Sports enthusiasts, but mostly runners, very often face the problem of rubbing between the legs. Unpleasant burning sensation and discomfort prevent you from continuing to train in the future.
This problem also overtakes ordinary people leading an active lifestyle. To move in front, you need to know some tricks that will help you forget about chafing.
Causes of scuffs when running or walking
Abrasions are mechanical irritation of the body, resulting from friction of contacting skin. There are a lot of reasons for the appearance of abrasions:
- Excess weight
- clothing
- Physiological features
Excess weight
Being overweight, a person is prone to excessive sweating. There is often a very small gap between the legs, as a result, the skin does not breathe.
Under load, the body mates, a large amount of moisture is released, the skin does not have time to ventilate. Due to the friction of the inner parts of the thighs, rubbed spots appear. Being not at home, a person suffers, because he cannot stop the process of friction, and the spots turn into wounds.
Clothing
Inappropriate clothing also causes scuffs. Hot robe, which does not wick away moisture well, soon leads to body debate. In the process of rubbing, wet skin is more easily injured than dry skin.
Also, the presence of rough seams on the inner thigh of the pants leads to chafing. Synthetic fabrics are not the best option. Synthetics does not allow breathing and rubs well.
Physiological features
There are people whose legs are very close to each other. When the body is heated in heat, the process of friction begins. Also, with such a physiological feature, athletes suffer. Starting to pump up the limbs, the gap between the legs decreases, and scuffs appear.
Another feature was noted - increased hairiness of skin areas in areas prone to irritation. Rubbing appears on both dry skin and sweaty skin.
How to avoid scuffs while running
During a fast movement, a person may not notice the beginning of the appearance of scuffs. It is worth eliminating the occurrence of a problem before starting physical activity by choosing the right clothes.
Features of the choice of clothes
When choosing a suit for jogging, you need to pay attention:
- For the size of the clothes. It should be free, but not dangling.
- For convenience and ease. Wearing light and comfortable clothes does not create a feeling of stiffness and discomfort.
- Seams. The more likely it is not to rub between the legs is the presence of flat, not felt seams.
- Ventilation. Mesh inserts are needed between the legs and on the butt for additional ventilation of the body. This approach will reduce the accumulation of moisture on the runner's skin.
- Seasonality. In warm weather, the best option is shorts or short leggings to avoid excessive heating of the body. In the cold - special insulated pants. When you stop, sweating, the body will not have time to freeze.
Material
Many materials are used to create special running clothes - both synthetic and natural. Most popular:
Natural
- Cotton is a natural material that absorbs moisture well and has anti-static properties. It is airtight, but does not hold its shape well. Most often used when creating suits for the warm season.
- Wool is an animal fiber. Keeps warm well, does not lend itself to the actions of the external environment. Suitable for autumn and winter running clothes.
Synthetic
- Polyester - lightweight, retains its shape, absorbs up to one percent moisture, dries quickly. Protects from UV rays.
- Lycra - makes things more elastic, helps to maintain shape for a long time.
- Elastin is a man-made fiber. Stretches, retains its shape, does not hinder movement.
With different qualities, fibers of natural and synthetic origin are blended in different proportions to obtain the most optimal result for comfort when playing sports.
There is no need to choose clothes made from pure synthetic fibers or natural ones. When worn, synthetics will provoke skin irritations. Natural will be heavily saturated with moisture and become heavy and uncomfortable.
Jogging clothing
You should choose running clothes based on your personal characteristics. To date, not a small amount of workwear has been invented, taking into account various preferences.
- Compression equipment - fits perfectly to the body, supports muscles well, protects against body vibration while running, maintains body temperature and prevents skin chafing. It is used both for running and for training in the gym.
- Smart outfit - clothing that has no seams. Equipped with inserts that conduct air and remove moisture. Elastic, affects the maintenance of posture. Has inserts on the knee joints to reduce stress.
These are some of the best running apparel to keep you comfortable and prevent diaper rash and chafing during your workouts.
Special ointments
After the appearance of abrasion, the use of special ointments is required to quickly restore the skin.
To eliminate redness and light irritation, an ointment containing analgesic and antiseptic elements is used. In this case, cream - ointments will help: "Skin - Cap", "Bepanten" or "Panthenol". These are well-known and affordable drugs.
When rubbing the skin to wounds, it is better to use an ointment, which contains deproteinized hemoderivat. It synthesizes collagen in cells for quick recovery from damage. The medication should not contain fats. Preparations: "Solcoseryl", "Actovegin 5%".
After the affected area heals, a coarse, rough skin surface appears. This can be eliminated by using ointments with antibacterial and antifungal properties, containing grease to avoid cracks. "Rescuer" or its equivalent will help with this. You can use Baby Cream. It is greasy and antiseptic.
For all scuffs, a cortisone ointment will help. It has soothing properties, stimulates healing and relieves inflammation.
Petrolatum
Vaseline is divided into two types:
- natural, obtained from hardwood paraffin resins
- artificial, obtained by combining ceresin, paraffin and perfume oil.
It is used to lubricate injured skin areas when rubbed while running. Apply a thin layer to reddened or rough skin. It will eliminate itching, prevent the damaged area from drying out. Also, it will save moisture as much as possible and protect against germs from entering wounds.
Vaseline is used as a lubricant to prevent chafing between the legs. Before playing sports, it must be applied in a thin layer to the inner thighs. Not 100% an option, but it will help for a while.
Folk tricks to prevent scuffing
People use starch instead of talc. Even if it is not available, you can cut the potatoes and rub the problem areas. After application, let it dry.
An antiperspirant can also be used if there is no irritation yet. Also, when running a long distance, plasters are glued to areas that are prone to chafing.
Before going for a run, you can wash the skin between your legs with simple laundry soap. It will dry out your skin and kill bacteria. After jogging, take a shower.
Women's oversized tights can be used as clothing against chafing, cutting them off like shorts.
How to remove irritation?
First of all, you need to rinse the affected area with water and a mild detergent, then dry with a paper towel. Apply a healing cream with chamomile or calendula extract.
If the rubbed area is badly damaged, it is better to treat it with an infusion of soothing, antiseptic herbs (chamomile, calendula). You can apply ice, but carefully so as not to overcool the body. After applying a soothing cream, allow it to absorb and postpone sports for a while.
In no case should iodine, brilliant green or other alcohol-containing preparations be used.
Prevention of scuffs
For the prevention of scuffs it is worth:
- Wear underwear that covers the rubbed areas (shorts, boxer shorts) made of quality material.
- Observe the rules of hygiene, use individual means. In public places (baths, swimming pools), avoid contact of problem areas with public items.
- With your legs close together, you should do exercises to burn fat in the inner thigh. Squats, stretching, leg swings to the sides will help.
- When running, use talcum powder or moisture-wicking body powder.
- Choose clothes for training that are water-repellent, breathable with good thermal insulation.
Runner Tips
- When running a long distance, men can wear women's panties over their panties. They will fix the underwear and will not cause chafing. Micah, athlete
- When running, in hot weather, do not wear wide shorts, they wrinkle and cause irritation. Also, dust easily gets between the legs, which provokes inflammation. Romanus, coach of the school football team
- If the abrasion causes increased hairiness, then it must be fought with depilatory creams. Matvey, footballer
- Use thermal underpants. They wick moisture well. Vano, athlete
- Choose special, comfortable running clothes. Be sure to pay attention to the composition. Both natural and synthetic fibers must be present in a 30:70 ratio. Ivan, representative of the brand store Adidas
Exercising is a very good health habit. Running is the best way to keep your body fit. It is bad when there are reasons that impede activity, such as scuffs of the legs. Using a variety of ways to avoid and prevent irritation, listen to the advice of the pros, and wear the right clothes puts such problems into the background.
