# calluses and blisters



## mbu (Oct 22, 2003)

Please share your own or general experience regarding the best way of medically treating any painful calluses and blisters on the shooting fingers.


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## Radman (Sep 19, 2003)

The first thing is to find out what is wrong causing the blister. Then fix it. I know you want to keep shooting to finish a tournament. The quick way to get rid of a blister is: Find a clean spool of cotton thread and a needle. Clean the needle with anticeptic. Pull the thread through the blister and cover it with a bandaid. Is should be down so that you can shoot the next day with out the bandaid. HOWEVER, KEEP A CLOSE WATCH FOR ANY SIGNS OF INFECTION. If you see signs of infection go to a doctor! The most common cause of a blister is rotating the fingers at draw so that the finger tab is no longer covering that part of the finger. As I first stated. The final fix is to find what you are doing wrong and fix it.


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## >--gt--> (Jul 1, 2002)

Radman's right, the only long-term fix is to eliminate the cause. I'm not wild about draining blisters, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

With that said, if you need a quick fix without resorting to surgery, here's my story...

At the '01 World team Trials I was going into the third day of competition after making the first cut, and while I was shooting pretty well (for me), I had developed a very painful deep blister on the middle finger- the one that does most of the work. It was to the point where it was really painful to release the string, and as you've probably found, the body does odd things to your form in the cause of avoiding pain....

At lunchtime, Robbie Bennett and Kathie Loesch, fellow shooters from Texas, came over to me and asked what the problem was. 

Robbie went off and returned with a bottle of a topical muscle pain remedy called Absorbine Jr. This is in an applicator bottle. Kathie had me cut off the bottom of a water bottle and she poured about 1 cm of the stuff into the cup, and told me to soak the finger for a half hour.

I was dubious about it, but I had nothing to lose.

Lo and behold, I was able to finish the tournament with a lot less pain, and it helped dry up the blister. I lost quite a lot of skin over the next couple of weeks in that spot, but after FIXING THE CAUSE (in my case a worn-out tab and excessive finger tension) I have never had a problem since.

It seems to work on sore fingers... but I would caution you to follow the directions.

EDITED TO ADD: I neglected to address the question on callus problems. The patented Jay Barrs remedy is to carefully sand the callus down with sandpaper or an emery board (you'll know if you go too far) and then cover the remainder with Neosporin ointment. Cover with a band-aid and leave it alone overnight. Much better in the AM.


A longer term remedy is to use a veterinary product called 'Bag Balm" (comes in a little green tin and is sold in drugstores) and treat the calluses for a week or so by rubbing the stuff in and covering as needed. I have an acquaintance who is a well-known rock drummer who would have such severe calluses from her sticks that they would crack and bleed while playing. Her group's 1994 album had a little liner note dedicated to me and my Bag Balm solution ...


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## baldmountain (Apr 21, 2003)

>--gt--> said:


> *A longer term remedy is to use a veterinary product called 'Bag Balm"*


When my daughter was doing gymnastics she'd develop some mean calluses on her hands. She'd rub Bag Balm all over her hands before going to bed, put socks over her hands and sleep with them on. It kept her hands supple so the calluses wouldn't turn into tears. (yes, her skin would literaly rip apart.  )


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## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

I have never had a problem with archery blisters but I used to get them when I was a teaching squash pro (20+ years ago we often used old towels to make grips and when they got old and hard they could really rip up your hands). I used to careful sand down the callus weekly because if it got too big, you would develop a blister under it as it moved around. I use the thickest leather Diane Tone can find for me on my tabs and I have a rather deep hook-that seems to prevent blisters combined with the fact that I don't have any weeks where I don't shoot or play racquet sports so my right hand stays toug


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## mbu (Oct 22, 2003)

I was not sure as to how describe the problem, but Jim C said it perfectly: the callus got too big and my wife “develop a blister under it as it moved around”. The location is on her finger joint facing the tab and exactly at the bowstring position. The first several ends are extremely painful to draw the bow and later the pain becomes just not as sharp. Several days ago she did try to sand it, but was not very careful. So at this point it looks like it got infected and she needs some strong medicine and/or to see a doctor to deal with it.

Thanks everyone for your help. Hopefully she will avoid this problem in the future when she follows your great suggestions.


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