Hands?

saragd012

Hello all! I joined CrossFit about a month ago, I'm absolutely in love but I have a reoccurring issue I could use some help with. I continuously rip my hands. At first I just thought it was a grip-strength issue with pull-ups or toes-to-bar but now it's also happening with the snatches. I think having to use the training bar right now is a huge part of the snatch issue (since it's SO much more textured than the regular bar) but it's absolutely killing my lifts. Today I re-opened my palm on like set 2 of an 8 count 3 Position Snatch. It prevented me from moving up my weights, and then the Metcon suffered because I was so raw by the time I got to kettlebells, and worse I bled on pretty much everything I touched.

I don't want to skip workouts, I planned on going tomorrow and Wednesday, but I need to figure out a way to also heal my hands. For now I've bandaged my hand up pretty well and treated with Neosporin. I have gloves (WODies), I just need to check my ego and actually wear them. Any tips on the best wraps/bandages/creams that will allow me to prep for tomorrows workout? Do you have tips to prevent this from reoccurring once I'm healed? And finally, do you wear gloves?

krokador

I have found prevention to be the best tool when it comes to hand care. Once the calluses heal over, you can keep that skin hydrated with some lotions or rubs - they sell some special stuff for crossfitters, but I find just regular dry skin lotion helps just fine for me - and keep the calluses trimmed down with a pummice stone, or one of those motorized rotating stones that can be used on your feet (I got one of those for like 20$ on amazon, life saver on my big toes, feels pretty good on the hands).

I find gloves in general to not be great. I tried leather gymnastics minimalist ones (think bear complex grips) and they do help a bit, but as soon as my hands get sweaty, the skin gets pinched anyway. So, chalk is also your friend. More grip = less movement around the bars/bells = less chances of ripping things.

I think goat tape (directly on skin) may also be a decent option. It's not reusable, but it'll provide some protection and give you some extra adherence. I have actually used a small piece of ktape on an open blister once to protect it with actually decent results. Would've just needed to make it a smidge longer so it didn't end up falling off halfway through, lol.

If you're doing stuff like deadlifts, you can alsouse wrist straps until the blisters heal over properly.

Hope that helps!

18guyhornet

I find that preventative maintenance on my hands works best. I used to tear a lot. Now I shave my calluses down, sand them and put a heavy creme type lotion on them at bed time.
If I do tear I use A&D ointment...heals them right up.
Unfortunately Crossfit is the sport with the ugliest hands but if you work at it your hands will toughen up and not tear anymore.

saragd012

Thanks for the tips! I'm spending so much more time focusing on my hand care now. I guess I just have to wait for my hands to toughen up naturally, but I've been moisturizing so much and shaving off calluses like nobodies business so hopefully they stop hurting so bad soon enough.

bostonwolf

I've never had a tear but I'm not strong enough/thin enough to do heavy pull ups or stuff like that, which is where I've seen most of them happen. A lot of the guys and girls in my gym who are higher level use grips for pull ups for that reason, as well as taping the bar to make it a bit softer.

After a barbell heavy workout my hands with definitely be sensitive, though. Almost warm.

Kohanai

currently sitting with super glue on a rip. This thread is amazing. Guess I have some research to do!

I also thought that it would just take time for my hands to be able to handle the load, but, it's been several months now, and I've not done any of the things you guys mentioned. I'm ridiculous about research, and it didn't even occur to me to look into hand health.