Take Care of and Prevent a Rip in Gymnastics

Rips are an expected part of gymnastics, though they are very painful. A rip is the removal of skin from the palm or wrist regions, usually several layers of skin. Often, a blister will form, sometimes blood filled. They are usually caused by the parallel bars, and form from the swinging from bar to bar. Rips are not only painful but can be disabling for a gymnast, whether beginner or advanced. Learning how to prevent rips and caring for them when they do occur is an important part of being a successful gymnast.

Steps

Preventing a Gymnastics Rip

  1. Keep your hands clean and moisturized. Before and after each workout, wash your hands with soap and water. Use a gentle soap. Then moisturize your palm, hand and wrist areas with a quality moisturizing product that works for your skin type.
    • Moisturize your hands every night before going to bed.[1]
  2. Use grips. Grips will provide a layer of material between the bar and your hand.[2]
    • Be aware that grips can rub against the skin and be a cause of a rip.
  3. If you notice a really tough callus on your hands, use a pumice stone on the skin to reduce the buildup. However, don't over-use this method or you risk rubbing it raw. A little pumice rubbing on areas showing excess callusing on occasion will be helpful, to build up medium-softness (too soft and your skin is liable to rip, too callused and it's liable to rip too––aim to get your skin half toughened).[2]

Healing a Minor Gymnastics Rip

This method will work for smaller rips likely to be experienced by beginners.

  1. Know what a rip looks like. Rips happen as a result of using the uneven bars, high bar, rings, parallel bars or even pommel horse. The friction between the bars and your hands produces a build up of skin. Eventually, this buildup will "rip" off. It's pieces of skin, sometimes small, sometimes large. It's painful, but a gymnast at every level will have to get used to it!
  2. Take the skin off. Snip it away using manicure or nail scissors.
    • If you are unsure where to cut, seek help from someone experienced in treating rips.
  3. Wash the hands in soap and water after removing the skin.[2] Although this stings, it is important to prevent contamination from bacteria, etc.
  4. Apply antibiotic ointment, such as Neosporin, available from the drugstore. This will cleanse and allows the rip to breathe, while lotion or Vaseline can prevent this natural action from occurring.[1] Be aware that products are liable to sting when first applied.
    • If applying lotion, use a fragrance-free, neutral lotion to stop the fresh skin underneath from cracking. By choosing a lotion without added ingredients, you have less likelihood of aggravating the skin and letting it heal faster.
    • When getting a rip, one very easy thing to do is to rub some black classic chap-stick on the rip. This will keep the rip from going dry and cracking.
  5. If available, spray on a liquid bandage. Finish by applying a Band-Aid or other adhesive plaster.
  6. Cool down hot rips. If the rip feels as if it is producing a lot of heat and is throbbing or causing pain, try cooling it down by placing the rip into cool water. Or, wrap ice cubes in a face washer and hold this against the rip.
    • Only do this if you're resting. Having cold hands or wrists before returning to a workout or competition can cause more harm.
  7. Wrap the rip. A common solution to prevent or protect a wrist area rip is to use gym tape or pre-wrap wrapped around your wrists, finished off with tennis sweatbands; first aid pads can be stuck directly on a rip before adding the tape and sweatbands, then place any grips on top.[1]
  8. Rest the rip for a couple of days. Avoid using the bars and don't put strain on the rip!

Bagging a Gymnastics Rip

This method helps with more extensive rips, especially where callus build up is the rip's cause, often in the case of more advanced gymnasts.

  1. Wash your hands with warm water and soap. Dry off.
  2. Remove the excess skin using a pair of manicure or nail scissors.
  3. "Bag" your rip before you go to bed. This is done as follows:
    • Get an old, clean sock that you don't care about anymore or a plastic bag with loose rubber bands.
    • Apply lotion or petroleum jelly on your hands. Alternatively, it might be preferable to rub an antibiotic ointment on the rip, to prevent infection.[1]
    • Put the sock or bag over your hand and leave it on overnight. In the morning, the rip usually has a thin layer of skin over it and is ready to be taped.
  4. Repeat every night to ensure your rip heals successfully.

Knowing When to Get Medical Help

  1. If your rip is severe or doesn't appear to be healing, ask a doctor about it. Do not wait for it to take a long time to heal; continued lack of healing is a sign that it needs medical intervention.

Tips

  • If your rips are still really bad the next day, try soaking the rips by putting black tea bags on them. It may look gross when you're done, but it helps the rip to heal.
  • Soak a rip in pickle juice for 10 minutes, it will burn but it will help speed up the processes of healing by 3 weeks.[citation needed] And it will prevent getting a rip in the same spot later on.[citation needed]
  • Try, if you want, to avoid performing or practicing skills that cause a lot of friction (like tap swings, free hips, and kips) right after you get a rip (on that same day). Instead, do skills like front hip circles, squat-ons, releases, etc.
  • Rips are a natural occurrence of gymnastics. Sometimes you have to work through the pain.
  • Use moisturizer, so your hands stay soft. Rips are okay compared to calluses.
  • Use tea tree oil and fryers balsam available at your chemist to help the rip heal and harden up quickly.
  • Don't use moisturizing cream, as it will soften up your hands and they'll be more likely to rip.
  • Use a pumice stone to shave down your calluses a bit.
  • To quickly dry out a rip, put a pinch of salt in the rip for 2 minutes. Like drenching it in pickle juice, it will hurt, but it will dry out the fluid inside of the rip quickly. Repeat this process every day until the rip has healed completely.
  • Try soaking your hands in Epsom salt and warm water after you get a rip. It may sting, but it can also help the rip heal faster.

Warnings

  • Realize that rips cannot be fully avoided. Take precautions, but don't stop doing gymnastics because of the rips. Over time, unless you have very sensitive skin, you'll get used to them and also learn how to better avoid them.

Things You'll Need

  • Neosporin
  • Grips (optional)
  • Athletic or gym tape
  • Band-Aids® or similar adhesive plaster
  • Tennis sweatbands
  • Soap
  • Pumice stone or emery board
  • Cold water to wash the chalk off of your hands

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 http://www.elitegymnast.com/Rips.html
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 http://cffhhands.blogspot.co.nz/

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