Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Intriguing injuries

Warning: Some of the pictures linked below are pretty gross, so if you click at work or in front of your toddlers, don't say I didn't warn you.

I think most rollergirls are kind of perversely proud of the myriad injuries they get from this crazy sport. Not that we seek them out... but you'll find an Injury Gallery on almost every roller derby team website. I was tickled pink when I got my first fishnet-patterned rink rash the other week (though it wasn't dramatic enough to warrant a photo, so you'll have to look at the Rat City Rollergirls' butts instead).

This week I'm trying to figure out what to do about bloody knuckles. In roller derby, you have to learn to fall with your fingers tucked in, because if they're splayed out there's a pretty good likelihood that someone will roll over them (I even know a girl who rolled over her own fingers... don't ask). But fingers-tucked-in means I'm catching myself with my knuckles instead, which don't have a lot of padding to absorb the force of my fall. I was just recovering from some nice bloody knuckles after biting it on the gravel trail a few weeks ago; and then this Sunday I took some hard hits during our scrimmage in the morning, and now I've got three knuckles that are turning brown and various degrees of sore (betcha didn't know that a hand bruise looks more brown than blue, eh?).

So has anyone ever heard of knuckle-padding solutions? I asked the internet, but the best it had to offer me (aside from the fact that knuckle pads is a medical condition) was motorcycle gloves. And I'm not sure how well those would work with my wrist guards (aside from looking totally ridiculous). Suggestions, anyone?

2 comments:

Kirsten said...

Could you rig up your own golves. ie. sew padding onto the gloves you already own?

Anonymous said...

Hey, Susan, does this mean you have the costume--with fishnets and all? How about a picture.

Jenny