Your choice of cleats can sometimes be the difference between victory and defeat when it comes to performance. It’s up to you to make sure you have the most well-suited gear to allow you to play your best. 

The types of cleats that are available are as different as the sports that are played wearing the cleats. So, why is it important to know the differences? The same reason you wouldn’t want to take a limousine to the sand dunes. Different cleats are available to adapt to the sport being played and the conditions it is played in. 

Let’s go over the different kinds of cleats so you can have every advantage to play your best on the field so you hit the ground running. 

Soccer 

Soccer cleats can vary significantly in style and purpose. This usually depends on the playing conditions and surface you’re playing on. 

Soccer cleats are usually defined by soft ground or firm ground cleats. Firm-ground cleats can be played on turf or artificial grass fields. Firm-ground cleats usually feature plastic molded studs to offer the best traction on the playing surface.

Soft ground cleats often feature removable studs that can be made of metal, plastic, or rubber. These soft ground cleats offer the most traction. It’s recommended to use these cleats when playing on grassy, wet, or muddy fields.  

American Football

Football cleats are made to take a beating, and, like soccer, come in a variety of styles. Most commonly, football cleats famously have a high-rise look. This makes for a sturdy, protective shoe that will endure any tackle. 

They also are available in mid-rise or even low-rise styles. Mid-rise and low-rise football cleats offer greater flexibility. Depending on your position and how much maneuverability you need, a low-rise or mid-rise cleat is the best option. 

Baseball

Baseball cleats can come in a variety of styles such as metal studs or plastic molded cleats. 

Similarly to American football, your position on the baseball diamond might determine which cleats will serve you best. In-fielders need to make quick movements and when playing on firm, compact ground, they need the most traction they can get. Usually, metal cleats are the way to go to get the best traction.  

Metal Cleats

In some sports, it’s common to wear cleats with metal spikes, as opposed to rubber or plastic ones. Usually, these sports can include golf, track and field, baseball, and sometimes soccer.  

However, using metal cleats while playing the wrong sport can be illegal and prove itself harmful to you and other players. Ouch! 

Why It’s Important to Know the Difference

Did you know some sports don’t allow athletes to play if they’re not wearing the right footwear? In most soccer leagues, they will allow players to wear only soccer cleats. In American football, they allow football and soccer cleats. Baseball allows baseball, soccer, and football cleats to be worn. 

When the game is on the line, you don’t want to have to worry if your cleats are going to help you or hurt you from scoring that winning goal, touchdown, or homerun. 

Getting Fitted For Your Cleats

It’s important to find a pair of cleats that will be best suited for the sport and conditions you will be playing in. And just like finding any other great pair of shoes, find cleats that fit well, are comfortable, and durable. Shoe insoles are a popular and proven way to ensure your cleats are well fitted and comfortable. 

Whatever cleats you decide to get, make sure you accompany them with Blusol cleat insoles. Click here to shop online to find a sole that will fit any style of cleat.

Getting blisters from soccer cleats and other athletic footwear is a painful problem with easy solutions!

What are Blisters?

Blisters are the accumulation of fluid between layers of skin, usually in one area or part of the body. They look like pockets of clear fluid stuck under the skin and are a common occurrence for most athletes.

Why Do I Get Them?

Blisters typically are caused by one or more of three factors: friction, sweat, and heat. Friction is when the skin of the foot rubs against either the sock or the shoe. Sweat can make this problem worse because its slick nature encourages additional movement inside the shoe. Heat contributes negatively as it also causes sweat production and increases the likelihood of hot-spot development. Hot-spots are warm reddened areas where the top layers of skin begin to pull away from the lower layers, ultimately creating a blister if not treated immediately.

One of the biggest causes of blisters is footwear. Extended use of cleats for long hours can cause blisters. In addition, ill-fitting or new cleats can also cause blisters. Cleats that are too worn out may also be a source of blisters. New cleats, old cleats, ill-fitting cleats all have something in common. They create too much friction with certain parts of the foot or sock and begin the process of blister formation. 

Luckily, blisters are pretty easy to detect. Most of us can feel when a blister is starting to form. The warm and burning sensation in the area is the reason they are called hot-spots; they feel hot! And so for most people, learning how to deal with blisters is simple.

How Do I Treat Blisters?

Here’s what you can do to treat blisters:

Clean the area. 

Wash the affected area with soap and water and use alcohol to sterilize it.

Drain the blister. 

To drain the blister, use a sterile needle or similar tool to create an opening in the skin from which the fluid can drain. Use a sterile gauze to catch the fluid. Do NOT attempt to remove the skin from the blister, even if already torn. The flap of skin protects the skin underneath and aids in the healing process.

Cover the blister.

Next, be sure to cover the blister with a large band-aid, gauze, or Telfa tape, something that won’t stick to the skin, and try to rip it off when you remove the covering. Make sure to secure the covering tightly so that it doesn’t move or fall off.

Continue care.

After initially treating a blister, make sure to continue to clean it and allow it to remain dry. Change the coverings as often as necessary and keep watching it. After a few days, you may be able to cut off the dried skin of the blister, just be sure to cut it, not rip it. 

How Do I Avoid Blisters?

First, let’s talk about how you can avoid getting blisters in the first place. 

Keep your feet dry.

This is often easier said than done. But it’s important to keep your feet dry. If they get wet during practice, make sure to dry out your shoes, socks, and feet after. If necessary, bring an extra pair of socks to switch out in the event that your first pair get too wet.

Wear proper equipment.

Make sure your cleats are the right size, not too big or small. Cleats that are too big allow for too much movement (and thus friction) of your foot inside the shoes. Cleats that are too small rub unnecessarily with the foot and can equally cause blisters. Get the right size for your foot and follow the advice of cleat professionals.

Use high-quality socks.

This may be something often overlooked by athletes. One of the best ways to prevent blisters is to wear socks that are made for use and abuse with soccer cleats. Low-quality socks or normal everyday shoe socks aren’t made to withstand the rigors of high athletic activity. Usually, they are too thin or the wrong material and can quickly cause blisters. High-quality socks are very thick and are made to absorb as much sweat as possible, making blisters more difficult to come by overall.

Give new cleats time to wear in.

Some people think they should get a new pair of cleats right before a big game to perform at their best. While this sounds like a good idea, new cleats will almost never play as well as cleats that are broken in. New cleats are far too stiff and uncomfortable to play in immediately. This is what often causes blisters. Instead, take the time to break in new cleats; don’t use them too much either as this makes you prone to getting blisters. 

Use padding or tape.

In an attempt to protect certain areas of the foot, some people use tape or moleskin to cover the skin so that the shoe rubs against the padding and not the skin. This can be an effective last resort if you simply have to play with what you have or already feel a blister coming on.

Monitor field or turf temperature.

Although outside temperatures may only be 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit (32-38 Celsius), the temperature of the grass or turf will be much hotter. The heat from the ground can cause blisters and even burns on the bottoms of your feet. Wearing a heat-shielding insole can significantly improve performance and comfort on the field, and help prevent blisters as well. One fantastic and extremely customizable option is from Bluso’s heat shields. Blusol offers an affordable solution for a problem that most soccer players deal with constantly. Click here to order your Blusol heat shields today. 

If you have other questions or concerns, visit your nearest medical professional for specialized care and help.

For additional information, check out these helpful websites:

https://sportmedbc.com/article/blisters-soccer-players

https://mastersoccermind.com/13-tips-to-avoid-blisters-from-soccer-cleats/

https://www.gftskills.com/tips-for-soccer-boots-foot-care/

Having swollen balls of the feet is a common problem for active athletes and runners with a few simple solutions.

Ball of Foot Pain: What is it?

Ball of foot pain, otherwise known as metatarsalgia, refers to pain and inflammation in the ball of the foot. It can have quite a few causes, so the term isn’t a diagnosis by itself. You may generally develop this condition if you participate in running, jumping, or other physical activities dealing with impact of the feet. In addition, there can be other causes related to shoes or foot deformities. Even still, not all of the causes of this condition are known.

What are the Causes of Ball of Foot Pain?

Someone can develop metatarsalgia from a variety of different factors. It is important to understand what is causing your pain so you can know which treatment is best for you. 

Here are a few of the most common causes:

• Frequent and intense physical activity
• Wearing ill-fitting shoes or high heels
• Excess weight or being overweight
• Having rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or gout
• Certain foot shapes
• Stress fractures
• Morton’s neuroma
• A high arch or flat feet
• Hammertoes
• And more

For any individual, the most important thing is recognizing the symptoms early and acting quickly. The faster you start treating metatarsalgia, the faster you can begin to recover and get back to normal.

If you’re wondering if you have metatarsalgia, click here to take a Self-Assessment Quiz from FootSmart.

How Can I Treat and Prevent Ball of Foot Pain?

There are quite a few home remedies for metatarsalgia. Here a just a few:

Wear Shoes that are Comfortable. 

Make sure they fit right and aren’t too loose or too tight. Avoid walking in high heels for extended periods of time (or even at all), as this can seriously impact recovery. Consult a doctor if necessary to get shoes fitted for you.

Ice the Area. 

Try using an ice pack for about 20 minutes at a time several times a day. Make sure to wrap your foot in a thin towel to protect the skin.

Rest Your Foot 

Rest your foot when you can, especially after periods of activity, and try elevating it after standing or walking.

Take an OTC Pain Reliever. 

Ibuprofen, naproxen sodium (Aleve), or aspirin can help you deal with the pain and reduce inflammation.

Manage Your Body Weight. 

Excess weight puts extra pressure on the feet. Consider taking steps to lose weight; this will help relieve pressure and ease the pain in the long-term. Consult with your doctor or dietician for specialized help.

Exercise. 

During this time, you’ll probably want to avoid participating in high-impact sports and/or running to let your foot heal, but you can always do targeted stretches to ease pain and increase flexibility and strength. Practice your stretches a few times daily until the pain subsides or is relieved.

Use Orthotic Inserts or Metatarsal Pads. 

Depending on how severe the case is, your medical professional may prescribe orthotic inserts or recommend metatarsal pads. Orthotic inserts can help with foot alignment and give extra cushioning. Metatarsal pads are placed in the shoe just ahead of the metatarsal bone and deflect stress from the area. 

Use Blusol Shoe Inserts

Ball of foot pain can also be a big problem for athletes that train on hot surfaces for long periods of time. For runners and athletes especially, Blusol shoe inserts can help protect your feet from the heat on asphalt, cement, turf, and grass. These shoe inserts can help block out the heat from the surface under the shoes and can therefore decrease the swelling of feet and pain in the ball of the foot. Order your own Blusol Shoe inserts here.

What causes foot odor? 

Foot odor is essentially caused by sweat. Well, not the sweat exactly but the bacteria that live on the feet and feed on sweet which produces an acid that causes the odor. Foot odor can especially happen when the feet don’t have ventilation. When your sweat soaks into your shoes and they don’t have time to dry between wears the bacteria can especially become smelly. Poor hygiene can also lead to smelly feet. If you don’t wash your feet or change your socks every day then your feet odor can worsen. 

How do you get rid of smelly feet? 

1. Wash feet with a scrub brush every day

Use a gentle soap and a scrub brush to wash your feet every day. Make sure to pay special attention to washing the crevices of your feet such as between your toes. This can help remove the stinky bacteria that live there. 

2. Wear the Right Socks 

You want to wear socks that absorb your sweat so the sweat doesn’t soak into your shoes. This will keep your shoes dryer and therefor less stinky! 

3. Switch Pairs of Shoes

One easy fix to stinky feet is to switch between at least two shoes each day. This way the shoes will have time to dry completely before you wear them again. This can slow bacteria growth.

4. Make a foot soak using Listerine or vinegar 

You can also make a home-made foot soak using Listerine or vinegar. This can also clean the feet and kill smelly bacteria.

5. Use Blusol Heat Shield Inserts 

Foot odor is caused by sweat and sweat is caused by heat. The ground can get pretty hot. Did you know that when it’s 94 degrees outside the asphalt is actually 136 degrees on asphalt and 165 degrees on turf? That’s hot! Blusol heat shield inserts help decrease the heat inside shoes by using Nasa-grade material. This is a great solution to decreasing sweaty feet and therefore decreasing foot odor. 

You can go here to order your Blusol Heat Shield Inserts today.

Blisters are the bane of existence for athletes, construction workers, emergency workers, military servicemen and women, and let’s face it, anyone who wears shoes. Blisters develop for a variety of reasons but the most common one is because of ill-fitting shoes. Below you’ll find some tips and tricks to help you create a blister-free game plan.

What are Blisters? 

A blister is a raised portion of skin that is filled with fluid that is caused when friction occurs between your skin and shoe. They are actually your body reacting to protect itself from the heat by creating its own barrier that protects and cushions the layers below. This allows the tissue to heal without experiencing further damage. However, despite your body’s best intentions, blisters are never fun! 

Here at Blusol we’ve noticed that blisters tend to especially develop when athletes have sweaty feet or when they pour water on them to cool them off as turf especially can get very hot! The wetness of the feet increases the amount of rubbing and friction in the shoes which leads to more blisters! You can read here more about our story and experience with that. 

How to Prevent Blisters

1. Readjust when you feel a hot spot 

Before a blister even develops your skin develops a hot spot. The skin will turn red and become tender before your body creates the liquid-filled padding that will turn the hot spot into a blister. Readjusting your shoes can help fix this problem. Moving the parts of your shoes that rub your feet can help prevent blisters.

2. Cover Problem Spots 

Another thing you can do to prevent blisters from shoes is to cover these same problem spots. You can use something as simple as a bandage or can you something made specifically for blisters such as moleskin. Covering the hot spots will prevent any future friction and therefore blisters. 

3. Proper Footwear

One of the best tips we can give to prevent foot blisters is to wear proper footwear. If you wear shoes that are old, fill poorly, or are too small you are practically asking for blisters! Choosing footwear that fits well, gives your feet room to breathe, and doesn’t chafe or rub anywhere is one of the important first steps in blister prevention. 

4. Stay Dry 

As we mentioned before, many blisters develop when the feet get sweaty or wet so naturally, a great tip to keep blisters away is to keep your feet dry. When you’re in the middle of a busy workday or an intense sporting event in the heat it can be hard to imagine how to do this but putting antiperspirant or cornstarch on your feet can go a long way to prevent sweating. You may also want to wear special socks that are made to keep the feet dry by wicking away moisture. Synthetic socks are a great choice for this. They tend to be made of acrylic, polypropylene, or CoolMax fabric.  

5. Lubrication 

You can also lubricate your feet to help them slide around instead of rubbing if you’re finding you have trouble keeping your feet dry. You can use a variety of household products including diaper rash ointment, vaseline, or petroleum jelly for this purpose. You can also use products that are specifically made to lubricate the feet to prevent chafing including body glide, run goo, sports slick, or sport shield. They often come in forms similar to roll-on deodorant or an easy-to-use tube and can be found at running stores.

6. Use Blusol Heat Shield Shoe Inserts 

Blusol Heat Shield Shoe Inserts were literally invented to help prevent blisters on the feet. Using technology they decrease the amount of heat the penetrates your shoes from ground surfaces and makes your feet hot and sweaty. This decreases the amount of friction in your shoes and decreases the number of painful blisters you experience. Blusol Heat Shield Shoe Inserts are one of the best things you can add to your blister-free game plan to ensure that you are pain-free no matter if you are at work or at play. 

Click here to shop online and buy your own pair of Blusol Heat Shield Inserts to prevent blisters today! 

Blusol is an adhesive insert that can be applied to any cleat, shoe, or boot. Using Nasa and military-grade material Blusol gives relief to the feet and body. Blusol reduces the heat of the ground whether that be asphalt, dirt, or turf from transferring into your feet. Blusol protects your feet from injuries such as blisters, turf burns, and general discomfort. There has always been a need for a product like this and it’s finally here!

NASA Grade Material

Our Blusol Inserts are made of the same material used for spacesuits while they work in extreme heat and cold in space. We decided to use these materials to ensure the longevity and performance of the Blusol Insert. Although we use only the best materials Blusol inserts are extremely affordable and will last you years. 

Easy Fit

Blusol inserts can be easily trimmed and sized to your liking, fitting your shoe or cleat perfectly for optimal performance. At 3 mm thin, the inserts are easily trimmed and flexible so they do not affect your shoe size. Our custom fits allow our customers to use Blusol for any shoe type.  

Cold protection

Not only does Blusol inserts protect you from the heat, but the cold as well Utilizing a barrier material from outside surfaces combined with the heat from your own foot to regulate the temperature within your shoe or cleat. This will help keep your feet healthier and allow your feet to be comfortable all year round. 

Multiple Uses

Blusols universal and customizable design allows it to have almost unlimited potential in its uses. Blusol Heat Shield Inserts are perfect for sports, construction, and the military. No matter the job Blusol will keep your feet healthier.