Sticking! Bruises!

Novadog started this discussion · 3/18/2009

When I do the invert where you slide down the pole and walk forward with your hands, my inner thigh sticks like glue to the pole. I think I've burned my inner thigh from friction - that's not as much fun as it sounds. It stung like hell last night and it's gone a funny red colour and has started to bruise underneith. Does arnica gel really work? Is there a secret to doing this so I'm not taking the top layer of skin off? It's really beginning to take the shine off polling. Even if no one knows, sympathy would go a long way to healing the pole injury wound. Wibble. Nx

13 replies

azriel · 3/18/2009
hi novadog! i'm going to assume your talking about the dismount where the body position is similar to the superman move, or like doing a push up. Do you do this with both legs straight or one bent upwards? i find it easier to have one leg bent upward, so that way you're not squeezing your thighs together so much as you slide down. if doing it with both legs straight, crossing your ankles would also make for more friction against the pole. 🐱 Also, try to rely more on upper body strength for controlling the dismount than on your thighs. i also find it easier to do it with my palms on the floor, rather than resting on my forearms (i've seen some people do it that way). Don't forget that everyone has different skin sensitivity and some are more easily irritated by friction than others, but practice usually builds resistance! But i'd take a break for the skin to heal before trying again. Hope this was a bit helpful (and that this is the move you're talkin about!) 🤸
Rouge_LAmour · 3/19/2009
Arnica cream or drops works wonders for healing bruising. I used it when I fractured my radial head (Ball joint in elbow) and gained use of my arm pretty fast. try your local healthfood shop, pharmacy or alternative health practitioner. Not sure about the sticking, but I do notice if I've had a shower pretty close to getting on a pole, there's not enough grip as the skin is too clean. But I'll have any of your grip that you'd like to send my way 😂
Veena · 3/19/2009
Sometimes you can have a problem with feeling too sticky and end up with too much friction if the humidity level is high....but on the flip side if you tend to sweat more and its humid you will slip from the sweat. 👎 Sometimes it can also be a matter of learning how tightly to hold the pole. Once a person is more comfortable with a move you tend to loosen your grip. 🌸
DeaconJungleCatPoles · 3/19/2009
AWww love, sorry to hear about your injury 🙁 I hope it starts to feel better soon!!! I hate to see people in pain! *hugz*
Novadog · 3/19/2009
Cheers Guys, It's made all the better for your thoughts of kindess. 🙂 I leave the one leg up and it's that leg that sticks, I never thought you could slide down with both legs straight out so I might try that. Am going to go get the arnica gel as well. Feeling much better Nx
RoxyPink · 3/19/2009
Arnica cream.....STOCK UP!!! 😀 It is my best friend! As far as sticking or the super painful friction....as with any moves that our body is not accustomed to, it can hurt pretty bad. I remember when I was learning the cross knee release and I would litterally look at my thighs thinking that I would see skin coming off because it hurt sooooo bad....now it's not a problem! The same was true when I was learning how to slide down from an invert (as you were describing). The more you do it....eventually it dosen't hurt at all. Sometimes the only thing that would keep me going was people saying that it would eventually go away...and they were right! 😉 Keep it up!
untamedshrew · 3/19/2009
The pain does go away! I hardly flinch after I've done a move for a few weeks. And remember: BRUISES ARE SEXY!
lily · 3/20/2009
The pain does go away! I hardly flinch after I've done a move for a few weeks. And remember: BRUISES ARE SEXY! lol I love it! You really have to look at it that way - I am continually shocked at how brutal this sport is. I agree - the only cure is to keep on keepin' ON!
Rouge_LAmour · 3/20/2009
It is a dangerous sport, but far too much fun to give it up. one of our students has dislocated bones in her foot from climbing and inverts (hazarding a guess there), Dr has said no more poles for a bit, or climbing. I heard of another woman that let her arms drop when inverting and dislocated 5 ribs from her spine. Ouchies. I just get / got loads of bruises and break / dislocate my left little toe about every two months by kicking the pole. Yes, it's always the same move too, you'd think I would have learned by now!! 😂
Former member · 3/21/2009
no worries honey, the bruising will pass and the type of injury you have right now iwll subside once you figure out how tightly to hold on with your thighs. if it makes you feel any better, my right foot is a bloody mess, on tuesday one of the girls in the studio put that 'dry-hands' stuff all over, and it got on the pole big time, so when i was climbing my foot got completely torn up- its so painful! so i completely feel your pain 🙁 it'll pass, no worries!
DeaconJungleCatPoles · 3/23/2009
Yikes! Sorry to hear about your foot Sascha!! ☀️ Hope it feels better soon!
Novadog · 3/24/2009
"I heard of another woman that let her arms drop when inverting and dislocated 5 ribs from her spine." 😮 😮 😮 😮 😮 I swear when I read that i felt my own ribs pop out in sympathy. I'm dyspraxic so my co-ordinations not brilliant, coupled with an overall carelessness and a severe habit of not thinking I am quite dangerous to me. Having just listed my injuries in the other thread (I'm sorry I can't remember who started the thread) it's a wonder my boyfriends not considering taking the pole off me. I've broken a couple of toes falling down my dungeon stairs, and i've fractured my little toe -it's a wee curly one that doesn't have all it's bones. That was interesting, it went a black and I thought I was going to have to have it amputated, but it turned out I'd just mushed one of the veins which fed the blood supply. After you do that the first time you stop going to the docs 'cos even though here in ol' blighty, we get it all checked and treated for free, all they can do about it is tape it up, and they won't give you a sick note off work for that. Well, siblings on poles, once more unto the breach...
DeaconJungleCatPoles · 3/25/2009
Yikes 😕 Sorry to hear about your injuries Novadog 🙂 *hugs* Jungle Cat 🐱