Ouch!

[Steve]

Hello,

Does anyone have any experience of using calf protectors? I am currently
suffering with painful slide bite and need something to really protect the
back of my calf's. Actually, the wounds I have are more towards the lower
slightly outer edges of my calf's rather than directly at the rear.

I don't think I can risk another outing without decent protection and
wondered if anyone can recommend some. I've found two rowing related sites I
can get these from, but am not sure which one to go for.

I could get longer socks to help with this, but I fear my current wounds
need something a little more substantial to allow my legs to heal.


--

Regards

Steve

[davie...@gmail.com]

I cut the tops off some old socks and use those. The cut edge tends to fray after a while but they're easily replaceable.

HTH
Kit

[sully]

Some time back I found a beat up old wetsuit in a 2nd hand store.
Took it out of there for $10. I cut it up for all kinds of uses,
including calf protectors and seat pads. A piece cut from the arms
fits nicely on the ends of singles so that I can tie hang red
flags for car topping.

I assume you're just protecting it until it heals, I'd cut the tops
off a couple old tube socks.

Long term for the offending tracks is some foam insulation (or
my wetsuit material) and electrical tape.if the seat is double
action, just trim and tape it low profile so the horn of the
seat slides over top.

[Carl]

Track bites start because the ends of the slide tracks are sharp, or
have sharp-edged mouldings. And then you start wrapping stuff around
the ends to cover the sharp bits. But surely it's better not the get
the bites in the first place?

There is a simple answer - & you can read about it here:
www.carldouglas.co.uk/downloads/2012seats.pdf

A better track _&_ no-bites!

Some sports respond seriously to the dangers of "blood injuries" but in
rowing we still think it's OK to cut our calves, bleed on the tracks &
then you or the next user of the boat does the same, with a fine chance
of infection & cross-infection. IMHO that's pretty insanitary. And
unnecessary. Like all that strapping & binding of tracks & legs.

Cheers -
Carl

PS
And if you want to see a little bit about how (& why) beautiful boats
are still made, try:
www.carldouglas.co.uk/downloads/BuildingTheBoat.mov
or in condensed format:
www.carldouglas.co.uk/downloads/BuildingTheBoatLo.m4v
(and if you don't have Quicktime, then download VLC, which is free and
runs just about every video and audio format.)
C

--
Carl Douglas Racing Shells -
Fine Small-Boats/AeRoWing Low-drag Riggers/Advanced Accessories
Write: Harris Boatyard, Laleham Reach, Chertsey KT16 8RP, UK
Find: tinyurl.com/2tqujf
Email: ca...@carldouglas.co.uk Tel: +44(0)1932-570946 Fax: -563682
URLs: carldouglas.co.uk & now on Facebook @ CarlDouglasRacingShells

[duncan.ro...@gmail.com]

Morning Steve,

I see you have had several suggestions, well done the rowing community. Another idea is to look at the set up in the boat.

If the feet are too low that will cause additional pressure between calf and slide end so one cure can be to raise the feet. Similarly a seat pad may help.

If the slides are adjusted so that there is excess slide forward of where your seat wheels roll too try moving them back i.e toward the bow so there is just enough track to allow you to reach the desired catch position.

Happy rowing,

Duncan

[tony....@gmail.com]

I had such wounds during my first year of rowing, but curiously never since. The suggestions given are excellent. For the wounds as such there is a product called 2nd skin made by spenco medical, designed for burns, but excellent for skin injuries which refuse to heal.
Regards
Tony

[Steve]

Thanks for the suggestion. I have heard of this product and might well get
some. However, I think I might first need to see my GP (a job in itself if
anyone is familiar with the UK NHS) as I think one of the wounds may be
infected as it's still angry red and very tender to the touch and sore when
walking after almost a week.

I might have to avoid the boat I use and opt for another 2x. it seems that
it's a bit of pot luck as to whether one 2x tracks cause this due to being
too narrow and others that seem to be no problem. I actually used two
previous manufacturers of 2x's and only the third - a Janousek - has cause
this issue despite it being the biggest (85kg boat) of the previous ones
I've used.

I know I can raise my feet up a bit and / or ttry and move the slides toward
the bow a little, but none of these things had to be done with the other
boats used.

I think if I were to ever buy a 2x (which I have contemplated) how it fares
in relation to slide bite would now be a major factor in which one I opted
for.


--

Regards

Steve
<tony....@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:424d045b-94b4-49e1...@googlegroups.com...

[Mike De Petris]

On Thursday, June 20, 2013 5:06:06 PM UTC+2, Steve wrote:
> Does anyone have any experience of using calf protectors? I am currently
> suffering with painful slide bite and need something to really protect the
> back of my calf's. Actually, the wounds I have are more towards the lower
> slightly outer edges of my calf's rather than directly at the rear.

Do not spend money, it's years I simply tie two long socks around the legs, keep the knot in the front/upper position.

To keep them in place you can just tie them tight enough, but dry skin can let them fall down, so use some water to splash legs before, if you're not going to sweat enough.

mike 2c

[John Mulholland]

On Thursday, June 20, 2013 4:06:06 PM UTC+1, Steve wrote:

The longer Sealskins waterproof socks give better protection than ordinary socks but they are expensive at about £40. I wear them in our old club eight and, in the winter, in my Carl Douglas single (no slide-bite protection needed but it keeps my feet dry and warm when getting out of the boat in sandals).

John

[AJ]

On Thursday, June 20, 2013 4:06:06 PM UTC+1, Steve wrote:

http://newwaveuk.co.uk/Pogie-Socks-Calf-Pro/Calf-Protectors--pair-.html - I think these are what you might be looking for.

[davie...@gmail.com]

I can highly recommend these, though I did get given mine.

Kit

[timka...@gmail.com]

I just use a strip of duck/gaffer tape down the back of my legs in boats I don't know.

[Carl]

On 02/08/2013 12:55, timka...@gmail.com wrote:
> I just use a strip of duck/gaffer tape down the back of my legs in boats I don't know.
>

I've said it before in this thread, but it was as if I'd not even posted:

Why use slides/tracks the ends of which cause track bites when there are
better slides, readily available, which have _no-bite_ ends?

I'm afraid I don't get what folks don't seem to get about this.

Is it that rowers:
1. enjoy or cheerfully accept the evident risk of cross-infection from
scratchy track ends?
2. like acquiring scars on the backs of their calves?
3. simply can't get their heads round the fact that track bites are not
a necessary feature of our sport?

We've provided this alternative:
http://www.carldouglas.co.uk/downloads/2012seats.pdf
for very many years, precisely because we do care about rower safety and
comfort. (They're available from our web shop).

And you can confirm to yourselves the cross-infection health risks from
the widely-reported incidence of hepatitis infection among Swedish
orienteers which led to imposition of a full-body covering rule - see
for instance:
http://forum.nopesport.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7836
but an Internet search will bring up detailed medical reports, etc.

Sure, I think if you have to use boats with insanitary & damaging track
ends, then calf protectors make sense. But understand that, when those
tracks are replaced, it doesn't have to be like-for-like, bite for bite.

Cheers -
Carl

[johnf...@gmail.com]

Most tracks these days have smooth moulded plastic stops at the ends. If sharp edges of the ends of the tracks are exposed despite those bumpers, file off those edges.

Smoothly rounded ends or not, jabbing the tracks into your calves at the end of every stroke will probably cause damage to your skin sooner or later. So the real solution is to try to adjust things (if you are allowed to do so) so that this does not happen:
(1) Slide the tracks as far bow-wards as you can so that you almost hit the stern-stops at the catch. It might be necessary to saw off the bow ends of the tracks if you run out of adjustment.
(2) See if a seat pad helps (though this will affect stability of the boat a bit)
(3) Consider raising the shoes higher on the footstretcher, but obviously not so high that you eat your knees at the catch.

Of course there is a problem if you use club boats and are not permitted to adjust them, or if you jump into a boat that is not yours. For those situations, calf protectors can be a good investment.

This is a reminder to me that I have to adjust the CD tracks in my 2x. They are too far sternwards. I don't hit the ends because the tracks are mounted far apart (wing-rigger boat), but my thighs are forced to go between the tracks. Makes my thigh action a bit awkward and the flanges on the insides of the tracks rub my calves a bit. Love my CD tracks for their smoothness and durability, but they still need to be adjusted properly.

[johnf...@gmail.com]

On Wednesday, August 7, 2013 2:41:34 PM UTC-4, johnf...@gmail.com wrote:
> "I don't hit the ends because the tracks are mounted far apart (wing-rigger boat), but my thighs are forced to go between the tracks."

Sorry. meant to say " "I don't hit the ends because the tracks are mounted far apart (wing-rigger boat), but my SHINS are forced to go between the tracks."

[Carl]

Got there in the end ;)

C

[johnf...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, August 8, 2013 7:33:19 AM UTC-4, Carl wrote:
> Got there in the end ;)
>
> C

I usually do. Sometimes it takes a while......