My Hands Hurt...

[Gdawg]

after sailing in cold water. The cold water is nothing new to me - I'm used to the acute pain that you get when you first thaw your hands after their initial freeze and then you're good to go for the rest of the sesh. But within the past couple of years, I've started noticing on the drive home in the warm truck they start to ache. Then for the next 24-48 hrs they're really sore, especially the tips/fingernails. Kind of like what I'd imagine arthritis would be like. Probably no magic diagnosis here - presumably the additive effects of getting old, mutliple freeze-thaw cycles and other abuse which would be easily remedied by moving to Maui. Does anyone else experience these symptoms or is it just me?

[Sandy Beach]

<a href="/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raynaud's_phenomenon" target="_blank">may be a mild case of Raynaud's syndrome</a>

[KUS]

Ditto for me, lasts acutely for a few days, then only lateral pain when bending fingers inward. I worked, usually without gloves, in the ski industry for many years tho, suspect it is catching up as is everything else. When I can't wipe my ass I will reassess I crack me up oohoo, another one

[downwind dave]

If you get frostbite-like white spots on your fingers where circulation is cut off, that is Reynauds. I had this hit me in august at nitinat lake.. freaked me out a bit so i read up on it. has not showed up since.
If you are describing a more general soreness that is probably not reynauds. Winter sailing is tough as you get the extra forearm fatigue from wetsuit/ gloves, combined with the nature of the sailing (death grip, unhooked wave riding) and infrequent sessions (for some!). I think of the post-sail soreness as something to remind me of a wicked session. Something like training/stretching might help but i dont know anything about that.

[nanmoo]

I read a bunch on this topic recently as well, and it seems that both the anecdotal and medical consensus is that constantly near-freezing your hands then thawing them will ultimately result in arthritis and should be avoided with appropriate handwear.

[voodmon]

take cayenne pepper capsules or just straight cayenne pepper it stimulates peripheal circulation.

[downwind dave]

orally or topically? i have some old bear sprays i can try out..

[voodmon]

orally with food

[Wingnut]

sublingually

[heffe222]

Cold hand onset can be postponed or minimized by keeping the body core temperature high. If your body can generate enough heat during sailing and your can keep it from being stripped off by the wind and water, then the hands will get the warm blood supply they need. A suit that is too tight on the arms though will obstruct this circulation. Some small hot packs stuffed into your armpit area under your suit will help alot here, if there is room available. Capital Iron sells some reusable chemical hot packs that can be recharged by putting them in boiling water for a few minutes.

Maui in winter still looks like a good alternative!

[nanmoo]

Maui in winter still looks like a good alternative!

Best solution to cold hands yet!

[Gdawg]

Suspicion confirmed. My fingers/hands unequivocally did not hurt after sailing in Maui last week. As a result, I will now be moving, seeking medical refugee status in the US. I would suggest that all who are similarly afflicted try this form of therapy.

[KUS]

Some small hot packs stuffed into your armpit area under your suit will help alot here, if there is room available. Capital Iron sells some reusable chemical hot packs that can be recharged by putting them in boiling water for a few minutes.

awh c'mon, the hot packs attached to your armpits with Gorilla tape sound like a much cheaper alternative besides, would you not miss voting for any one of Canada's excellently qualified and trustworthy political candidates every 18 months??

[rocdoc]

If I was going to stuff hot packs under my wetsuit I would put them where they would do more good. Like somehwere else below the waist to enhance my appearance.