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Chafing upper butt crack

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Wiley285
Wiley285 Posts: 16 Member
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I'm having a recurring problem. I do 2 long rows a week (10K) with shorter ones (3K) between. I get pretty bad chafing at the top and to one side of my butt crack. I wear runners spandex. I apply a special runners glide gel to the entire area. I sit on a folded up towel. Still, it happens. I clean the area every day and put neosporin on it. I'm sure others have had the same issue. I'd love to hear how you might have dealt with it. I love to row, but I'm now missing rows because of the sores.

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  • Bud_
    Bud_ Posts: 116 Member
    edited December 2015
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    I wish I could help but sorry, I just haven't come across this.
    (I didn't want you to think you being ignored though!)

    Best of luck with finding a solution to what sounds like a really annoying problem.
    Hope you manage to sort it soon.
  • ruthbardell
    ruthbardell Posts: 76 Member
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    As a rower of fixed seat boats (Pilot Gigs) this is something most people I row with have had some experience of! People try all sorts to get round the problem, but generally just end up toughing it out until you get a nice callous to match the ones on your hands.
  • mtcastillo86
    mtcastillo86 Posts: 119 Member
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    I row comparable distances, and I've found that around the 6-7K mark is when the ole butt blister starts becoming a problem. I don't think you should have to power through this kind of discomfort, though. Experiment with the anti-chafe gel. I've tried BodyGlide, which works fine, but it doesn't apply very smoothly, in my opinion. I actually use solid deodorant (Secret or Suave, but I'm sure any solid will work) for this purpose, as it glides on smoothly and does the job. Bonus: it smells nice! (However, deodorant doesn't survive well in a hot car, so don't store it there in the summer.) You may need to abstain from long rows for a week or two in order to let the area heal completely.
  • Wiley285
    Wiley285 Posts: 16 Member
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    Bud_ wrote: »
    I wish I could help but sorry, I just haven't come across this.
    (I didn't want you to think you being ignored though!)

    Best of luck with finding a solution to what sounds like a really annoying problem.
    Hope you manage to sort it soon.

    Is this where the phrase "hard *kitten*" comes from :).
  • Wiley285
    Wiley285 Posts: 16 Member
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    ruthbardell wrote: »
    As a rower of fixed seat boats (Pilot Gigs) this is something most people I row with have had some experience of! People try all sorts to get round the problem, but generally just end up toughing it out until you get a nice callous to match the ones on your hands.

    That comment for Bud was actually meant for you. I grabbed the wrong quote.
  • Wiley285
    Wiley285 Posts: 16 Member
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    mtcastillo86 wrote: »
    I row comparable distances, and I've found that around the 6-7K mark is when the ole butt blister starts becoming a problem. I don't think you should have to power through this kind of discomfort, though. Experiment with the anti-chafe gel. I've tried BodyGlide, which works fine, but it doesn't apply very smoothly, in my opinion. I actually use solid deodorant (Secret or Suave, but I'm sure any solid will work) for this purpose, as it glides on smoothly and does the job. Bonus: it smells nice! (However, deodorant doesn't survive well in a hot car, so don't store it there in the summer.) You may need to abstain from long rows for a week or two in order to let the area heal completely.

    I took four days off completely, then started back yesterday with a 15-minute row, then a 20-minute row today. I used BodyGlide, which went on pretty well (smoothly) for me. No chafing at all. The true test will come when I decide to do a 10k. Probably Saturday.
  • chelso0o
    chelso0o Posts: 366 Member
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    You could also try "chamois butter". Cyclists use it to protect against chafing. Also, make sure you are wearing shorts that don't have a seam up the middle (cycling shorts don't have a seam in the middle, and also have padding so you don't have to use your folded up towel). The seam causes issues for me.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,564 Member
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    I have the problem sometimes, mostly at the beginning of the indoor rowing season (or after a break during indoor rowing). I don't know why it doesn't happen in the boat - seat difference? Mechanics difference?

    I'm sorry to say I don't have a great solution. A seat pad helps (I use one cut from an old closed-cell-foam sleeping bag pad), but doesn't totally eliminate the problem. I mostly just put A&D ointment on it (for soothing, not chafing prevention so much) until I get the callous - or whatever it is that happens eventually if I keep doing it - that toughens the spot up.

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