Tips to Prevent and Treat Gymnastics Rips on Hands

If you're a gymnast, you know what "gymnastics hands" are! Gymnasts have callouses on their hands from the uneven bars. The more that you practice gymnastics, the more your hands are susceptible to ripping. Ripping is when a piece of callus rips open. Some rips are very small while others could be the size of the palm. Some bleed and some don't, but most are uncomfortable and sometimes painful. You can also get rips on your wrist if your wristbands or grips start rubbing your skin. Rips are usually due to hands that are either too soft or too calloused. A gymnast’s hands need that perfect balance of being tough without being rough to avoid rips. However, there is no magic solution to completely avoid rips, they are just a part of gymnastics! We do have a few tips to help you avoid them as much as possible and for treating gymnastics rips when you do get them.

Use Hand Cream, Salve or Ointment

Get a hand cream or ointment that you like - and use it regularly. We recommend Aquaphor ointment, it’s great for keeping hands hydrated and helps with healing.

Every night after washing your hands with a gentle soap to soften the skin, rub in Aquaphor all over your hands and wrists. Be careful not to moisturize your hands too much though, remember you do not want super soft hands in gymnastics. You just want to make sure they are moisturized enough to not crack open.

Maintain Callouses

If you have developed calluses on your hands, you'll want to maintain them to prevent ripping or cracking.

You will be able to feel when a callus starts getting built up more than the other on your hands. When you notice this, simply take a nail file and file them down until they are the same thickness as most of your other callouses. Remember, you only want to maintain your callouses, not remove them - you need them there to help protect your hands and help you grip the bar.

<4 dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">Treat Rips

If you have a rip, remove any excess skin carefully and wash with soap and water (don’t put lotion on a fresh rip). Put a medical cream on it the first day to prevent any infections. Then try not to over-moisturize it so that it can heal and grow back tough skin to replace the callus that was lost. Be sure to moisturize the rip if you begin to notice it feels dry to prevent it from cracking or splitting in the middle of the rip. While at practice, put athletic tape over your rips to not only keep it clean but for a little support on the uneven bars as well.

Chapstick

Always keep medicated Chapstick in your gym bag, it’s great for applying on dry rips, and it can help prevent cracks and rips when you're on the go.

Hope these tips keep your hand feeling fabulous and ready for your next bar routine!