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duphrane
Sep 20, 2007, 12:16 AM
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Hi folks! Athletes hand may be real! I just joined to see if anyone else has suffered hand and foot infections after climbing on Kalymnos or anywhere else for that matter. I have been climbing for about 12 years but have been unable to climb since a trip to France in summer 2006.
Shortly after my return to the UK the skin on my hands started to blister and go flaky (Ugghh!). It gradually spread outwards (brownish advancing edge)and peeled off in large patches. My feet turned into horrendous brown blistered monsters. (Agghhh!)
This condition has baffled doctors and dermatologists who just prescribed steroids for eczema that I never suffered with previously. These worked for a short while but eventually just made matters worse, and I ended up with next to no skin on my hands, painful split fingertips, and several fingernails went brown, pitted and rotted away. I had to stop running and swimming too, so now I am about 20 KG bigger. I considered taking time off work it was so painful and ugly. It's a real pisser if you have an eczema type reaction and the doctors don't seem to know anything and or can't investigate into the causes.
To cut a long story short, I suspected fungus and bought a microscope from a vets lab on ebay, learned how to prepare slides with KOH and took loads of pictures poking a digital camera down the eye piece. Eventally, after several unsuccessful attempts I managed to get some images of what I thought were fungal hyphae and yeast cells and persuaded my dermatologist to give me Terbinafine tablets. It got better over about 10 weeks and my nails were almost normal again.
I thought I was cured, until I returned to school 2 weeks ago. Now it's back with a vengence. Maybe I'm allergic to school or stress? I tell you, if you get this type of reaction, you are lucky if you can find anyone able to help get to the bottom of it, especially here in the UK. It's up to you to figure it out.
I prepared another slide this week (can't trust the hospital to do it right) and took some more convincing pictures. This time the dermatologist is a bit less sceptical and we are going to try a more appropriate anti yeast treatment, but I may have to accept that it's incurable.
So, if you see some bugger climbing barefoot, shoot the bastard for me please!! Rest assured, I won't/can't use my hands to climb so there's no feer of catching anything from me. Anyway, enjoy the climbing and don't forget to wash yr ands n feet after!
sithee
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extreme_actuary
Sep 20, 2007, 1:16 AM
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This came from FeetforLife.org, a website from the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists regarding athlete's foot:
"...the fungus can spread to the toe nails, causing thickening and yellowing of the nail, which is much harder to treat....Fungal infections are highly contagious and can spread to anywhere on your skin – to your scalp, hands and even your groin, especially if you use the same towel (or foothold) for your feet as for the rest of your body...
...It’s caused by a number of fungal species which you can pick up from anywhere...you may walk around barefooted...The fungus on each bit of skin that falls away from someone else’s feet can be picked up by you if you’re prone."
That explains a lot, my groin has been itching ever since I used my crotch to grab that handhold at the gym last weekend.
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lithiummetalman
Sep 20, 2007, 1:29 AM
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Don't forget to chalk your feet, and don't scratch your nutz...EVER!
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matterunomama
Sep 21, 2007, 12:26 AM
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Disclosure: I am a dermatology PA.
Facts:
** athletes foot is a fungus, not a bacteria. The same three main fungi cause outbreaks all over-athletes foot, ringworm, jock itch...there is also something which is NOT uncommon, called "two foot one hand" disease, caused by having athletes foot and scratching your feet with your dominant hand (which also gets fungally infected). Warts are a virus. Herpes is a virus. MRSA is a becteria that is troublesome.
**Its true the the toilet seat is actually quite clean in a germ sense! Urine is normally sterile, and I hope the folks don't drop their e-coli infested poop on the seat..but you already have e-coli anyway; feces is mostly bacteria and some fiber. The dirtiest thing is the doorknob, because of all the nasty people who don't wash their hands and then touch it on the way out  In a hotel room, the TV remote is the dirtiest-all those people picking their nose and toes while they watch TV and the maids don't wipe it down. In an office the telephone handset is the dirtiest.
Opinion:
I wish you would wear a light shoe of some sort-they make nice sock slippers with rubbery dots on the sole, or those 5-toe socks baseball players are wearing and rowers wear or the big toe separated socks I saw Jason Kehl wearing, because the holds get slimy from your feet and feet DO have a lot of exfoliated skin cells with your 'essence' in them, but healthwise I am more concerned with blood which has all kinds of potential problems, the herpes on your lip thats pressed against the wall, and your wart virus stuck in the skin cells. I hate warts.
I know of at least one gym that has a "Purell" dispenser by the front door-hit it on the way in and out or gets your own and you've done yourself a favor. Do us all a favor, don't climb barefoot. I'm not very fastidious, but feet should stay away from my face.
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ClusterFock
Sep 22, 2007, 2:55 PM
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I fucking hate people climbing bare foot indoors.
I could have fucking killed the cunt that was climbing with his filthy socks on the other day.
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mturner
Sep 22, 2007, 4:23 PM
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Holy resurrected thread batman!!
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oldmannavy
Sep 24, 2007, 2:55 PM
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Bite my piggies
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rocdaug
Sep 24, 2007, 3:13 PM
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please use footwear in public places. have a little respect for your fellow climbers. shoes on the wall, flip-flops while you belay. how hard is this anyway? no body want's what is growing between your toes. oh, and bath once in a while too ok?
...sorry that you hurt your foot but, if you are injured maybe you need to let it heal.
rd
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freezorburn
Sep 28, 2007, 2:31 PM
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lithiummetalman wrote: don't scratch your nutz...EVER!
Awwh man!!! This could be a real problem for me. Scratching the nutz was one of my favorit hobbies.
(This post was edited by freezorburn on Oct 9, 2007, 4:22 PM)
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contactclimbing
Oct 4, 2007, 5:24 PM
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What would Bob Murray say to all of this?
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theofromboone
Nov 3, 2007, 7:26 AM
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i try to be barefoot whenever possible - in class, while approach hiking, at home, walking to class, etc etc
But something about rock holds and feet seem. . .gross to me. And feet never bother me.
If I see barefoot indoor climbing, I try not to care.
But usually don't do a good job.
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paclimber12
Nov 3, 2007, 3:11 PM
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yea your not allowed to climb barefoot at my gym
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fracture
Nov 4, 2007, 1:30 AM
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[quote "olderic"]Oh - and the primary reason for gyms (not just climbing ones) require you to wear shoes is not to protect all you prima donnas from cooties - its mandated by their insurance polices.[/QUOTE]
Anyone got any idea why?
(Old thread, eh?)
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olderic
Nov 5, 2007, 2:38 AM
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fracture wrote: [quote "olderic"] Anyone got any idea why? (Old thread, eh?)
Cause the insurance companies don't have a clue - but they are run by prima donnas.
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texasclimber
Nov 15, 2007, 10:56 PM
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[quote "cracklover"]Pure prejudice. Feet are thought of as unclean in our (and many other) cultures. It's a taboo, that's all. Far be it from me to try to break other folks from their sacred taboos, but... You ever think about what people are walking around in outside in their climbing shoes and then tracking onto those holds you're putting your "pristine" hands (that you probably just sneezed on) onto? I'm sure people's feet are much cleaner than the bottoms of their shoes!
:roll:
And to the OP: yup, bare foot climbing may very well improve your technique, but I'll tell you what the epiphany was for me - ANYTHING will improve your footwork. What I mean by that is that the key to improving footwork is to *pay attention* to your footwork. Look down. Think about where your feet are going. Place them carefully. Think about where they should be relative to your center of gravity, relative to where you need counter-pressure to another hold, relative to where you're trying to go. Just pay attention and you'll get so much better. It really *is* that simple.
GO[/quote]
With all that crazy staph infection going around, anything you can do to not spread it would be appreciated by all!
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dan2see
Nov 16, 2007, 4:42 AM
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Every post in this topic is nuts, and all you posters are ig... (oops I'll p-off our moderator). (except cracklover, he's OK).
First:
Our pre-historic ancestors walked all over our Earth for 3,000,000 (three million) years before shoes were invented. How do you imagine we survived for all those ages and ice-ages? And they weren't cave men, either.
Second:
Your foot is wonderfully adapted to handle the mechanical and biological abuse they get while they walk us everywhere. The thick skin is tough, the fatty layer underneath is better than gel, the bones work really well.
Third:
Your foot is fantastically adapted to heal from the abuse, and will do so quickly.
However:
Our modern civilization carries the really stupid taboo that our feet must be protected, in shoes, all the time. Everywhere. Phooey!
Then, in that warm, dark, moist, and dirty environment, things go wrong. Like infections, deformations, and the wrong kinds of repetitive stress injuries. Yuck!
----ooo----
I hate it when people say, we gotta wear shoes.
I'm sorry folks, but this is a really stupid topic, and I wish people would turn their backs on the taboos, throw away these defective props, and give their bodies the chance to feel good, look good, and perform superbly.
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dan2see
Nov 16, 2007, 4:48 AM
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But if you want to climb bare-foot, be aware that it can hurt. And outdoors, that rock can be really rough!
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k.l.k
Nov 16, 2007, 5:11 AM
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Gyms are pretty personal, but I worry a lot less about ahtlete's foot and ringworm and tinea than I do about MRSA. Use the disinfectant soap before and after. The gyms I saw in Germany have become a lot more vigilant about disinfecting both holds and climbers.
When I moved to Tucson in '89, I spent a lot of time climbing with elite boulders who climbed barefoot because the hardest problems were on underslung sit-downs with tiny footholds that period shoes couldn't use. But the probs need to hit about 150 or 160 before barefeet became better than slippers.
The sort of movement you learn with barefeet on super steep rock is very different from what you do in shoes/slippers. But on roofs with mono and double pockets it used to be the best approach. Anyone who has spent much time at Priest's Draw has climbed on routes that were put up barefoot with big toes in the pockets.
I've never seen anyone pick thjeir nose with their toe.
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kyote321
Nov 16, 2007, 7:57 PM
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i do like to climb barefoot, but i get why others aren't down.
anyone tried these?
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/
they purport be for bouldering, and if they had truly sticky rubber, they's probbly be rad for certain problems (like limestone pockets at priest draw)
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mojede
Nov 16, 2007, 8:46 PM
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Prolly mandated by the Insurance companies for two reason, both safety related: one, hygiene purposes (real or myth)--better safe than sorry; two, injury from non-climbing activites due to liability on the gym's behalf.
Some examples of #2 could be: floor traction issues, unseen small obstacles (puncture wounds, broken toes), and unattended glass debris.
I'm sure that claims adjusters could mention hundreds more, sadly.
Our society is too litigational, but that's another issue.
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spikeddem
Nov 24, 2007, 10:22 PM
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OP: You climbed better because you were no doubt climbing submaximally. Combining an exercise similar to "Quiet Feet" with a 5.8 . . . what kind of foot work are you expecting?
It had nothing to do with you being barefoot, it was because you were careful to avoid placing your foot incorrectly.
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armsrforclimbing
Nov 24, 2007, 11:02 PM
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I agree with dan2see. There was a post a while back about these shoes that have individual toesand basically no support. It was like a rubber liner for your foot. I thought it was pretty cool, and it made me think along the same line.
Take it a step further, w/o shoes would some knee, back and foot problems go away?
Eh, well its 25 degrees outside so I won't be testing it out.
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Knox_Harrington
Nov 26, 2007, 10:45 PM
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cagdbikeclimb wrote: My epiphany came when I thought that perhaps I should incorporate a little bit of barefoot climbing into my regular gym routine to help with the footwork. Any thoughts?
(This post was edited by Knox_Harrington on Nov 26, 2007, 10:45 PM)
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mturner
Nov 27, 2007, 2:28 AM
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I think it's easier to climb certain problems/routes with pockets barefoot.
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