Scratch Spin

[IcePrincess]

Okay, something really freaky happened to me at the rink today!!! I was doing a scratch spin, and all of a sudden, my lower arm was in slight pain. A few hours later, I looked at my arm, and there were little tiny red dots on it! Can spining hurt the blood vessels in your arm or something? It's really odd! Is it still safe for me to keep doing this spin?

 

[Thin-Ice]

Were you spinning with your arms outstretched for longer than usual and were you spinning very fast? It is possible to have centrifugal force push the blood into your outstretched arms and the blood can't continue to circulate back into your torso. That CAN then force tiny droplets of blood from the veins to the surface of the skin. We have one guy at our rink who had this happen (he's an EXCELLENT spinner)... and he was worried about it.. but his doctor explained it to him. Now he doesn't do quite so many spins with outstretched arms and he pulls them in more slowly.. so he doesn't always have GREAT speed). He said he can always tell when he's approaching that point because it feels like little pinpricks. You should also talk to your coach about this.

 

[Mrs Redboots]

It's never happened to me - no way do I spin fast enough! But it's not uncommon, I understand. Rather less common than the normal problem of the contents of one's nose suddenly redistributing themselves....

Don't worry too much about it - and do talk to your coach; it's well probable that they've had the same experience. It means your spin is finally fast enough, I shouldn't wonder! But you may need to pull in a little earlier.

 

[Perry]

I get it alot on my hands when I spin, and I used to get them even more when I was younger (though I spin more quickly now, so that doesn't really make any sense). When I was younger, it used to happen on my sit spin -- that was easily corrected by doing the spin with my arms in a curcle or square position.

I've never talked to a doctor about it, but my arm hasn't fallen off yet, or anything, so I'm pretty sure there's no real medical problem with it.

 

[Ladskater]

Okay, something really freaky happened to me at the rink today!!! I was doing a scratch spin, and all of a sudden, my lower arm was in slight pain. A few hours later, I looked at my arm, and there were little tiny red dots on it! Can spining hurt the blood vessels in your arm or something? It's really odd! Is it still safe for me to keep doing this spin?

As a former figure skater, I have never had this happen to me nor heard of it happening to anyone else. I suppose though anything is possible. Was your arm hurting before you stepped on the ice? You may want to consult your dr. if the problem occurs again. I don't think that it is anything to worry about though.

 

[sk8kristi]

thats weird! iv never heard of that happening before! i would see a doctor if you're worried...

 

[Summerkid]

When I used to take boxing, I'd get red dots between my fingers from punching the hanging bag. They'd go away after a day or so. I don't think it's really serious as long as they do go away.

 

[megsk8z]

Ronnie Robertson used to spin so fast that he'd get what you are describing a lot. I wonder about Lucindah Ruh; she's much the same way, spin-wise.

It's normal for it to happen and will go away, but if it really upsets you or causes you pain, please ask your doctor.

 

[CanadianSkater]

Ouch!

When spinning fast with outstretched arms I've felt a slight prick sometimes but never red dots :think:

 

[Lcp88]

I remember reading that either Brian Boitano or Paul Wylie used to "compete" with other kids at their rinks to see who had the most dots after spinning! And it is actually, a little tiny burst of the little tiny blood vessles in your arms. It's nothing major, and doesn't require any special precations or treatments, but if they started hurting or staying longer then a few days I would definately ask a doctor.
I've never gotten them, and it's probably just one of those things that some people get and some don't, even if they're doing the same thing.
Laura

 

[ceg15]

Whoa, that's so weird. I know when I spin with my arms outstreched the blood in my arms goes rushing to my hands and it feels so weird but I've never heard of little red dots.....