RunningAHEAD - Topic: Cold hands!!

coastwalker

posted: 1/16/2009 at 10:23 AM

Hi all, In the scheme of thing's I know this is a rather minor problem, but I'd still like to know if anybody can suggest a solution. I've had cold hands for years, but just discovered that I have Renaud's (meaning that circulation to my left hand, and especially my thumb, is appreciably reduced in cold weather - it is still red/purple about 4 hours after my workout). So it is important that I do what I can to protect my hands. My best solution so far has been LL Bean lined mittens with a hand warmer. But on days like today (-6; -16 wind chill), it's not enough. I do my workouts before dawn, and so can't take advantage of any warming that the sun might provide. And, where we live, and especially in the winter, it is a rare day when wind is not somewhat of an issue. Does anybody have any suggestions on what more I can do to keep my digits toasty, or at least comfortable? Thanks, Jay

Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.

mgerwn

Hold the Mayo

posted: 1/16/2009 at 10:40 AM

Well, my first suggestion partway through your post was going to be charcoal hand-warmers, but you covered that. Other thoughts - Those Thermacare wraps for your back or knees - same principal as the handwarmers, but they're larger so you could wrap them around your hand completely. - My sisters and mom used to have these sleeves that they would put their hands in to keep them warmer when they got dressed up - basically an open sleeve with a lining that acted like a second mitten (I think they were called "mitts"?) - Battery-powered hunting socks over your hands, under the mittens. LL Bean should have these as well. They use the power from the battery to generate heat in wires in the toe and foot bottom. Have to be careful with these, though. I had 1 pair (for my feet, for hunting) that had a faulty wire that overheated. I ended up with a 2nd degree burn on my toe before I could get my boot off.

"You're Not Winning"

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CNYrunner

posted: 1/16/2009 at 10:40 AM
modified: 1/16/2009 at 10:41 AM

Jay, I know how you feel. I have Renauds as well. I don't know which brand of hand warmers you use, but I find Hot Hands to work well. They also make Toastie Toes and the combination has gotten me through plenty of hockey games and long runs when the temperature plummets (-22F this morning---reminded me of my years working at St. Lawrence Univ. Brrr) I tuck the Hot Hands into wool mittens and then add a goretex mitten layer. http://industrialsavings.com/hard-hats/ISG-HH10PK.html Good luck, it's a drag when your hands and feet are cold. Karin

eliz4015

posted: 1/16/2009 at 11:10 AM

My college roommate had Renaud's. She solved her cold hands/feet problem by moving from upstate Pennsylvania to Lousiana. Not sure that's helpful, but thanks for reminding me of her! Eliz

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Ileneforward

#artbydmcbride

posted: 1/16/2009 at 12:38 PM

Moving to Southern California should work like a charm. Smile

And then we could meet too, its a win/win!

Runners run

stumpy77

Trails are hard!

posted: 1/16/2009 at 4:00 PM

Jay, as a fellow Reynolds sufferer I can sympathize. Unfortunately, i can't offer much in addition to what you've done. Mine never seems to pop up during runs. My hands will get a little cold at the start, but never get to the white finger stage. Even well below 20F, I'll end up carrying my gloves for a while. But below 40F at other times, I'll loose all the circulation in the tips. The only thing I can think of is to pull your thumbs into the mittens with the rest of the fingers so they're not out there all alone.

Need a fast half for late fall. Then I need to actually train for it.

mainerunnah

posted: 1/16/2009 at 7:37 PM

Hey there Jay, I have never been diagnosed but I too have had this problem for a few years now...it has gotten worse the last 5-6 years. Anyways I have found that I have to double up on two pairs of "fleece" style mittens that I got from LL Bean..and in the early going I still have to pull my thumbs out and keep them with the rest of my fingers until they get toasty, which pretty much always happens after I get in a few miles. By the way I would love to meet up with you in Cape at the 10 miler on Feb 1. A group of us has made a ritual of meeting two weeks prior to run the course along with a few extra miles for those of us training for Boston etc. Looks like that run might just be in trouble on Sunday with a predicted snow storm on the way. Good luck with finding a solution to keeping those "expenditures" warm!

divechief

Maniac 505

posted: 1/16/2009 at 9:53 PM

Me too, never "officially" diagnosed, but my dive buddy at the Seattle Aquarium is a family practice physician, one day when I pulled my dry gloves off after a dive, he saw how much trouble I was having with a zipper and he noticed the splotchy color of my hands, He said "That looks like Renauds" He looked at my feet and said he was pretty sure. (I don't know what kind of definitive test there is? He said there are drugs you can take that might help (calcium chanel blocker maybe?) it's been a while so I don't remember exactly? Dr. Google indicated that the drugs might mess up electrolytes, and might not be the best thing for a runner, still if it is severe, it might be worth talking to your doctor. Also I mentioned this in passing to my personal MD, she noted it and (again this was a few years ago, and my memory is a little foggy) It could be of interest to monitor for rheumatism? those one time use hand warmers (or toe warmers or whatever? that you tear open and they stay warm for a few hours. The way they work is that they contain iron powder and a salt. when they contact oxygen (in air) they rust really fast and give off heat. there is nothing hazardous in them and when you throw them away, you are basically throwing away rust. OK Now I will offer a REAL TIP!! If you use one for a couple hours, put it in a Zip log bag. It will quickly use up the oxygen in the bag and shut down. when you open it back up, It will start working again. I buy them by the case, and one of them lasts me a week on my bike commute. FWIW Dave

coastwalker

posted: 1/17/2009 at 8:26 AM

Hi all, Thanks for all your feedback and suggestions! Michael, I've thought about battery-powered warmers, but I'm already "wired" enough on my workouts! Karin, I've been using HotHands, and followed your link and bought some more. I used them yesterday and feel like I got a chemical burn from holding the packet too tight on my fingers during yesterday's workout. Didn't like that... Ilene, moving to SoCal would solve my cold hand problem, but would create too many others. We'll have to find some other way to meet. Stumpy, even at 40 degrees, I need to wear some lightweight gloves, so temps in the single digits or lower take me to a whole new world. Keeping my thumb in the main part of my mitten is a good idea - I often do that to help keep the thumbs warmer. Bob, It would be great to meet up at the MidWinter in Cape E! Good luck with the pre-race run tomorrow - I hope you don't get snowed out. Dave, thanks for the tip on getting extra life from the handwarmers; with that, I should be able to get at least 2-3 workouts from each one. My doc also talked to me about drug therapies for Renauds. However, drugs are always far down my list of preferences, so I'll keep working on other ways to deal with this issue. For today's workout, I wore a pair of lightweight gloves inside my mittens, keeping my thumbs in the main part of the mittens, and it was great! My hands never got cold enough to be a problem, and my thumb stayed comfortable. Yay! Of course, it was 4 degrees warmer than yesterday, at -2. The only problem was finding a way to put on the second snug-fitting mitten over the glove without having a thumb to use on the other hand: Thank goodness I still have teeth I could use to pull the mitten up! Smile

Jay

Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.

Holly S.

Marathon Maniac #957

posted: 1/17/2009 at 9:03 AM

Quote from divechief on 1/16/2009 at 9:53 PM:

REAL TIP!! If you use one for a couple hours, put it in a Zip log bag. It will quickly use up the oxygen in the bag and shut down. when you open it back up, It will start working again.

Excellent tip, Dave, thanks! And Coastwalker, I often use the hot hands in my mittens, but instead of gripping them, I let them sit in the end of my mitten, just touching them with my fingertips. That way theey warm up the mitten without getting my hands overheated.

Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."

nonoruns

Renee the dog

posted: 1/17/2009 at 12:19 PM

Coast, maybe try to do windmills (vigorous, full-range arm circles-- about 20 or so each side) every mile or so to drive some blood down to your hands. Old ski coach taught me that one. I hope it helps you a little.

GOALS 2012: UNDECIDED

GOALS 2011: LIVE!!!

jules2

posted: 1/17/2009 at 3:55 PM
modified: 1/17/2009 at 3:58 PM

Me too, I am just amazed how many of you have it as well. I don't have a problem running but cycling in the Winter is a bit restricted. Coffee, alcohol and tobacco are supposed to make it worse. I first noticed it with the steering wheel being cold first thing in the morning. Ilene once my hands are warm I'll start packing.

Old age is when you move from illegal to prescribed drugs.

coastwalker

posted: 1/19/2009 at 9:31 AM

Holly, I also often just let the HotHands settle in my mittens where they will. But on really cold/windy days, I've been know to keep them very close (perhaps too close?) to my chilly digits. Nonoruns - I already get a lot of funny looks for being out racewalking. I can just imagine what would happen if I start windmilling too! Shocked

But most of the people I see on my workouts are just the newspaper delivery folks, and they already think I'm pretty weird, so maybe I'll give it a try. Jules, I don't smoke, but I'm not giving up my morning coffee, or my evening glass of wine! So I guess I'll just have to deal with cold hands till the weather warms up enough, usually by sometime in May. Thanks again, friends! Jay

Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.

dg.

posted: 1/19/2009 at 11:16 AM

Jay, thanks for starting this thread. I have it too. ( I also was surprised by how many do ). Thanks to everyone for the tips. I thought I'd mention one thing I noticed, which I didn't really figure out until I did some research. Even if I manage to keep my hands warm during a run, I tend to have attacks when I'm done running. After my LR in the cold I either go home or to the gym, and either way, end up with white hands after 5 or 10 minutes. I think it's because in that transition period I don't stay warm enough. In wet clothes.. walking around the locker room shivering but not wanting to change because I freeze in the process. I'd forgotten that Raynaud's is linked to your core temperature. I read this recently, just someone's experience, but it illustrates other things I read. "Always being careful to protect my body temperature before exposure not after. The biggest thing for me has been to visualize Raynauds as being linked to body core temperature. (Stress does not induce attacks for me.) If I never let my core temperature go down I don't ever get an episode. So if I tank up on hot coca or soup, I can go out for a motorcycle ride and be ok." I haven't really solved this yet, but think just getting a cup of hot something to drink while I'm changing & putting things away, you know the post run stuff, might help.

Holly S.

Marathon Maniac #957

posted: 1/19/2009 at 11:28 AM

Nonoruns and Dg - excellent advice. This is very helpful to me.

Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."

Masters Running

Cold hands!! (Read 353 times)