Do you want to know how to avoid or treat blisters on your hands from indoor rowing or outdoor rowing, then read on…
While hand blisters from rowing can be painful and disruptive in getting back to your sport or work, but there are some steps you can take to help them heal faster and prevent them.
Hand blisters can be a common problem for those who engage in activities that involve repetitive hand movements such as indoor rowing, outdoor rowing, weightlifting, gym work, outdoor work, and digging. The constant friction caused by tools and equipment can take a toll on the skin and lead to painful hand blisters. It’s important to take preventive measures to avoid hand blisters and to know how to properly care for them if they do occur.
Saving Your Hands: Do’s and Don’ts for Preventing Tears and Blisters while Rowing
| DO | DON’T | |
|---|---|---|
| Do build up rowing time at the beginning of the season and rowing between seasons twice a week can maintain hand callus | Don’t do long rowing times at the beginning of the season, or if you are new to rowing | |
| Do clean oar handles every day to prevent spread of infection from blisters or tears to your hands and to others | Do not use roughened sweep handles – smooth them | |
| Do ask your coach if your hand grip is wrong. | Don’t grip the handles very tight | |
| Scullers are told to have a larger gap between handles and nails trimmed Do rest. May be 10 days before you can start rowing again | ||
| Do wear fingerless weight lifting style gloves with a rowing machine or if you tend to get sweaty hands, or a towel in the gym to dry hands | Do not wear gloves in a rowing boat if loose, as may bunch up and cause palm blisters, however some people love them | |
Can take off dressing around hands and fingers at night to air and dry out. Sudacream over night can help | Don’t dry out hands e.g. meths as it causes more cracks. Meths may harden the top callus on your hands but another deeper blister may form beneath. | |
| If raw skin is cracked use vasaline | ||
| Do tape your hands 20 minutes before rowing to tape bonds more strongly to skin as heat activates the adhesive | Dont tear tape as raw edges tend to roll up. Use scissors | |
| Do pop hand blisters if very sore and taping does not help but ensure you use sterile implements . | Dont pop hand blisters if you dont have to |
Why scullers decide not to wear gloves
Scullers don’t wear gloves, as thought to inhibit subtle movements of the palms and fingertips throughout the stroke cycle when rowing. Gloves may cause a decrease in proprioception and a loss of sensation where the blade is positioned in the water.
Weight room or cycling gloves may increase friction and cause more blistering.
Video – how to stop hand blisters from Rowing
Hand Callus to remove or leave
Calluses on your hands from rowing. Some people don’t mind them, others want to get rid of them.
Calluses on palms of hands are a natural protection for hard work! But when calluses get too hard, blister, crack or rough people, will rasp them, trim them, bite them, pull at them, wear gloves and moisturise them. Every one is different to whether they care …until they hurt or a blood blister forms under the callus. Some will still tough it out and are none the worse for it. Beginnings of a season is often the worst untill calluses buld up.
People with underlying conditions needs to be more careful to avoid infection.
Please comment below on how you look after skin tears, blisters calluses on your hands. What moisturisers do you use and when. Did rowing technique make calluses and blisters better?
