Parents Help- blisters...

[Twinmom]

Hi there, this is my daughter’s first meet season (she’s competing Excel silver) and she’s developed some pretty serious blisters on her hands this week. She has a meet on Sunday- she’s never used grips (but wants to), so I ordered some last week thinking they would be here by today so she could use them for a couple days and get comfortable before her meet. The shipment is delayed (of course!) Just looking for some advice about what to do- her hands are painful enough right now that I think it will be tough to do anything where her hands make contact (floor routine, beam, etc.) I realize this is something she will probably have to contend with for a long time, but her soft little hands haven’t toughened up yet! Should I wrap them for the meet? Is there special tape or wrap to use?? Clueless over here

 

[LGnyc]

Duoderm! Over the counter skin patches. They are the miracle cure for rips and blisters.

 

[Twinmom]

Duoderm! Over the counter skin patches. They are the miracle cure for rips and blisters.

Thank you! Can you just get them at the drug store?

 

[LGnyc]

I can but I’m in nyc. I’d call a couple of your local pharmacies to check. You can also get it on amazon but you might want sooner. My dd calls it the miracle cure.

As for grips she won’t get used to them in time. You can also look into a tape grip. Google how to make one. Pretty easy once you see how it is done.

 

[beachgirl]

Make the tape grips, they work great.

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

Tape grips!!!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Yep tape grips.

Real grips, you just don’t put on and go. They take time to break in and get used to. Best time for those is after the season is over.

 

[Madden3]

Are they still blisters or have they popped? When they are still blisters with fluid under, it can really hurt to rub it. My son (competing 7 years) said it was usually best to let the blister be, because of course that is the point of a blister- to protect while a new layer of skin forms. But he said that when a blister is large or really painful and a gymnast has to be at their best as for a meet and cannot wait it out, his coaches may have them pop the blister. Here is basically how to do it: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/understanding-blister-treatment although gymnast may also have to carefully cut away some of the dead skin, or the dead skin may catch on something and cause a bad rip.

Also agree with tape grips. Real grips will act to protect the skin of the hands somewhat, (but can also rub and cause blisters sometimes) but skin protection is not their purpose and as mentioned above, they take time to get used to and to break in. If coach or a fellow gymnast cannot teach your daughter how to make a tape grip, try youtube maybe? You make them with regular athletic tape, and you may use prewrap as well or not.

When hands are sore and raw, we do the slather with barrier ointment at bedtime and wear socks on hands overnight thing.

Duoderm! Over the counter skin patches. They are the miracle cure for rips and blisters.

My sons have wanted to try Duoderm patches, but I have not found any locally. Online there are many options and I am not sure what to get. Can you give more specifics on what exactly you have found works best? Thanks!

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

Search here for rip advice (there is lots!). My daughters favorite is Prep H overnight and bag balm for maintenance.

 

[LGnyc]

My sons have wanted to try Duoderm patches, but I have not found any locally. Online there are many options and I am not sure what to get. Can you give more specifics on what exactly you have found works best? Thanks!

We use the Duoderm Extra Thin 4" by 4". They come in a box of 10 sheets. Expensive, but last forever. One drugstore even sold me a single sheet, which was awesome. We've also tried the thicker ones but found that it interfered more with swinging. If this doesn't help, I can try a post a picture.

 

[kiwi2406]

Tape Grips will be your best friend in this situation!

To make them lay 2 pieces of athletic tape together to make a fabric strip with no sticky sides. Have the gymnast put pre-wrap or something similar around their wrist/s and loop the already made tape strip around the middle finger (kinda like a pink ribbon). Use more athletic tape to tape over the pre-wrap on the wrist to hold the 'grip' in place and voila!

There are plenty of youtube videos if you are confused.

 

[Madden3]

We use the Duoderm Extra Thin 4" by 4". They come in a box of 10 sheets. Expensive, but last forever. One drugstore even sold me a single sheet, which was awesome. We've also tried the thicker ones but found that it interfered more with swinging. If this doesn't help, I can try a post a picture.

Yes that makes it clear thanks!