Help me with my chafing thighs!

August 7, 2008 6:34 PM

Hiking and chafing: make the pain stop!

My husband and I have recently started backpacking, which I enjoy greatly aside from one thing: having gone five miles in 80 degree heat, the inner aspects of my thighs were chafed so badly I couldn't walk without pain the next day.

I have had this problem since middle school, always being overweight, but it seems to have only gotten worse. Losing weight is the obvious answer, but that's one of the reasons I am hiking in the first place.

The chafing is primarily located in the upper thigh regions close to where my legs attach to my torso. This time we treated it by covering it with Tegaderm, but that is not a good solution because it sticks to itself.

I wear Spanx Power Panties on a daily basis but they aren't really built for any heavy duty wear (they are more like hose). I also used a pair of spandex shorts but found them unable to stay "up-ins" far enough to prevent the chafing. Same with spandex leggings.

Is there any pre-made solution, or am I forced to sew something? Any suggestions are welcome.

I know talcum powder and other products are made to stop the chafing, but many need to be reapplied too frequently or are fragrant-a big no-no in bear country. I would prefer the solution to be backpack friendly.

posted by nursegracer to sports, hobbies, & recreation (19 comments total)

BodyGlide. BodyGlide, bodyglide, bodyglide. And to reassure you that you're not alone, do a search on "chub rub". I feel your pain.
posted by bonheur at 6:42 PM on August 7, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I don't know what smells attract bears, so hopefully someone can weigh in on this product in that regard: Aquaphor. (I use it to keep my bra from rubbing on my skin while I'm running, and it works great. I have also heard good things about using it for skin chafing) It's got a vaseline-y texture, so it doesn't sweat off easily. If your skin is still raw there now, it'll also help it heal.
posted by Airhen at 6:45 PM on August 7, 2008

Bike shorts. They are both long enough to stay up on your torso, and have enough length to cover your legs to mid thigh. Try to find some without the padding in the crotch, or possibly some where you could cut the padding out with out damaging the shorts. Better quality shorts will also wick away sweat from yer neither regions - which is what causes chafing anyway.

Don't worry, they have them in sizes up to XXXL. Check your local sporting goods store or bicycle shop. You may have to order them too. They aren't cheap, but you should be able to find a good pair less than $50 and they last a while with proper care (line dry.)

Also talcum powder to prevent chafing, but also to sooth it if it happens again.
posted by wfrgms at 6:53 PM on August 7, 2008

2nding BodyGlide. The one I use has no odor whatsoever.
posted by magicbus at 7:04 PM on August 7, 2008

I used to have thigh chafing problems every summer.

As someone else already mentioned, BODYGLIDE BODYGLIDE BODYGLIDE.

A local bike shop or outdoors place (I get mine at Academy Sports) should have it.
posted by mrbill at 7:13 PM on August 7, 2008

Bodyglide if you are fine, butt buttr if you already have a bit going on already. I bring both.

Also, no cotton down there. Lastly lots of running/hiking shorts have a built in liner that is intended to be used instead of underwear; does not work for me so just hack it out.
posted by H. Roark at 7:15 PM on August 7, 2008

Bodyglide!
posted by Heretic at 7:22 PM on August 7, 2008

I recommend Gold Bond Medicated Powder for when you already have it. See also previously and previously.
posted by various at 7:27 PM on August 7, 2008

Make sure you stay properly hydrated at all times. Your skin will be less prone to irritation, and it will recover from said irritation faster.
posted by knave at 7:32 PM on August 7, 2008

Compression shorts.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:17 PM on August 7, 2008

I just use a pair of thin, but long cotton shorts. They need to nearly reach my knees to stay down, but because they're soft, they stay tucked into the crevices at the top better.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:21 PM on August 7, 2008

if you read through the old chub rub threads, you'll see recommendations for Monistat's Soothing Care. i'm working somewhere this summer that requires me to walk around for roughly 4 hours a day, and i get chub rub sometimes. Soothing Care is incredible. sometimes i put it on in the morning to prevent chub rub, but if i forget, i can put it on when i'm already chafed, and i feel much better.

it's easier to find than Bodyglide (in my opinion, and in my local mall) and at $8/tube, well worth it. i haven't even gone through an entire tube in 2 months.
posted by gursky at 8:32 PM on August 7, 2008

Forget Bodyglide. It's vastly inferior to Two Toms Sports Shield Liquid. It lasts forever and you cannot sweat it off your body. After a full marathon, my thighs are still smoothly passing by one another.

I would not run without it. My thighs would catch fire.
posted by 26.2 at 9:03 PM on August 7, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I've used deodorant to prevent chub rub and also to soothe the skin once its already there. It's cheap and convenient because I already have it on hand.
posted by Nickel at 12:05 AM on August 8, 2008

I have similar problems, and always go walking while wearing lycra running shorts. The trick is make sure they're tight, and to pull them right up when you're putting them on so they get into all the nooks and crannies. This way the lycra only rubs against lycra - you don't want any of this material sliding against your skin. I have done ten hour walks like this and suffered no chafing.
posted by tomble at 1:35 AM on August 8, 2008

Seconding bike shorts (you can remove the padding yourself normally) or lycra running shorts. As road tested on a couple of marathons and some very long hikes.
posted by rongorongo at 3:42 AM on August 8, 2008

Friend of mine suggestes that his experience with "long hikes" in the army was that one of the leg-lube products is the way to go.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 5:06 AM on August 8, 2008

runners use vaseline. much better than bodyglide if you ask me but I suppose that's personal taste. for smaller chafing problems try taping them off.
posted by krautland at 6:24 AM on August 8, 2008

I wouldn't suggest deoderant; it could irritate the irritation.
posted by craven_morhead at 8:00 AM on August 8, 2008