Is it better to pop the blister on the bottom of my foot or bandage it before a run?

Unless you can bandage the blister and give it time to heal before you venture out again, it's best to drain if before bandaging, says Ronald Jensen, D.P.M., a spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association. If you don't, it's going to grow much bigger, and then it will pop on its own. In the meantime, he says, you'll be hobbled by the painful protrusion or risk infection if it's crammed in your shoe without the proper antiseptic and bandaging. His blister-busting strategy: Wash your foot well, apply antiseptic, and carefully puncture the lower edge of the blister's "roof" with a sterilized needle or pin, permitting the fluid to drain. Apply some antibiotic cream and bandage. Allow the skin to harden and come off on its own, protecting the tender tissue underneath until it has toughened up. Before exercising, cover the area well with sterile gauze or moleskin. According to Dr. Jensen, "The two biggest reasons for blisters are shoes that don't fit properly and manufacturer's defects." His suggestion: to make sure your shoes aren't too snug (some people go up a full size for running shoes) and that no rough seams or edges are rubbing against your foot. A final footnote: Keep moisture to a minimum by changing your socks before a run, and applying antiperspirant to the bottoms of sweat-prone soles.