or so the massive callus at the ball of his foot shears off. He slaps on Second Skin (http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=672297&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=133213&bmUID=1074287434240) (available from Spenco (http://www.spenco.com/prod_2ndskin.html)) once the wound is closed and swears (profusely) by this stuff. It's great for blister prevention but make sure it's not placed on an open wound.

[Halcyon]

I have calluses all over my feet from doing kendo, but every once in a while (usually after I take a long break from kendo and come back to it) when I start practicing, they tear off and expose the dermis (which prevents me from walking normally). Is there a way to properly cover this so that it can heal while also allowing me to do kendo? On a related note, is there a way to prevent my sole skin from splitting or tearing off?
the best thing would be to have an even layer of toughened skin, but not to the point that you get bulky callouses. one way to achieve this is to use one of those pumice stones at the end of your shower or bath to grind away some of the callouses.

but if you already have an exposed injury, sports tape (the white cloth type that you can find in most drug stores or sports equipment stores) seems to work best. however, you'll have to experiment with taping methods, because if you use too little tape, it will easily peel off, especially from the balls of the feet.

if you find that's happening, try taping length-wise also, through the toes. that should help prevent curling of the tape edges a little bit. oh yeah, and make sure you're taping up your foot while you're putting some pressure on it, otherwise, you'll end up taping it too tightly.

[Shambler]

I've had my skin come off a bit too when I was starting, but it's gotten better over time. If I rub all the skin off to the dermis as you've said, I usually put some neosporin on the area and put a large bandage over the area. Then I wear a tabi on that foot until it's healed completely. But your skin will adjust over time I believe, and handle it better.

I'm no expert on this, but that's what I have done, and so far it has served me well. I hope this helps!

[niji]

i think my skin problem is quite different...

my skin grow pretty fast... my foot have seasoned... then one mth later.. the seasoned skin auto came off... exposed new skin.. then start to season again.. then again... one mth later auto peel off again... then i have to start all over again to season it...

u know what am i talking about for my case....

i felt so... arrugh... lucky... i can withstand the sharp pain on my foot.. just that... its better not to feel the extra pain...

any suggestion for my problem... thanks....... :confused2

[ALI G]

i think my skin problem is quite different...

my skin grow pretty fast... my foot have seasoned... then one mth later.. the seasoned skin auto came off... exposed new skin.. then start to season again.. then again... one mth later auto peel off again... then i have to start all over again to season it...

Uh...no itz notz...ebery personz getz diss..welcomez 2 kendoz.....

[niji]

oh... i see... then i shall have to leave it..

thanks... i am giving my best for kendo... just started not long ago.. :wink:

[Kenshin Himura]

hm.. is there special kendo shoes you can get? in my martial arts classes I had a small problem when doing techniques at first.. blisters, rug burn, and I kinda dislocated a toe once..^^x' I bought shoes for martial ats now and im fine.. except.. the shoelaces are a bit long.. ^^x lol i just tuck the laces in

[Raiza]

There are no kendo shoes. If you're footwork is fine, then you better get used to the blisters. Some people cheat and use tabi, but it's not really looked well upon, unless you have some underlying medical condition that makes foot blistering a really bad idea. People on KW have found baby powder helps quite a bit and cleans up real easy after class.

[Arnold Strong]

This one guy had a bad blister that he was bleeding. The sensei told him that it's disresepect to lean against the wall, have bad kamae or lean on your shinai, even if you are bleeding.

[emitbrownne]

There are no kendo shoes. If you're footwork is fine, then you better get used to the blisters. Some people cheat and use tabi, but it's not really looked well upon, unless you have some underlying medical condition that makes foot blistering a really bad idea. People on KW have found baby powder helps quite a bit and cleans up real easy after class.
Baby powder YAY

[Neil Gendzwill]

This one guy had a bad blister that he was bleeding. The sensei told him that it's disresepect to lean against the wall, have bad kamae or lean on your shinai, even if you are bleeding.
If you're injured, stop and treat the injury. If you can't continue practice, it's OK to sit and watch.

[tango]

if you get blisters from practice, you're normal.

once you get home that night, pop the blisters with a needle. let all the pus get out and then leave it like that for a day or two (or maybe three or even four days, depending..). After the blister has kinda dried out (which is a judgment call on your part), then use some toe nail clippers and cut away the dead skin where the blister was. The dermis underneath this dead skin might still be tender. do not worry about it. let it get some air -- don't keep it bandaged up if you don't have to. the air will help dry it out and, in my experience of doing it like this, will help to get you back on the practice floor more quickly. you may still need to tape up your foot (or use that stuff "second skin" that was mentioned up above, which i've heard does work pretty good) for the next practice or two, but just keep letting the air get to it and it'll toughen up just fine.

this is what i do and it's worked for me in the past..
your results may vary...

good luck..

[mkomoto]

In Kendo World journal, Vol. 1, No. 4, (2002) an extensive article on friction blisters and skin cracks, specific to kendo, was published as an original work. Rather than being anecdotal, as much advice we hear in our kendo career may be, this article is based on known medical principles. I think it is an important contribution to kendo practitioners everywhere.

One point that is sure to interest everyone: proper care can reduce the recovery time significantly (wet-dressings, etc.,) and will also serve to diminsh the incidence of these problems. A considerable amount of preventative care is also described (keeping feet dry, meticulous drying after bathing, manicuring excess stratum corneum to prevent the the occasional 'shedding' of the entire callous due to the body's inability to support such a thick and inflexible dead layer. A bit of practical advice for dressings and daily care while recovering, and continuing practicing is also provided (preping skin and taping for activity, and cleaning and dressing after activity to contribute to rapid healing.

I hope you'll take time to take a look at the article and share the information with kendo friends.

M Komoto
Contributing Writer

[Musha]

I'm sorry I read this post, yuck! . But if you are getting injuries though doing Kendo it means that you are doing some thing wrong.
I have not been doing Kendo very long but I am sure it is not about using unnecessary power.
If you do Fumikomi it is a waste channelling the energy into the floor when it should be pushing forwards and into striking your partner :D.

[GMason]

Musha/Eric,

Sorry but I would have to disagree, if I understand you right, I would say fumikomi is not a waste of engery whilst pushing forward. It is a result of the energy expended whilst pushing forward to cut your partner.

You shouldn't be trying to perform Fumikomi whilst cutting it should be a by product of your cutting.

On the blisters....I might go as far to say if you are not get some blisters when you start practicing you are either not doing it right or not practicing hard enough.

Just thoughts of someone who still gets blisters even after quite a few years of practice.........you just learn to put up with them !!!

[Gary Severyn]

After having recently retired from the U.S. Army after 21 years of service... my last year having been over in South Korea (where we did a heck of a lot of foot/road marches with back packs, etc.), an old Colonel friend of mine shared with me his personal technique for coping with foot blisters (for he, like me, was proned to getting them.... I've always thought myself to have "baby feet", meaning it takes a great deal of consistent abuse and abrassion to my feet before they actual callus as they should). The following is what he recommended to me, advice which he received from an Army doctor:

If the foot blister has not "popped" on its own; has not become broken so that the water from within it is oozing out on its own... and providing you believe the blister is big enough that it will not go down; not go away on its own without first breaking or tearing (likely due to its location on your foot and the continued stress the blister will receive due to routine walking), then you should pop it/bleed it by piercing it with a sterile needle in the following manner:

First, thread about five or so inches of sewing thread into a sewing needle, then from one edge of the blister, pierce the blister and run the needle (with attached thread) inside the blister... to the opposite side or edge of the blister, and pull out the needle with the thread being inside of the blister... having two ends of the thread emerging from opposite sides of the blister. Then cut/snip-off the two exposed ends of the thread, leaving about a quarter of an inch of thread dangling from each end/side of the blister. Lastly, if needed (depending on the size... and the location of the blister -- if it will receive a lot of abuse and walking pressure) cover the blister with a sterile pad to soak up the water and ooze that will be eminating from the blister. After approximately three to four days, you should be able to gently remove the thread by obviously pulling it out from either end.... and that's it!

I'm sure at this point you are asking yourself, "what the heck is this technique suppose to do???" Here's the answer: The thread, by being in place, allows the large blister to drain continuously for the few days that you have it in place, without the hole that you made by piercing the blister in the first place with the sterile needle, closing up. The whole point of piercing the blister in the first place is to get the blister to drain.... while also allowing the blistered skin to stay in place and heal on top of the injured site. Because of course you want that skin to stay in place, heal, and thereby a few days later to become hard a tough.... versus having the skin be torn away and exposing a raw epidermis layer that needs to be treated with anti-bacterial ointments and which will take much longer to "build up" a callus on.

Mind you, the absolute best thing is to always allow a blister to heal on its own without messing with it whatsoever. But in cases dealing with feet and the never ending abuse, abrasion associated with wearing shoes, and pressures we place on our feet by simply walking... if a foot blister reaches a certain size (say, larger than a U.S. dime), it's most likely going to pop or tear on its own if left untreated.

Anyway, this is just one technique which I found exceptionally useful. I can't say that it will work for everyone. :wink: