Do you know any secret remedies for blisters? It’s the first week of winter conditioning and after only two practices I have killer blisters on my hands and ankles that I never got last year until later, and not as bad. I’m wondering if I’m doing something wrong with my form or something, although I’m not quite sure that could be the problem.
I don’t know too many secret remedies but I do know some tried and true tricks to preventing and treating blisters.
Wash the erg/oar handles before and after practice. Even something as simple as a baby wipe is better than nothing. That’ll get rid of any nasty crap on there that can (and will) infect your blisters.
Loosen your grip. Death grips can cause more blisters than not having one that’s tight enough (that sounds dirty when I read it out loud…).
As painful as it will be, swab the blisters with hydrogen peroxide or wash it with really hot water and soap to clean out the area. Once that’s done and your skin is dry, put some Neosporin on it and cover with a band aid before you go to practice. Ideally you should repeat the process post-practice to get rid of any sweat and germs on your hands.
When you’re at home and just watching TV, sleeping, etc., let the skin breathe so that the blisters dry out. If you keep them covered with band aids and tape 24/7, that’ll trap moisture in there which will just make everything worse. Only put band aids on them when you have to. You can still put Neosporin on them, just don’t cover them up.
If you can tolerate it, try putting a little Vaseline on your hands or handle before you start practice. Put enough that it reduces the friction but not so much that your hands can’t get a good grip.
Good luck!! I hope they get better. At least your hands don’t look like this guy’s…