Bruising

[Jude]

Yeah but going to the GP takes up time and I cant really be bothered. Not that worried. Was actually just bored and having insomnia last night when I posted due to boredom! But good idea yes x

 

[kay]

ive always found rubber gloves a bit crap far better imo are the nitted nylon gardening gloves with plastic coated palms and fingers theyre warmer, breath, give better knucle and finger protection last as long if not longer than ruber gloves and fit better  theyre just generaly better...

If you're a woman it's difficult to get them to fit - fingers tend to be too long. Marigolds are a) designed for women b) you can push the fingers of the gloves up your hand so your finger tips reach the finger tips of the gloves. Doesn't work with other types of gloves because they just slither down again and you're back to the floppy fingertip problem.

 

[cap n chris]

...the floppy fingertip problem...

:doubt:

 

[damian]

Hi Jude ... they've been a bit harsh so far, haven't they?

I would agree with people that, for some reason, women tend to bruise more than men and that, for obvious reasons, novices tend to bruise more than experienced cavers.

Given the sort of caving you now seem to be doing (and the people you are caving with) I think you will probably find that you are going to bruise quite a bit just trying to keep up - going far more quickly than feels natural causes massive bruising in my experience.

In summary, if it doesn't bother you, keep covered up and don't worry. If it does bother you, you might need to be willing to hold up the lads a bit more by going slower.

 

[chacharlee]

I find the Meander Ursi undersuits work quite well with extra padding put in the knees, quite handy as they come with little pockets!
A thick layer of bubblewrap would quite well, till they all pop anyways, have also tried karrimat bit i find that digs in to the skin sometimes.
Have been in and out of Darren Cilau with virtually no bruises at all! 

 

[Getwet]

You'll grow out of it. It's your technique, I reckon.

how wrong, there is nothing poor about Judes caving technique! shes a star

 

[cap n chris]

technique does have an influence in caving - the more you bash bits of you against bits of rock, the more you will bruise.

 

[cap n chris]

I do think that technique is a definite factor in bruising

 

[cap n chris]

female cavers, especially less experienced ones, bruise more than male ones

 

[cap n chris]

I bruise like hell after each caving trip ...

Is my technique really that poor ...?

Hi Jude ... they've been a bit harsh so far, haven't they?

I would agree with people that, for some reason, women tend to bruise more than men and that, for obvious reasons, novices tend to bruise more than experienced cavers.

Given the sort of caving you now seem to be doing (and the people you are caving with) I think you will probably find that you are going to bruise quite a bit just trying to keep up - going far more quickly than feels natural causes massive bruising in my experience.

 

[graham]

I think someone's ego's bruised.

 

[Elaine]

If anyone's interested in giving me any sympathy I used to be absolutely covered in bruises after caving trips. I have got photos to prove it too.

I think it was partly due to technique that I don't get so many now, and partly down to moving around the cave a little slower to prevent bruises.

I did wonder if a body just gets fed up with making bruises and after a while doesn't really bother making caving bruises.

PS knee pads etc helped too!

 

[kay]

technique does have an influence in caving - the more you bash bits of you against bits of rock, the more you will bruise.

but the converse is not necessarily true as the rest of my post was pointing out. A propensity for bruising can be caused by other things than bashing yourself against rock.

 

[cap n chris]

Indeed it may. However, in this case, and based upon the info provided, it strongly appears that bashment against rockynessities is the most likely causements.

 

[darren]

The Cap'n seems to have developed a bit of a posting stutter.

 

[cap n chris]

If anyone's interested in giving me any sympathy...

Chocolate? Yes. Sympathy? Maybe.

 

[Cumbrian Neil]

I bruise like hell after each caving trip and I cave approx 3 times per week. I use a furry thats got double thickness on knees and thick kneepads.

Is my technique really that poor or do some people just bruise more?

Also I keep getting told that continuous bruising can lead to embollisms...is that true or is my mum still upset im not a ballerina and just paranoid for me?

jude

The ability to recover after a bruise is based upon what level of clotting Factor VIII you have present in your blood.  We all have varying degrees of it in our blood.  Normal range is 75% to 125%.  Based on this, some people will briuse easier and it will take more time to heal for some and less for others.  VWD is a form of hemophelia and means that you are deficient in a given factor (normally factor VII or VIII).  Do they disappear quickly or are they painful?

My guess is that you probably shouldn't drink before you go caving... a. you fall over easier and b. it thins your blood.  Maybe you need to work on staying upright instead of becoming a human pinball.

:ang:

CN.

 

[Brendan]

Medical opinion - you are not more likely to suffer an embolism, as that is associated with overactive rather than underactive clotting. While there are many different conditions that may make you more likely to bruise/bleed, most bruises are nothing to worry about. If there is a strong family history of easy/large bruising, bleeding into joints (actually into the joint, not just a bruise over your knee), or you tend to bleed excessively from small cuts etc then it may be worth seeing someone.
However, other factors, like having pale skin, or the bruise sites (if you are crawling, you tend to hit the same area repeatedly, so the bruise will be bigger) may also have a role.
While the most impressive bruising after caving I have seen was on a woman, I am not aware of any medical evidence that women are more likely to bruise. I expect other factors like men having hairy legs, and therefore obscuring the bruises plays a not insignificant role. There probably is a reduction in bruising as you get more experienced and your technique improves, but the trips listed imply you are fairly experienced already. Caving 4 times a week probably means you get new bruises before the old ones heal as it takes about 14 days for a bruise to fully disappear. You could try caving less frequently, but that is definitely not mmy medical advice!

 

[ken]

If anyone is interested??I?ve found neoprene knee and elbow protection are the best. Don?t slip, bind, or pinch??(slogan for an underwear commercial?) after putting them on I don?t even realize they are there and they save me much aches and pains (from caving anyway). And they are cheap also?..

 

[Jude]

wow, thankyou for all the replies. me and the cap'n sorted now.

As a round up - I go faster than my natural pace a lot and end up having much poorer technique as a result, my technique needs to refine more anyway, I have fair skin, cave quite hung over every Sunday, cave too much. I dont think theres any of that I want to change (apart from getting a fake tan maybe) so I think I shall proudly bare my knees across casterton fell this summer!

People always comment on my bruises when we exchange views post-cave around the fire at BPF, I just joke that the other half gets mad if I don't carry the tackle  maybe thats the perfect excuse! Typical girly eh, blame it on you're man...he did introduce me to caving actually so bloody hell, it is his fault in a way!

jude x