Hand Pain

PreppyJune started this discussion · 6/26/2014

I've been poling for about 4 months now and have finally developed my calluses on my pain. However, now i find it hard to hold on to the pole. I use grip aids, but my hands seem to hurt. Either from the pressure of the pole of my calluses, or they just get tired. Please help! My muscles aren't fatiguing, but my hands. Do I need to strengthen my grip? Or is there something I can do to keep the calluses from hurting with pressure? Should I moisturize on off days or let my hands go dry and flaky?

10 replies

chemgoddess1 · 6/26/2014
In this case I might suggest the mighty grip gloves. I have never had my callouses hurt. Where specifically do you have them? You may be over gripping.
Phoenix Hunter · 6/26/2014
my callouses don't hurt either. but my hands used to hurt from just being over used and I would just have to take a couple of days off and stretch my hands and wrists.
Phoenix Hunter · 6/26/2014
I wear mighty grip gloves sometimes too, I like them
Veena · 6/26/2014
Have you tried not using grip aids? I find when I use them I get serious calluses but it's not nearly as bad without grip aid. Also when I use my brass pole I get bad calluses but not on my powder coated pole, so it could be the finish of the pole too?
Veena · 6/26/2014
Callouses* damn auto correct lol
BagLady · 7/6/2014
sometimes calcium deposits form directly below the skin where a callouse might form. usually they are uncomfortable and ache a bit. placing hot packs on them may break up the deposits, but more often then not it just takes time. these calcium deposits are hard and feel like they are directly below the skin, they may be mistaken for callouses. they occur directly "below" the joints on the fingers and on your palm. not everybody gets them. btw, this is "Bagladies" boyfriend. I used to rock climb quite a bit and got these all the time. they suck, but usually go away after awhile.
BagLady · 7/6/2014
Im assuming this has to do with circulation, so it might help to massage the callouses and take an ibuprofen.
BagLady · 7/14/2014
Apparently sometimes my boyfriend gets wasted drunk, assumes my identity and gives rather helpful sounding advice. lol. (The night this was posted he came in the room & said 'I posted something under your name on that site' I was initially alarmed, now I'm feeling pretty impressed by how articulate this came off knowing how drunk he was when it was written.) Hope the hand is feeling better!
HilaryKate aka LolaSlaytor · 7/14/2014
Baglady - that is actually hilarious! Love it haha Allyson - sometimes when my callouses get really thick, they get sore. Usually not enough to prevent me from poling, but they have on occasion (usually only when I've been training hard). It helps when they finally can peel off a bit - but usually I don't do anything special otherwise. After a short while, the pain just goes away... Sometimes because they peeled off a bit and sometimes they just stop hurting for no apparent reason. There are other reasons, completely unrelated to callouses, that you could be having pain in your hands. There are so many small muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones in your hands and they all have potential for strain or injury. Try to pay attention to what specific movements are causing the pain - is it only when you pole or do you notice it outside of that? Is it only when you are gripping the pole - which part of that action hurts? Break down the movements - the action of moving your hand to grab (finger flexion, and thumb flexion and adduction) or is the pain after you've been squeezing for a while or is it when you are releasing the grip? Can you reproduce the pain by pressing on your hand with the other one? Try to pinpoint exactly where it hurts. Does the pain radiate elsewhere? Anything that seems to make it worse or better? This is all useful information to take to a health care professional (whether that's your doctor or a physiotherapist or massage therapist) if the problem persists. Good luck, listen to your body! Hope you feel better soon!
barirat · 7/14/2014
My callouses do hurt sometimes as well, but they tend to be particularly thick (I use a lot of grip aids thanks to having a very sweaty body). It's usually when I've been poling more than normal. I'll notice it the next morning when I wake up and stretch my fingers out it feels like the skin is being pulled. I'll gently use a pumice stone on them sometimes when I shower just to help keep so many layers from building up and it does seem to help a little.