Anti-Chafe

There are all sorts of injuries you can pick up when taking part in a triathlon but one that is often overlooked, possibly due to its trivial sounding nature, is chaffing. Chaffing causes an uncomfortable irritation and is caused by friction against the skin, from clothing, shoes or even cycle saddles, usually during events that require repetitive movements over a sustained period.

The risk of chaffing is increased during triathlons as more moisture and sweat is generated as the race goes on. If left untreated, this can even worsen to the extent that the initial abrasion becomes an open wound.

In order to minimise this risk it is important you get your pre-race preparation right and make sure that you have the right clothing and equipment for each stage of the race. And that should include anti chafe products such as anti chafe gel or cream.

When participating in a triathlon anti chafe creams should be used before the race and put in all susceptible areas, such as the neck, armpits and groin and even shoulders for women. As triathlons often require a change of clothing for each leg of the race you should always reapply your anti chafe cream at the start of each stage.

Another way to minimise the risk of chaffing during a triathlon, is by adjusting your cycle seat to make sure that it is not tilting too far in any direction. It may also be a good idea to invest in a new cycle seat as reduced surface area of narrower seats cuts down the risk of friction.