Overview
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Most runners must have experienced injuries to their musculoskeletal joints during running, running knees, Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, ligaments Strains, and other injuries have become commonplace. However, apart from this well-known foot and leg injuries, some runners also suffer from painful chafing.
What’s Chafing
Friction occurs when the protective layer on the surface of the skin comes into contact with clothing. When an athlete is running, the areas most likely to be rubbed include nipples, armpits, collarbones, back, shoulders, and inner thighs.
Friction can quickly go from uncomfortable to searingly painful if not attended to in time. If left unattended, these wounds can easily lead to infection and can also become the focus of cameras on the runway. The result could be that you have to interrupt your races or training.
Different people have different kinds of rubs.
The level of friction does vary from person to person when it comes to running. In general, dry, dehydrated skin is more susceptible to abrasion.
First, there’s sweating. Little ones who sweat a lot during exercise have a higher chance of getting abrasions. So little ones who exercise in hot and humid weather need to be more aware of skin abrasions.
Also, the body size is essential. Bigger buddies have a higher probability because the skin area is larger.
How to Stop Chafing When Running
- Keep your inner thighs dry.
In hot and humid weather, we sweat profusely due to exercise, and the friction on the inside of our legs can quickly lead to the production of Stinging sensation. So, if the weather is hot and humid, apply talcum powder to your inner thighs before leaving the house. This stuff absorbs moisture, and when our inner thighs sweat, it absorbs sweat and prevents our skin from getting wet so that has excessive rubbing.
- Applying Vaseline.
We sometimes over-dry the inside of our legs when the weather is cold, and that’s when we tend to get rashes and also bruises. So, we can apply petroleum jelly to our inner thighs, which will keep our legs from rubbing too much and allow us to Smooth inner legs to help prevent abrasions.
- Find the right anti-friction product.
It’s not easy to find the right lubricant for you, and it’s like experimenting, it takes many runs and many trials later on. Only then can you find the right one for you. Men can opt for a male breast patch, while women should certainly wear sports underwear to prevent nipple chafing. It is also essential to dress for running, as it is generally quick-drying fabrics tend to be less abrasive and more suitable for running than cotton fabrics.
- Choose the right compression garment.
Sometimes overly loose clothing is not a wise choice, as compression garments or leggings can significantly reduce the need for things like straightforward clothing at the base of the legs—friction on the contact area. We also recommend that female runners wear comfortable sports underwear. Wearing a leotard with lubricant works best. However, sometimes it is challenging to avoid 100% friction between the edges of the leotard and the skin even if wearing the leotard.
- Avoid getting yourself wet.
This factor can cause the same problem if the inside of your legs is wet, or they are soaked with water. Our skin oozes oil, which is meant to protect our skin, but as soon as it gets a little wet, oil’s lubrication becomes weak, and the skin’s cuticles become soft, which increases friction. And
If the skin is thoroughly wet, it is also possible to form a water film to provide some lubrication.
- Weight loss
Some people get uncomfortable on the inside of their legs because they’re overweight, and that doesn’t help much with other methods. Only lose weight on your own and see that your legs don’t lean together excessively. Then, that’s fine.
- Dealing with bruises after running
Take a shower after running, rinse areas of the body that feel sore, and remove dirt from the surface as soon as possible. After showering, the abraded area can be disinfected with hydrogen peroxide, iodine, saline, and other non-obviously irritating products, and then apply a band-aid. However, be careful not to use alcohol, iodine, or other harsh disinfectants. If the abrasion is not recovered within a few days, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Also, make sure to keep the scraped area breathable.
Learn More Methods to get rid of Chub Rub Here
How to Prevent Chafing While Running
Wear a vest or t-shirt that is soft, comfortable, sweat-wicking, breathable, and made of excellent material.
Male runners can wear a Band-Aid, while female runners can wear functional sports underwear or a breast patch. You can also use petroleum jelly or lubricating ointment, but it is better to use breathable tape to keep it on as it is safer because petroleum jelly can only last for about 2 to 3 days. Hours.
- Inner thighs.
Tight compression pants or high-rise marathon pants will improve the situation. Some of these unique pants have a lining, so there is no need to wear underpants (underpants can also rub and cause damage).
It is also best to apply petroleum jelly or lubricating ointment to the area for the best results.
- Armpits
Armpit abrasions can be caused in two ways, one could be that short-sleeved clothing fits the arm too tightly, such as some tights, and long-distance training, Or running a marathon will wear you out.
Please pay attention to your movements during regular training, it has to do with running posture, don’t clamp your hands too tightly when swinging, spread out slightly, relax, and Fang to avoid injury.
Apply petroleum jelly to the areas that are prone to rubbing so that you can avoid injury.
- Blisters on your feet.
They usually occur after long training sessions or running in the rain.
Blisters can be caused by prolonged friction between the sock and the foot, poor fit (too big or too small) of the foot, and the stitching of the sock. Besides, overly long nails can also cause blisters to occur.
Shoes must fit your foot (squeeze your toes to the front and leave one fingertip thickness between the heel and the end of the shoe), and socks must be breathable. Marathon-specific socks (five-toe or compression socks work well, too), and it’s best to wear old shoes and new socks for races.
Also, a little petroleum jelly on your toes and a large patch on your foot’s palm before your running is beneficial.
- Shoulders and Neck
It usually happens after 1 to 2 hours of running, which is uncommon. However, if it happens, you can stop slowly and walk instead, and use warm-up exercises to move your upper body.
This phenomenon is mostly caused by incorrect running posture, or the upper body is not relaxed enough and too stiff.
It’s essential to warm up and strengthen upper body stretching exercises before running; besides, you may need to increase upper body training. Because running has always focused on lower body training without training the upper body, it will result in a lack of coordination for your body.
The most straightforward upper body exercises are pull-ups, push-ups, and sit-ups, all of which have some effect.
