How to take care of your hands during Cross Training (part 2)

In the first part we have seen the care you have to perform daily to prevent calluses and wounds on your CrossFitter hands . In this second part, we are going to see what you should do if you have raised calluses in a pull-up WOD and your hands are raw. Throughout your life as a CrossFitter, it is normal for you to get wounds on your hands, despite being careful and filing and hydrating your calluses. And, let's be honest, showing your war wounds on Instagram after a Murphy has its share. And, for some, it is the true border between being an amateur CrossFitter and a devotee of functional training. But it is not a question of always trying to lift the callus during training since, in the long run, it is not good for your health. For this reason, at PicSil we will always recommend prevention.

How to care for the wounds on your Crossfiter hands?

If after a WOD you end up with a raised callus or blood on your hands, this is what you have to do:

Wash the wound with soap and water to remove magnesium and other impurities (that does sting).
Remove the excess skin using scissors from the box's first aid kit.
Disinfect the wound.
Cover the wound with bandages or dressings.

Wounds on CrossFitter's hands take 7 to 10 days to heal. So, it is better to leave the pull-ups for a while to recover 100%. You can always train some other weakness in that rest time. Even so, if you have a WOD with reps on the rack , we recommend:

Apply a bandage to the area to protect the wound.
Use pads , tape, tape or gloves to make sure it doesn't get worse.

During the recovery process, do not forget to do cures daily.

If the wound is very important, disinfect it two or three times a day to avoid infections.
Change the bandage after the cure.
Use a healing cream or topical antibiotic until the wound is closed.

Of course, we advise you not to abuse local antibiotic creams such as Blastoestimulina since, over time, your body develops bacterial resistance and it would no longer have an effect. It is best to use them on very deep open wounds. If you have only gotten a superficial callus and you are not bleeding, disinfecting and protecting the wound is enough. Finally, when the wound is closed, remember to use a moisturizing cream to help skin regeneration.

Why is hydrating your Crossfiter hands essential?

We have already explained it to you in the previous post, but we want to insist on the importance of taking care of your hands daily. Good hydration with a cream with high lipid content such as shea helps you avoid:

that superficial calluses become deep calluses that become hardened in your palms when you hold the bar.
your hands hurt during the WOD.
Your calluses may rise because they are very dry and hard.

Just like you do with your post-workout protein shakes, establish a simple hand care routine : file and moisturize. On the other hand, we recommend that you remove rings and bracelets from your hands and wrists to prevent wounds and injuries.

What if I get a serious injury to my hand?

Whether it is a very deep wound or because you have many skin lesions, it is better that you go to a health professional . Whether in your neighborhood pharmacy, in the emergency room or in the nursing office at your Health Center, a professional can help you take better care of these serious wounds. In addition to cleaning and healing the wound, they will recommend appropriate medications for your case (self-medication is not a good idea). Therefore, when in doubt, go to your doctor to guide you towards the best treatment. And you, what care do you usually take when you have a wound on your CrossFitter hands?