Blisters on hands

Maryhope · Post by **Maryhope** » December 22nd, 2006, 9:24 pm

Hi,
I definitely new at this. Bought a Concept 2 in October and also train on one at the gym I go to. My longest rows have been 8K in 40:32 with split around 2:30. I'm still working on form and endurance.

It seems my biggest problem is getting blisters on my hands. I actually had to stop after my first longer row (20 minutes) to let my hands heal. I've tried biking gloves, both full finger and half finger. I get blisters where the seams rub. After my 8K row today using a linen towel on the handle I came away with yet more blisters. I've developed calluses, but continue to get blisters under the callous. Ouch!

Any suggestions?

johnlvs2run · Post by **johnlvs2run** » December 22nd, 2006, 9:31 pm

I'd avoid linen or anything else with cotton as it holds moisture, will cause blisters and even peel the skin off your hands.

Try reverse wrapping the handle with thin nylon socks. I've been doing this for years and it works very well. Here is a thread with more information and a photo.

http://www.c2forum.com/viewtopic.php?p= ... ylon#75896

Sorry, didn't mean to post in the women's forum. I'm gone.

Widgeon · Post by **Widgeon** » December 22nd, 2006, 11:02 pm

Maryhope, I have blistering, too. I think we all do to some degree. I used to row with half finger bike gloves ( for years, in fact). Last July I started rowing on the water. No one wears gloves when rowing on the water. It is not really a macho thing.

Part of it is building up calluses, but the majority is grip. If you are gripping the handles or oars tightly, you will blister and you will blister badly! I didn't know what blisters where until I started rowing on water and taking the skin off my fingers and palms! Ouch! I learned that I was gripping too hard. When I relaxed my grip, fingers in a loose "C" around the handle, and thumb beneath the handle loosely supporting, I stopped blistering so much. Does a loose grip really work? I did a rowing marathon on the water in November. No gloves, No blisters. I now erg without gloves.

The early phase is the toughest. I like to use Lansinoh, the ultrapurified lanolin for breast feeding to help blisters heal quickly if they break open. Keeps the sensitive skin beneath the blister from drying, cracking and bleeding. Also keeps water from the shower off so it doesnt sting!

Good luck! Pam

Birdi · Post by **Birdi** » December 23rd, 2006, 12:40 pm

I fully agree with the loose grip. I row mainly with my fingers curved around the grip, not actually the palm of my hand. I do get a little ridge of callous along my first two fingers just at the first joint but never blisters. If I haven't been erging regularly they can be a little tender for a day or two until they get hard, if so I just wrap with a piece of adhesive tape loose enough so it will bend and form to my grip right there where it happens, just one wrap, keep it thin. I just rowed a half marathon and the HC 200k with nothing, no problems. Good luck, try other suggestions too. For me, nothing is best, it's in the grip it seems and getting them toughened up a bit.

MomofJBN · Post by **MomofJBN** » December 23rd, 2006, 6:14 pm

I agree with the others - don't grip too tightly and skip the gloves. Birdi described the hand position well. I get some callouses at the top of my palm just below where the fingers join (and around my wedding ring!), but nothing that interferes with my erging.

Afterburner · Post by **Afterburner** » December 25th, 2006, 1:47 am

People are definitely right on about the grip. By the way, we all get blisters at first, I remember getting horrible ones when I started.
One thing I've found that helps with the blister under the callusses problem is to keep a pummus(sp?) stone in the shower. Every day when I shower I just quickly run it over my hands /once/. Don't rub at the callusses or else they'll come off completely, just enough to get any loose skin off and keep them from building up too much. A friend taught me this trick and I've never had a problem with blisters under the callusses since.
Hope this helps.

Heather

Maryhope · Post by **Maryhope** » December 25th, 2006, 9:21 am

Thanks for suggestions. I'll try the tape and concentrate on a looser grip.
Maryhope

ciproano · Post by **ciproano** » January 2nd, 2007, 6:10 pm

Sorry for the late reply, I only just got into reading these forums again.

I have not had blister problems (I tend to do other cardio stuff and always get back to erging in the fall in time for the holiday challenge). but this year the calluses I formed were a bit tender. I have always worn cycling gloves, but they were not doing the trick. I read somewhere on the C2 website about using bubble wrap on the handles, so last night I decided to give it a try. I cut rectangular pieces of bubble wrap (small bubbles) about 6 in by 10 in and wrapped it around each side of handle. I have one of those "ergonomic" shaped handles, not the regular T-shape. The bubble wrap I used was a little sticky on the non-bubble side, so when I wrapped the handles, it stayed nicely in place. I did NOT wear gloves with the bubbles. I really forces you to use a somewhat looser grip but it quite comfortable, and WOW, it really did the trick, no tenderness at all. Magic. If you're still having trouble, give it a try!

Cindy

Yakky Doodle · Post by **Yakky Doodle** » January 5th, 2007, 12:10 pm

Howdy!

Another newbie with blisters here. I got my C2 less than 2 weeks ago, and have been concentrating on getting the technique down and rowing 10-15k a day (for weight loss). I began to pick up the occasional random blister fairly quick, which I don't mind, except it began to interfere with hitting my goal distance.

I row until I get that nice little "sting" that says I'm aggravating something, and then I use weight-lifting gloves. I own a couple pairs anyway, and they tend to have less padding through the palms than bicycle gloves, so they don't interfere with my grip. By pushing my hands as far as they'll go each day without actually creating a blister, they're callusing up nicely.

rowingmad · Post by **rowingmad** » January 27th, 2007, 1:18 pm

our coach is always telling us to put methalated spirts on our hands and blisters so our hands will get tougher,,,,

hurts like hell though!!!!

Wood_Duck · Post by **Wood_Duck** » January 29th, 2007, 9:43 am

The loose grip is definitely key.

I sweat buckets so I put socks that a toddles would wear on the handle of my erg. They are made out of cotton. (someone posted avoid cotton). They are very absorbent. I have 5 pair so I rotate them.

You can get them in the baby's and infant section of big stores. These are just footies for toddles sized feet.

Susan

stargazertechie · Post by **stargazertechie** » March 12th, 2007, 10:50 pm

I get tea bags (green tea) and soak them in hot water for about 30 seconds and then hold them in my hands until they get dry. It helps the blisters heal quite nicely, but it does leave an interesting stain (I'm a collegiate rower, so my teammates don't look at me TOO awkwardly)

Other than that, I'd say just buck up. Your blisters are battle wounds that remind you of your quest (whatever it may be).

ancho · Post by **ancho** » March 13th, 2007, 5:40 am

Hi, girls, sorry for intruding, but maybe you will find this thread interesting:
http://www.c2forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=5814&highlight=

bikermom · Post by **bikermom** » January 11th, 2008, 12:53 am

I don't wear any gloves while rowing and have not experienced any blisters as of yet. I have noticed that I'm building up calluses on my fingers just below the first knuckle. I grip the erg handle with my fingers in a loose "c" and rest my thumbs on the topside of the handle. I don't dry my hands or the handle until I'm finished my row. I don't do long rows yet (usually average 6 to 7 kms). I'm still a newbie in a big way but hope my two bits are helpful.

Kathy

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