Hand Rips

[r8chel]

DD has come home from training tonight with her very first rip - luckily not her dominant hand!

It's only small but I'm not sure how to manage it and ?prevent it happening again.

Any wise words you can give me??

Thanks in advance!

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Treatment of Rips (Wonds) on the Gymnasts Hands, by Dr. Larry Nassaar, USAG National Medical Staff:
Link Removed

Best, SBG -

 

[Sari]

Wow, that's some impressive literature right there. Very informative!

We always removed any remains of dead skin under cold running water, maybe applied a bit of spray band-aid (the sort of spray that stings and then forms a translucent surface on top of the wound) or taped the rip in case it happened in the middle of practice. I'd just keep DD from getting the wound dirty and wait for it to heal. Maybe use some (perfume-free) hand lotion at night to help it heal.

 

[Jenna Hervais]

Put your daughter's hand in warm water with sea salt soak the hand bare for 20-30 minutes at a time.


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[sce]

Put your daughter's hand in warm water with sea salt soak the hand bare for 20-30 minutes at a time.


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Ouch!!! I've never heard to do that! I think my kids would freak if I even suggested it.

We always put something like vaseline on the rip at night, letting it dry out too much can lead to cracks which lengthens the healing time. Taping, if it's still raw, for bars is helpful

 

[sce]

When I was a gymnast I also tried the tea bag treatment. Haven't tired it with my kids yet.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Put your daughter's hand in warm water with sea salt soak the hand bare for 20-30 minutes at a time.

I would advise strongly not to do this. Not only will it sting CRAZY, but will the salt will dry out the wound. Moisture is needed for healing. If the immersion in salt water is to clean the wound, research shows that soap and irrigating with mild warm water is VERY effective. Read the wound protocol. I know it was published in 1995, but it remains excellent! Extra Thin DuoDERM has worked like a charm. This is the expensive treatment of the "open wound," and we have also used the Second Skin squares to great effect to save costs. When the rip "must" be healed and time is precious, or wound is severe DuoDERM is the dressing.

Best, SBG -

 

[Kiwi]

prevent it happening again.

You can't prevent all of them, but if she has calluses you can file them down with pumice stone which can help to prevent them ripping off.

 

[r8chel]

Thank you for your advice, I have access to duoderm so I have used that for now!

She trained tonight but I was at work & haven't seen the outcome of today's bars session.

Good to know they can't really be prevented - I'm still a novice gym mum, learning more each week!

Her head coach essentially said its tough love & the plight of a gymnast